From bassoon to ???, from ??? to bassoon

[SOTSDO]

Once again, this spring finds me playing a show that has a clarinet/baritone sax/bassoon book. While all of the parts are scored for both baritone sax and bassoon (which might lead to some odd tone colors), and while I could transpose the bassoon part on the bass clarinet, I'd still rather do it on the bassoon.

However, the last three times that I tried this, I had no end of trouble making the swaps. I have a seat strap setup on the horn, with a nifty seat strap (slick on top, suede on the bottom (courtesy of a local S&M leather shop), and I cannot abide plastic reeds.

I've taken some of the lost motion out of the changes (bassoon on the left side of the stand, baritone on the right, reed in a water pot screwed to a pot holder on the music stand), but I still find it hard to get it all done in the seven or eight bars that I am often allowed.

I've considered one of those spike stands, but in turn that would require a new bassoon stand (probably one of those K & M monsters). Other than that, I can't see any other timesavers that would allow it to "work".

(Incidentally, all four shows had huge amounts of bassoon in them - Crazy For You, that one with Tea For Two in it, The Music Man and now (shudder) L'll Abner.)

Any other ideas?

[Ed Svoboda]

It may sound crazy but how about doing a Bassoon Peg?

[Merlin]

I've seen several bassoons lately with a curved leg rest on the bassoon. I believe Winc is one of the brand names.

Last time I had fast bassoon to bari changes, I played the bassoon on a strap, and rested in my lap when I played the bari on the stand.

[Ed Svoboda]

I was thinking Bassoon peg with a strap. I've seen some interesting strap configurations on Bassoon. It seems like Bassoon needs to come in from your left with Bari always on the right. If you could play Bassoon with it between your legs you'd be fine

[SOTSDO]

I've used the lap approach occasionally for horn changes to and from the bassoon during a single number. I've got my seat straps (the Sado-Masochistic ones, which are really, really nice - my wife and I have ended up taking all sorts of leather work to the guys, even if visiting their shop is a bit much) set up so that I can pick up or drop the ring through the bottom of the boot quickly enough, and the horn just barely will balance on my lap with the ring engaged.

I do the same sort of thing with the bass. On tunes where I've got both bass clarinet and baritone, I play the bass over the bari, with the baritone up on my lap. Then, for a horn change, it's stab the bass down in its bracket, and then slide the baritone into place. I can manage this in about four beats of moderate time. Going the other way takes a bit more time and effort, though, as you've got to move the baritone up on your lap before grabbing at the bass.

I've never thought about putting a stand on my left for it. A good way to piss off the tenor player, I would imagine...

My instrument stand is somewhat different from most. It's a wooden "H" base, with stations for the horns spaced across the extended center bar of the letter. For this next show, I'll set it up for baritone, bassoon, bass clarinet and clarinet, but it can just as easily accommodate my alto or a tenor, or the flutes and small clarinets. If I figure out the photo capability here, I'll post a photo of same.

The bassoon stand that is installed on the base is the upper half of a Fox one, purchased from the junk bin at H & H's Dallas warehouse for all of $5.00. One of my better musical bargains.

All of the curved leg brackets that I've seen are a bit on the pricey side. I hate to shell out that much without trying one first. All I have to do is find a Bassoons 'R' Us, and I can make the comparison...

[Merlin]

I'd forgotten you keep your bassoon on the right, Terry.

I keep mine on the left. Most of the shows I've been doing lately have the WW section in two or three ranks, so the back row left is the spot I've ended up in - no one on my left to worry about.