All About the Great Bass Clarinet (a.k.a. the Contra-Alto Clarinet)

I talk about the history and usage of the E-flat Great Bass (a.k.a. Contra-Alto) Clarinet: why I use the term Great Bass, how it's been used by composers, and talk about the different makes.
Joe Clark's performance of my Three Songs for Contra-Alto Clarinet
• Three Songs for Contra...
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[@BKrystall]

I played my dads Eb contrabass clarinet. It’s a Selmer rosewood. Eventually the Selmer rosewood will be my new toy in the future.

[@krane15]

Its not a toy.

[@jdpancoast1790]

@@krane15 chill tf out

[@adrienthewitchcraftteacher4940]

I quadruple on alto clarinet, bass clarinet ContraAlto clarinet, and Contrabass clarinet. I do this for wind ensemble. It's painful to take around but fun to play.

[@Nonormalplayer]

I would love to do that if I had the time to. I do bass clarinet and can read E flat but I can imagine my band director wondering how I’m gonna use 4 instruments 💀

[@sophieirwin3497]

christ I miss playing the contralto clarinet! I used to sit on two chair stacked together and buy baritone sax reeds. So worth that low e flat!!

[@AndrewBeals]

Selmer's rosewood EE ♭ contrabass is a joy to play, if it's been set up by a talented tech. I had use of one for three years and I miss it.

[@musokid89]

I mainly use my contra-alto (ahem, sorry, great-bass) clarinet for clarinet choir pieces and to play A Chorus Line reed 4 book!

[@BretNewtonComposer]

I completely forgot to mention its use in the Broadway pit. There are a few musicals that call for it, but none (that I know of) that call for the Bb Contra.

[@JasonAlder]

@@BretNewtonComposer I know of 5 musical theater shows that use it (not off the top of my head, but could look it up if you need). None for B♭ contra.

[@JasonAlder]

update... i know of 13 musicals that use E♭ contra. some of them are new editions or revivals of older originals shows though. One of them possibly used B♭, but I haven't been able to get confirmation of that yet.

[@MrCG35]

Advantage of the “Great Bass” name: When I tell various people what instrument I played, they can get a better picture of what it may look and/or sound like. :-)

[@celadonk]

Also, you can say “I’m a great bass clarinetist”!

[@jordanbroyles3549]

This was my favorite to play in concert season, after drums in marching band.Charlie brown was my favorite!!! Love how low this goes.Its such a fun to play, and I miss it greatly!!Was my fav!

[@sampohoreskeybuskinglooseb9238]

I have never played a contra instrument but Im working on getting the other 3 standard wind instruments to go in a concert band being Oboe Bassoon and Bass Clarinet then I will start getting some of the contra instruments However I do like to test out instruments for other people and I have played a lot of Bb Soprano and Bass Clarinet

[@bellaallen3316]

My friend loves her contra alto clarinet but she plays in it bass clef and same notes as the tuba and she plays it in marching band to it’s her favorite thing lol

[@glengutridge4614]

back in 1979-80, i had the joy of playing this instrument.. my band director always enjoyed the deep reedy sound i produced.. he heard me over the tuba and bari-sax!

[@Symphing12]

I've attempted to compose for this, but I keep getting told to switch it out for the Contrabass. I want to use both but I keep getting that comment.

[@TheodoreBrown314]

The easiest solution to this: write what you want, then provide a practical alternative to please the naysayers

[@Symphing12]

@@TheodoreBrown314 that's what I've started doing! Letting others figure it out.

[@jmwoods190]

I, for one call the EEb contra-alto/contrabass/Great bass the 'Sub-Bass' Clarinet which was derived from what the contra-alto flute in G was contra was occasionally referred to (as well as how the G flute below the contrabass was called the subcontrabass), as it fits logically between the bass & contrabass, and sounds less confusing to me. Terminology aside, it's an instrument that is rather underrated, that has such a vast potential in so many settings & genres. Another thing is that a low C EEb Sub-Bass would have an even bigger potential, as it would be 1 semitone lower than a non-extended 4-string double/electric bass, as well as covering a bigger percentage of its BBb contrabass cousin's range, making it a very viable option for the low end of any ensemble/band. And interesting enough to note that Benedikt Eppelsheim hasn't made their own EEb Low C Sub-Bass yet to complement their BBb contrabass!

[@jakedarmstadter6943]

We have one at my school made by bundy by selmer. Getting my hands on it on Monday.

[@ArringtondeDionyso]

oh wow - you have the same model I play- I find it so much more "playable" than the contrabass, more fun overall

[@joshuasteele4498]

Fun video. Thank you. Good to see one of those again. I actually marched one of those in HS, playing a Bari Sax part, with the occasional opportunity to take the staff notes into a lower octave. Was fun and certainly unique!

