h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

OK, I can't remember which bottom side key is low E and low F. Anyone know?

lets say these are the keys and someone can just say which one's which

a b
-- ____
-- ____
c d

If anyone understands that.

I know a is C in upper reigster, c is Eb in upper register, d is C# in upper, c is G# in lower, and either a, b or c is E, F or F#. Anyone know which is which?

Thanx

Cat

I could tell you if I had my clarinet here, but I don't know without putting my fingers on the keys!

hehe, do it on a pencil!! I practised that way after a test in class and I was bored, it's was quite funny and my friend cracked it at me cause she thought I was an idiot.

Cat

The clarinet repeats registers a 12th apart rather than an octave as for many other instruments. So the low E is the same as the B in the upper register. This is the bottom rightmost key (possibly d on your diagram if the bell of the clarinet is to the right). The F is the one slightly above and to the left of that (b?). The F# is the one on the same level but further up the barrel (c?). The remaining key (a) is to lift a pad and raise the bottom fingered G to G#. Only the action of this G# is not duplicated for the left hand via more keys further up.

Have a look at a guide I wrote at:

http://gofree.indigo.ie/~jonmca/clarinet4.html

The normal fingering for Low E is:

http://gofree.indigo.ie/~jonmca/c040.gif

while the fingering for Low F is:

http://gofree.indigo.ie/~jonmca/c050.gif

There are alternatives. You don't need to hold down the left little finger when playing Low E, but it is good practice if the next note is Low F.

Yeah, I know the other fingerings and everything, I just couldn't remember which one was which for the song I'm playing. It's all good now though, thanks people.

Cat