THE GREAT BASSOON DEBATE: TO FLICK OR TO VENT?
My Thoughts on this Hot Debate Stem from My Goal of CONSISTENCY. And the Foundation of My Experiences as Both a Teacher and a Performer. What Really Happens When The Adrenaline Gets Going OR When Learning a New Piece.
WHAT IS FLICKING? WHAT IS VENTING? And HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT?
TO FLICK: Gently Tap the Thumb Key at the Front of the Note and Then Release. Using the Key as a Speaker Key to Pop the Note Out in the Correct Octave.
TO VENT: Holding down the Thumb Key for the Full Duration of the Note.
WHAT NOTES USE FLICKING OR VENTING
This is the key Just above the A Key for the Left Thumb
Bassoonists sometimes Vent the D (the note just above the C pictured) using the D Key. But this Note Rarely has a Response Issue or Cracks in Pitch for Me, Even on My Heckel.
FLICKING OR VENTING- Which One do I Prefer and WHY!
For Beginners, FLICKING can be HAPHAZARD. Students will Attempt to Tap the Correct Thumb Key but Often Miss. And in the heat of the moment in performance, when the adrenaline kicks in, this becomes more predominant. I DID THE SAME THING AND DEMO THIS IN THE OPENING OF THE VIDEO. 🙂 We’ve All Been There!
The Tap and Release of Flicking can also lead to a CHANGE IN SOUND, if not done Quickly or Effectively.
For a Quick Visual Video Representation of these Thoughts and MORE- HERE’S A VIDEO!
erynoft 