History shows that Egyptians used woodwind instruments as early as 2700 BC.
The magic of music has been around since the beginning of time, and people all throughout the ages of time have created their own instruments. The woodwind instruments were no exception.
Woodwind instruments have developed from panpipes made from natural materials into exceptionally made orchestra pieces. These orchestra pieces include the flute, saxophone, clarinet, and bass clarinet.
Let’s dive deeper into the bass clarinet in the guide below. Its deep, rich voice is sure to hypnotize you.
The Instrument Families
There are dozens upon dozens of different instruments, and they must be categorized somehow!
We categorize instruments into families. No, they don’t share a home and eat dinner together every night. But having these different families allows us to separate the instruments based on core characteristics.
There’s a good chance you even know some of the instrument families. The instrument families include the:
- Brass family
- Woodwinds family
- Strings family
- Percussion family
Woodwind Instruments
Because the bass clarinet is a woodwind instrument, let’s dive deeper into the woodwind family!
Contrary to what the name suggests, most woodwind instruments used today aren’t made of wood. Many of them, however, use wooden reeds in their mouthpiece. The bass clarinet is a single-reed instrument, along with the oboe and saxophone.
Woodwinds are played by the player blowing air through the body of the instrument. As they blow, the player uses their fingers to press down an arrangement of keys to change the pressure within the instrument. This creates the different notes you hear.
Clarinet vs Bass Clarinet
One of the most popular woodwind instruments is the clarinet. Johann Christoph Denner created the first clarinet-like instrument in 1690, and it’s greatly developed since then.
Some famous clarinet players you might know, besides Squidward from Spongebob, include:
- Benny Goodman
- Artie Shaw
- Sabine Meyer
- Edmond Hall
- Anat Cohen
The Bass Clarinet
The typical clarinet is technically a soprano clarinet. If we take things an octave lower, we have the bass clarinet.
A bass clarinet’s deep, booming sound often acts as reinforcement and support for the other bass instruments in an orchestra. It helps in keeping the pace and rhythm.
Many people love the bass clarinet because of its bass tube and rich tone. However, many people underestimate the range a bass clarinet has. A skilled player can play a range of 3 whole octaves on a bass clarinet!
In fact, some people mistake a bass clarinet for a soprano clarinet or saxophone during live performances. It’s an instrument full of pleasant surprises.
Famous bass clarinet players include:
- Eric Dolphy
- Harry Sparnaay
- Michel Pilz
- Bennie Maupin
- Kathryn Ladano
Benefits of Learning a Woodwind Instrument
Are you interested in learning how to play the bass clarinet? Or any other woodwind instrument?
Luckily for you, there are amazing benefits to learning how to play a woodwind instrument.
A major benefit any woodwind player knows well is the strengthening of the breath. Woodwind players often engage in breathing exercises to better expand their lung capacity and improve the control of their breath.
In addition to needing strong lungs, a woodwind player also needs quick fingers. Playing a woodwind instrument improves your hand-eye coordination. In turn, players develop incredible motor skills!
Most early learners also start to find that their posture and core strength greatly improve once they start regularly practicing with a woodwind instrument. It’s important to sit up straight and strong when playing any woodwind instrument.
The Benefits of Playing Any Instrument
Learning to play the bass clarinet, or any other woodwind instrument comes with incredible, specific benefits. But there’s a wider world of benefits when learning to play any musical instrument.
Understanding how to read sheet music and play an instrument are great brain exercises. Music is a sure way to improve cognitive ability, and that’s why it’s suggested for young people to enroll in music lessons.
Playing an instrument also boosts creativity, builds confidence, and improves memory. All of these benefits stretch beyond the music classroom into your daily life.
Plus, if you’re struggling to make friends, enrolling in a music class is a wonderful idea. Learning music with other people your age is a great way to meet new people and develop handy social skills.
Finding a Music Class
Is your desire to learn the bass clarinet burning bright now? Learn how to play through local music lessons.
Start your search for a music class by hopping online. Use a search engine to search phrases such as, “music class near me” or “local music classes”.
Once you have a list of results, sift through them to see what types of music classes each location offers. Are the music classes for advanced players only? Do they have small classes for beginners?
Instead of searching online for a class, you can also gather referrals from friends and family. Talk to someone you know who already plays the bass clarinet about how they got started, and ask for contacts for any nearby instructors.
Make sure to find an instructor who’s patient, understanding, and knowledgeable about the instrument and music theory.
Exploring the Richness of the Bass Clarinet
There’s no denying the beauty of the bass clarinet’s booming sounds. It’s as haunting as it is enchanting. Why not learn to play the bass clarinet yourself?
It can feel intimidating learning how to play an instrument, especially if you’ve never taken a music class before. But there’s no need to worry! You’ll be thankful you made the commitment.
Are you searching for music classes in the Urbana, MD area? Contact Sloan School of Music today to discuss your music education needs.
