The Bassoon
General Condition:
- Make sure all pads seal completely.
- Make sure all keys move freely.
- Make sure there are no cracks.
- Make sure all corks and felts are in place and in good condition. A missing or damaged cork will allow a key to open too much, changing the intonation.
Intonation Adjustments:
Bassoon, unlike clarinet, does not adjust intonation by pulling out or pushing in on the various joints.
- The joints need to fit snuggly to prevent leaks.
- The bassoon is much longer than the clarinet and it is not possible to pull out on a joint enough to make a significant difference in intonation.
The Bocal
General Condition:
- Make sure the curve of the bocal is smooth and has no dents.
- Make sure there are no cracks or dents at the tip end.
- Make sure the cork is secure and in good condition.
- Make sure the inside of the bocal is clean and free of deposits or buildup.
- Clean by running with warm, soapy water (use gentle liquid dish detergent or antibacterial hand soap) and a bocal swab through the bocal.
- Avoid using a bocal brush if possible. I have had the tips break off inside the bocal.
- Dry the cork after cleaning.
Intonation Adjustments:
Think of the bocal similar to the barrel of a clarinet:
- A longer barrel lowers the pitch on the clarinet and a longer bocal lowers the pitch.
- A shorter barrel raises the pitch on the clarinet and a shorter bocal raises the pitch on the bassoon.
Bocals are numbered from 0 to 4 according to their length.
- The smaller the number the shorter the bocal.
- Shorter will be higher in pitch; longer will be lower in pitch.
- #2 is the standard length used by most players.
Intonation can be altered by changing to a longer or shorter bocal.
However:
- The difference between consecutively numbered bocals is small and may not make a significant difference unless the player moves to a much longer or shorter bocal.
- Most early issues with intonation are also accompanied by poor tone quality and/or limited dynamic range. This suggests a problem with breath support and/or embouchure.
- Review Chapter 6: Breathing and Chapter 7: Embouchure for suggestions to improve these areas before investing in a shorter or longer bocal.
The Reed
- Select a good quality reed (See Chapter 3: Buying Reeds for what to look for during visual inspection).
- The shape, length, and thickness of the reed and hardness of the cane affect the pitch of a reed so if you have several brands, other than Bel Canto, you may also wish to compare the measurements and pick something in the middle.
- A reed that vibrates adequately can usually be played in tune no matter its measurements.
- I do not recommend using Jones brand reeds. My experience has been that students who have played Jones reeds use too much jaw pressure because they are excessively wide and heavy. These reeds can be adjusted but I do not recommend them for beginners. If your student is generally flat, make sure they are not using a Jones reed.
- Reducing the resistance (scraping the blade, loosening wires) will lower the pitch.
- Increasing the resistance (clipping the blade length, narrowing the blade width, and tightening wires) will raise the pitch.
Intonation Adjustments:
Fit on the Bocal
- Make sure the reed fits on the bocal securely:
- 7-9mm of the bocal should go inside the reed tube.
- Fits securely with no wobbling.
- If there is a problem with the fit, the tube of the reed will need to be reamed.
Raise the Pitch:
- Shortening the reed by clipping the tip back will raise the pitch. But it will also make the reed feel harder and response will take more effort.
- Narrowing the sides of the reed with sandpaper will raise the pitch without as much change to the response and lip feel.
Lower the Pitch:
You can’t make a reed longer to lower the pitch, so you have to reduce the resistance in the reed by:
- Scrapping cane off of the blade
- Flatten the height of the first wire.
- Raise the height of the second wire.
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