[@larry2125]

Great video

[@devinblackwood5885]

Used the same make and model in high school district band for Arabian Dances by Balmages. I’ve played it once in a collegiate ensemble for Give Us This Day.

[@liamisafireplace]

God I wish I had a paperclip contrabass they’re so pretty looking and cool. I get to play contra alto and contrabass, but they’re both straight models and the straight contrabass is so fucking long. It sounds nice and I love to play but it’s such a pain to play

[@krane15]

The contra bass clarinet is a lot of thing but pretty -- in any configuration -- is not one of them.

[@JohnRandomness105]

This will never happen, but... our bass clarinet is redubbed the "baritone clarinet", our contra-alto clarinet becomes the "bass clarinet".

[@diminuendo7525]

they usually just play the bari sax parts if theres no bari player

[@timdufka1548]

Instead of the "great bass clarinet" what about just "Eb bass clarinet" to distinguish it from "Bb bass clarinet"?

[@BretNewtonComposer]

There's a simple problem there. Eb Bass looks like a typo. It's along the same reason that Eb Contrabass and Bb Contrabass are often confused. By having a truly distinctive name, it makes it easier to distinguish.

[@timdufka1548]

@@BretNewtonComposer People don’t seem to confuse an Eb clarinet with a “clarinet” which is usually a Bb soprano, but I think Eb Great Bass is a fine moniker!

[@BladeTNT2018]

If they're contralto clarinets in F, commnly called contra basset horns, how common are they?

[@AvGeekW159]

There might be one that still survives

[@bobjacobson858]

Thanks for this very informative video. I've had my Bundy Eb great bass clarinet for a couple weeks (bought used off eBay for $912, but I also had to buy a mouthpiece and ligature), and it generally plays well. The seller is a woodwinds repair technician. I find the low [written] C, B (and of course the Bb) at the bottom of the clarion range difficult to play, but a bit easier if I start higher and work down to it. Of course I can play the Bb in the 'throat' range, just as I would on a soprano clarinet. The very lowest notes (written F# down through Eb) tend to come out a bit flat, so sometimes I try to use the Eb as a D, and I would love to have some lower notes. I have many other instruments, and sometimes I play this clarinet instead of my Conn 20J tuba, and use the clarinet to play tuba and contrabass saxophone parts while listening to videos, many from the Christian Congregation in Brazil (CCB) which uses a lot of low brass and low saxophones.

[@jamesmdodd4217]

As it has been stated in some responses in the recent past, the Selmer (Paris) EEb in Rosewood is a beautiful instrument and a real joy to play.

[@TomZmael]

In Brazil its called Clarone ContraBass in Eb

[@andreasrehn7454]

well... the error actually lies somewhere else in my opinion... why is the bass clarinet called bass clarinet? Upper register is the same as a tenorsax, lower is the same as a barisax... Just makes no sense at all that the clarinet below the alto is straight away bass... So I would call the bass tenor, the EEb bariton and the BBb Bass... just in line with the saxophones, even though the clarinets can go lower by approx a 5th... but that is also true for the sopran and alto, isnt it?

[@BretNewtonComposer]

Equating saxophone sizes to clarinet sizes is a faulty premise.

[@bacicinvatteneaca]

The issue is the standard Bb clarinet is a low alto register, not a soprano. The alto should be called tenor, and the bass is a bass.

[@jonburton1935]

I generally call it the contra alto . My reasoning is calling it a great bass or contra bass can be confusing when there’s a Bb contra bass. With this said if you’re familiar with the bob Florence big band you’ll know he used both bass clarinet and contra alto extensively in many of his compositions which were played by the bari sax players. He wrote the contra alto part down to low D in some of his charts. But if you want to hear great woodwind playing and certainly lots of low clarinet playing in a big band setting look him up. Look up an album called grease mechanix by frank macchia to hear some great Bb contra bass solos

[@celadonk]

Hey Bret, I have a bit of a passion for rare or obscure musical instruments, particularly wind instruments. I’m not quite at that stage in my life yet but eventually I want to collect and play them. However, especially with somewhat rarer instruments such as the one you demonstrate here, they get on the expensive side. How do you get your hands on them?

[@AvGeekW159]

These plastic insttuments are super cheap! You can find one of these for under $2k.

[@bradleystevens10]

The Ernest Chausson opera Le Roi Arthus has a contra alto clarinet part.

[@BretNewtonComposer]

I pulled up the manuscript on IMSLP and it looks like he was using the Bb Contra.

[@bradleystevens10]

@@BretNewtonComposer That's funny. Le Roi Arthus was cited in Buffet's harmony/low clarinet brochure as including the Eb in its score.

[@BretNewtonComposer]

@@bradleystevens10 it very well could be that they used an Eb for performances, but it's definitely for the Bb (probably intended for the Besson-Fontaine).

[@TheClarinetProject]

Nice! I always thought contra-alto didn’t make sense.

[@instrumentalheadquarters7062]

I want One!!!

