The bassoon, due to the nature of its construction and playing condition, can have many intonation problems. Sharpness is the most common problem; however, from middle c up to the f immediately above it has a tendency to be flat. To change the overall pitch of the instrument, change the bocal. Bocals range from 0 to 4 in length with 0 being the shortest and 4 being the longest. 2 is the standard length bocal. Sharpness -- Causes and Solutions: 2. Reed that is too hard -- soften the reed or try another one. Hard reeds often cause the embouchure problems listed in #1. 3. Bocal that is too short -- use a longer one (larger number). Pulling out the bocal or the joints DOES NOT WORK. You cannot pull them out far enough to make a difference in the pitch. Also, pulling the joints loose creates breaks in the bore which can cause response problems. 4. Tension in the face and head muscles (raised eyebrows, for example) or shoulders, and twisting the body to the side. Each of these things can cause the pitch to go sharp even if the embouchure is correct. Face straight ahead and work on relaxing the tense muscles. Flatness -- Causes and Solutions: 2. Weak air stream -- blow. 3. Reed that is too soft -- harden the reed or try another one. 4. Bocal that is too long -- use a shorter one (smaller number). Some notes may require alternate fingerings or the use of additional keys to improve intonation.
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