I find the Eb is generally unstable on my bassoon, no matter the reed. I go back and forth between the other fingerings depending not on the tone/dynamic, but which is better in tune. Different reeds need different fingerings to wrangle the Eb back in tune. The fingerings can even change as the reed gets softer after playing for more than an hour.
What a great video reference! Now all I need to do is find this video and click on the alternate I need to review! Another useful video enters your library. Thanks! By the way I looked up "Essentials of Bassoon Technique'" and found this comment to not only be humorous but surely true: "It is hoped that, through judicious use of Essentials of Bassoon Technique, future generations of aspiring bassoonists will be able to more quickly traverse the well-worn and sometimes traumatic path of their predecessors." Thanks for helping us down our traumatic paths. Norm
Really helpful on the high f# and Ab. Brought back memories from playing Dances from Crete by Adam Gorb. In one of the movements, there is a really long bassoon passage that starts on the high Ab. I used the 2nd more open fingering you showed (was what I was taught) and it never played easily or in tune. Thanks :)
I learned the front F# first because most bassoons I've had access to don't have the little guard over the back F# - and my leg holds that pad shut!! :/
This helped me so much! I am definitely going to use this when I have disjunct melodies in orchestra! You are by far the most underrated music/bassoon channel on yt.
Hi Natalie. I received a newsletter email - where we can ask questions that you could answer in your a RU-vid video. I was just wondering if you are planning on making this Q&A video 💗
Yes I am! I decided to make a couple videos about specific questions I received and then I will do a video which includes more of the questions! So there are a few videos that are coming out before the full Q&A.
Excellent video!! I have two questions I’d like to ask, What’s a good High Ab fingering for tonguing in fast technical passages? (Especially excerpts like the nutcracker) And also where did you get your bassoon crutch? It looks so cool!!🤩🤩
I would use the full Ab or some variation of that for lots of rapid tonguing - experiment with what works best for you! My crutch was actually custom made for someone else who didn’t end up liking it and it ultimately was given to me!
I've encountered multiple Ab to Bb trills...have any tips? I was told by a music teacher that on all woodwinds there's always 1 finger to move for a trill.
Unless you have the Ab-Bb trill key on your bassoon like I do on mine, you can only use the standard fingerings. This is why they make a trill key as an option on some bassoons :)
@@RiceWitch-dingus-400 whishper, 1,3, Bb 2 (or one depends on your instrument) some people also add the resonance key but I don't find it necessary. That fingering above is generally referred to as the short Eb. It's incredibly sharp so generally it is only used if a passage is so difficult the fingering must be used. It can also be a little bassoon dependent on how sharp it is as well
