Holding the Bassoon
Posture
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The Seat Strap
- Sit down so the seat strap is under your legs and not your glutes.
- Attach the bassoon to the seat strap with the cradle or clip/hook so that the strap connects to the bassoon at the bottom of the boot joint on the side opposite of your palm.
- If the hole on the metal cap protecting the U-tube at the bottom is on the wrong side, you can remove the metal cap and turn it around to the correct side.
- If the bassoon is at the incorrect height, you can adjust this by taking the end of the strap next to your left leg in your left hand and pulling it to the left to raise the height of the bassoon or letting the weight of the bassoon pull the strap to the left.
- If you haven't already, this is a good time to insert the bocal into the receiver on the wing joint and place the reed on the bocal.
Bassoon Angle
- Start by holding the bassoon with your right hand so it is perfectly strait up and down.
- The bassoon should be in front of your body, closer to your knees. If it feels like the bassoon is directly next to your body, move the seat strap forward so it is under your legs and not your glutes.
- Grab the bassoon with your left hand and let the bassoon tilt to the left across your body so it's resting on your right leg.
- You should be able to see your music stand and the conductor by looking over the right side of the bassoon.
Why No Neck Strap?
- The balance of the bassoon is key to playing with the correct posture and hand position to play the instrument properly. Notice the difference in the angle of the bassoon when using a seat strap versus a neck strap.
- The use of a neck strap shifts the balance point closer to the body, creating more tension in the hands and wrist, leading to pain and potential injury. It also changes the angle the reed enters the mouth.
- If you're a saxophone or clarinet player who uses a neck strap, this may be more familiar, but you should force yourself to get used to using a seat strap when playing the bassoon.
- The only time you should use a neck strap is when you need to stand and play, such as solo performance or marching band. You will need to have an attachment put on the boot of the bassoon that moves the loop for the neck strap further up the bassoon so it is balanced correctly.
The Wrists
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Left Hand
- If you’re looking at your left palm with your thumb to the left, the weight of the bassoon should rest on the top left corner of your palm, just below where your index finger joins your hand.
- Make sure the rest of your hand, especially the heel of your palm, doesn’t support any of the weight of the bassoon so the fingers can move freely for more technically difficult playing.
- You can use the whisper key as a home key for your left thumb, but it should remain flexible to operate any of the nine thumb keys for the left hand.
- The index finger should be somewhat curved to allow some flexibility for half-hole technique. This finger should cover the E hole and operate the High Eb Key.
- The middle finger will have a slight curve and cover the D hole.
- The ring finger should be mostly flat and cover the C hole.
- Rest the pinky on the rollers between the C# and Eb keys.
Right Hand
- The right hand should rest on the hand crutch between the index finger and thumb.
- You can use the E key (pancake key) and a home key for your right thumb, but it should remain flexible to operate any of the four thumb keys for the right hand.
- The index finger is mostly flat and covers the B hole and operate the C# trill key.
- The middle finger is mostly flat and covers the A hole
- The ring finger is mostly flat and rests on the G key and operates the Alternate Bb key.
- The pinky should rest on the F key, but remain flexible enough to also operate the F# and Ab keys.