Posted by js - your answer on July 29, 2002 at 12:10:55:
In Reply to: Why cut a BBb to a CC? posted by AW on July 28, 2002 at 21:19:32:
As long as a CC instrument ends up playing in tune well enough, the "same" CC will usually respond cleaner and quicker than it's sister BBb.
The excuse of suggesting that a CC will play better in # keys is not valid. For instance, C# minor (a common orchestral key) is better on a typical BBb instrument than a typical CC...likewise A Major. Further G# minor is better on a BBb instrument.
Yep, just like the trumpets, a tad of resonance is lost because one has compacted the taper of the cone while leaving all other dimensions the same.
Bassoonists seem to be attracted to "short bore" (vs. intermediate/collegiate "long bore") bassoons for some of the same reasons that professional tub(a)ists are attracted to CC instruments. Further, the short bore bassoons bring intonation problems with them just as the CC tubas tend to.
-> Extra quickness of response, cleanliness of articulations, and clarity of higher pitches are the only valid goals of a CC instrument vs. a BBb.
Joe "who doesn't waste time considering cutting out-of-tune BBb's to CC, and who doesn't cut any instuments for any reasons other than to (hopefully) keep them for himself" S.