[@James.D.B.]

I played one back in 10th grade, it's sound is beautiful, I loved it

[@instrumentalheadquarters7062]

@@James.D.B. I agree now. Ive played it for about 8 months now.

[@jhaugsne]

Great video! Long-time viewer, first-time commenter. I played a Vito when I was in junior high. The case was nearly as tall as I was then, and I had to sit on a stool in the back between the tubas and percussion. One day, when in the secondary gym for a warm-up before our concert, I played a low G as part of the warm-up and it just resonated within the gym so that I had the loudest voice in the room. An Ab and an F# resonated much less, and no other note had the same effect.

[@agogobell28]

You discovered a resonant frequency of the room, it seems!

[@Thatsaxguy123]

I can’t get above an A do you have any tips for that

[@isaiahscoollife6532]

Do a piccalo

[@BretNewtonComposer]

Do what to a "piccalo?"

[@PeterGriffin-kb2hf]

How similar is playing that to playing a saxophone? As a saxophone player I want to try to play low clarinets but I don't want to learn a totally new embouchure. I already juggle alto saxophone, tuba and euphonium.

[@AndrewBeals]

It different from a sax embouchure. A lot less of the beak goes in your mouth.

[@instrumentalheadquarters7062]

I play Alto sax, going on 4 years. I started bass clarinet this year and I got a Bb clarinet for Christmas. It is quite different but not that bad at all. I want contra clarinets though!

[@PeterGriffin-kb2hf]

@@instrumentalheadquarters7062 heyy I'm also soon to be 4 years

[@bigmandrel]

The embouchure is different, of course, but it is not a totally new embouchure. In fact, it is quite similar; it will not be a problem for you. If you have an interest, you will succeed.

[@kevinngo9138]

Typically when clarinet players transfer to sax their tone is very tight and when sax players go to clarinet their tone is too bright, just has to do with natural embouchure habits we build from playing the instruments. Some good practice should do the trick :D

[@noedelgado2442]

Hi do you know anything about a Buescher 1910 bass Clarinet??

[@robertforrester578]

What price would one expect to pay for a LeBlanc metal contrabass, if in decent condition? My nephew is nuts about contrabass clarinet for some reason. There is one on craig's list and the guy wants $3000. That is about the limit I want to spend on a 19 year old, who may change his interest. Basically Brother, I'd like to know if I could get my money back in case the kid loses his desire to take up what looks to me as, an unweldy thing to play. Although I must admit it sounded cool in your video, which was very helpful to me. Thanks for your time and expertise. Bob Forrester

[@BretNewtonComposer]

They're roughly going for $3,000-$5,000 for the straight models and $5,000 to $7,000 for the paperclip models. That's assuming a Bb instrument.

[@robertforrester578]

@@BretNewtonComposer Thanks for your help Bret.

[@tylerpinkerton3736]

Do contrabass clarinets share the same size mouthpiece as contralto clarinets?

[@freshlysqueezedaesthetics2942]

From what I've seen you can use a contrabass mouthpiece on it.

[@musokid89]

Depends on the make/model of the instrument. Leblanc paperclip Bb contrabass and Eb contrabass mouthpieces are the same size. But they’re much larger than Selmer or Vito Bb or Eb contras which can differ in size.

[@JasonAlder]

Leblanc/Vito B♭ and E♭ contras use the same size mouthpiece. Selmer/Bundy E♭ contra mouthpieces are smaller, between a bass and contrabass.

[@aukej6024]

@@JasonAlder The Buffet-Crampon Eb contra uses a bass clarinet mouthpiece.

[@JasonAlder]

@@aukej6024 yes, also true. But only about 200 of them have been made so they’re quite rare.

[@hii3672]

how tall would you have to be to play this?

[@jeanesingsjazz]

First of all you can’t really play this horn standing up. So a person’s height would have to be adjusted by whatever chair they sat in. I’m 5’7 but a bit short waisted so I had to have a taller chair than everybody else to reach the mouthpiece ( it’s fixed). You adjust it too much and you’re going to be out of tune.

[@glebkuz12]

It sounds like wire of electric guitar

[@mambojazz1]

Contraalto IS the correct term!!! Even in a choir contraalto is the correct term. There is nothing confusing about that to a musician!!!

[@wilhelmorangenbaum163]

In a choir the term used is just "alto" witch is a register term, the therm "contralto" is more of a voice designation that denotes more that only the register. Either way, in the context of instruments the therm "contralto" is used completely different from how is used in the choir.

[@TheodoreBrown314]

Contralto Voice: roughly F3 to E5 Contralto Clarinet: roughly F#1 to Eb4 Very different meaning when you apply it to a clarinet, hence why Bret reckons that name should be discarded

[@andrewhofmann]

I would call the Contrabass Clarinet the great bass clarinet. Not the ContraAlto Clarinet