How to Write Bass Clarinet Music

The bass clarinet is an instrument with its own characteristics and capabilities separate from its higher-pitched cousin, the soprano B-flat clarinet. As a result, writing music for bass clarinet shares certain traits with the soprano clarinet and distinguishes itself in other areas of music composition. Because the bass clarinet is not as prominent in solo and ensemble capacities, you tend to see little on composition tricks and techniques geared toward the bass clarinet.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. 
    
   bass clarinet page: wikipedia.com

   Write in the space of the staff that best fits the bass clarinet. Bass clarinet is in the key of B-flat, one octave below soprano B-flat clarinet. However, the two instruments have slightly different ranges that best fit the instrument. The bass clarinet performs well from G in the staff all the way to the either E below the staff, or, if you have a professional model bass clarinet, you may have an extension allowing all the way to double C below the staff.
   
   If you are writing music for solo bass clarinet or is featured in an ensemble, consider writing in this area of the staff. If your composition is advanced and is designed to exercise the capability of the musician and the instrument, feel free to write well above the staff. If you are writing music for bass clarinet that is part of a band or orchestra piece, consider the range and quality of sound the bass clarinet generates. If writing a part for an orchestral piece, consider writing in the same range and style as the cello or similar instrument. If writing for band, look at the euphonium or trombone parts.

2. Plan what key you are going to compose in. If you are the type of composer who writes music on a keyboard and then translates the music to the instrument, keep in mind that bass clarinet is in B-flat while piano is in C. It is recommended that you have a bass clarinet on hand as you write your music. You will be able to hear first hand how a melodic motif sounds on the instrument.

3. Determine reoccurring melodic and rhythmic themes for your piece. Especially in solo pieces, bass clarinet is similar to soprano B-flat clarinet in that music for them tends to take advantage of the fluid nature of the instrument. Your solo bass clarinet may contain quick passages, not only based off of scales but arpeggios and even octave jumps in combination with syncopation, 16th and 32nd notes.

4. Plan your phrasing. It is critical that your composition focuses upon phrasing of passages or created logical peaks and valleys. Because the bass clarinet has such a low range of notes, if you do not take this into mind, fast passages that end below low C may get lost unless you make provisions for this in the music. One way to avoid this is to have the music crescendo down through the end of the run of notes, ending at a forte or a fortessimo.
   
   Well-planned phrasing will allow the performer to have opportunities to breathe. A bass clarinet is not a piano, able to play indefinitely without pausing. Unless the piece is designed to be performed by a bass clarinetist who can circular breathe, be aware of phrasing as it relates to places to take a break.

5. 
    
   veggiegretz: morguefile.com

   Figure out if you are going to have piano accompaniment and if so, how does it work with the bass clarinet. If piano is present, consider what role it has to play. You can use the piano to provide a harmonic counterpoint to the bass clarinet part. Additionally, consider using the piano to modulate from one key to another if that is an element you wish to incorporate.

Tips & Warnings

• Unless you have a fair amount of music composition experience, try your hand at writing the music for bass clarinet on paper. Tackle one challenge at a time in order to avoid unnecessary frustrations. If you are a soprano B-flat clarinet player/composer first and bass clarinet second, resist the urge to write music for bass clarinet as if it were a soprano clarinet. While they are similar in many ways, they are different instruments and each have their musical strengths and weaknesses. Play what you write for others. Music is an art that is meant to be shared. Additionally, you can gain quite a bit of insight from your musical colleagues in the process of writing your bass clarinet music.
• If you do not have a fundamental understanding of music theory and composition, writing bass clarinet music will be difficult.

References

• BassClarinet.org

Resources

• BassClarinet.org