Graduate Fellowships & Assistantships
Bassoon Notes
A Masterclass at UNCG Double Reed Day 2001
This is the cyber-version of a handout that I have developed over the years to give to bassoon students when I meet them at clinics, masterclasses, and lessons. The contents are intended to give the (usually young) bassoonist some useful tips and explanations.
Articles by Michael Burns:
Most of these articles were written either in my capacity as the
Editor of the Woodwind Notes section of the North Carolina Music
Educator or for the Woodwind Pedagogy class here at UNCG.
The
final article is part of the Yamaha Educator Series online and has
also appeared in the TBA Journal.
Some Bassoon "Survival" Tips for Band Directors, by Michael Burns
The Benefits of Wind Quintets for your Band Students, by Michael Burns
Contrabassoon Notes, by Michael Burns
The Importance of Breathing, by Michael Burns (pdf)
Hints on Selecting a Double Reed Player, by Michael Burns
Some Thoughts on Practicing, by Michael Burns
Encourage Your Woodwind Students to Get Involved, by Michael Burns
Strategies for Teaching the Bassoon Embouchure, by Michael Burns (pdf)
Some Thoughts on Vibrato on the Bassoon, by Michael Burns (pdf)
Some Bassoon Fingering Issues, by Michael Burns (pdf)
Some Bassoon Intonation Issues, by Michael Burns (pdf)
A Bassoonist's Heirarchy, by Michael Burns (pdf)
Some Typical Bassoon Problems, Their Explanations, and Solutions, by Michael Burns (pdf)
Repertoire Lists
Warm-Ups and Practice Patterns
Scale/Modes Warm-Up. This pdf file is an adaptation of a flute warm-up from the Taffanel-Gaubert Book 2, number 4. It goes through all of the Major and Harmonic Minor Scales using the Circle of Fifths pattern. In about 15-20 minutes of warm-up you have covered every key.
Leonard Sharrow Modes Warm-Up. The following two pdf files are fully written-out versions of warm-up exercises that were used and advocated by my former teacher Leonard Sharrow. As it progresses up in whole steps, it is the same exercise in the two possible keys:
Sharrow Warm-Up 1, B-flat
Sharrow Warm-Up 2, B-naturalOubradous Practice Patterns. In this pdf file I have taken the patterns used by Fernand Oubradous in his Enseignement Complet du Bassoon and added some additional variants of my own. These patterns of rhythmic and articulation variations can then be applied to any scales or passages that consist of regular eighths, triplets, sixteenths, sextuplets (using two sets of the triple pattern), etc. if a passage contains mostly sixteenths but some eighth and two sixteenth beats then I suggest treating the pattern as if the first two notes were tied together (i.e. 2 sixteenth = 1 eighth).
Fingerings and Reeds
Reedmaking Notes, by Michael Burns
Reed Pictures:
Below are links to five pdf files of reed making and adjusting pictures that I created on the computer. I had found that I would draw pictures similar to these over and over for students while teaching reed classes so decided that putting in the time to enter them on a computer drawing program would be worthwhile. These show my own personal dimensions and approaches and may not be suitable for all or even similar to those of other bassoonists.
Reed Dimensions
Dial Indicator Measurements
Relative Thicknesses of the Bassoon Blade
Regions of the Bassoon Reed Blade
Side Views of Some Possible Reed ProfilesFingering Charts:
Below are links to five pdf files comprising a fingering chart that I created on the computer. This chart was first produced to give out to Junior High and High School students at Clinics and was to avoid confusion from the many incorrect fingerings they had been given from beginning band books, etc. Therefore I have to give the following disclaimers about these fingerings: I have given only ONE fingering for every note despite the fact that some notes may have dozens of possible fingering choices. For more options on fingerings you should consult a bassoon teacher, the IDRS Bassoon Fingering Companion, the Cooper/Toplansky Essentials of Bassoon Technique or something similar. The fingerings that I have chosen, especially in the upper register, may not be those most commonly used by other bassoonists so I would like to explain my rationale. I used three criteria to come up with these choices; 1. the fingering must produce a note that has a good sound, 2. it must respond well, and 3. it must be well in-tune (relatively speaking.) A factor that I did NOT take into consideration for this fingering chart was how awkward is this fingering and how difficult is it to get to or from. At some point I will make my follow up fingering charts with my "technical" fingerings that are easier to manage technically, especially at speed, but usually compromise on one or more of my original 3 parameters of choice.
The files are organized as follows: 1. Low Bb to A at the bottom of the staff, 2. Bb to A at the top of the staff, 3. Bb to leger line (tenor clef) A, 4. High Bb to High E. The fifth file is a blank template in order to write out more fingerings. The note heads did not come out on this file when I converted it from an old drawing program so after downloading you would need to fill those in to complete it.
Bassoon Fingering Chart 1
Fingering Chart 2
Fingering Chart 3
Fingering Chart 4
Fingering Chart Blank Template
Bassoon Brochures
some manufacturers have released brochures aimed at helping the new bassoonist or teacher get started on the Instrument. Here are two such brochures in PDF format produced by Fox Products and the Selmer Corporation:
