Posted by Jay Bertolet on March 19, 2003 at 10:34:17:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Fingering Chart for a posted by js on March 18, 2003 at 10:27:33:
Actually, I've taken a bit of a different approach. Rather than try to establish a primary fingering for those notes, I have learned to use both pairs of fingerings for low G and low F interchangeably. I'm not just talking about being able to substitute in an alternate fingering situation, I mean really having both options quickly and easily available. Like I said before, the context matters a great deal when playing these notes and the differences required sometimes surprise me. For example, the way I have my slides set up, the low F fingered 1345 is a bit flat but not much, maybe 5-10 cents. When we did the Bruckner, that note was unusable in the 2nd movement chorale. I used 2345 for that F and it worked much better. Conversely, I usually use the 234 fingering for low G. This is a bit sharp (again, about 5-10 cents) but works great for most situations. In that same chorale, I had to play the low G 245 to get it really close to in tune.
I don't mind this kind of approach because it really forces me to think more about what I'm doing and that helps me. I find I'm always much more aware of my place in the music from a thoery standpoint and that leads to all kinds of great ideas for musicality as well. But you're correct, that range on the 3400 (along with the notes just at the top of the staff) are the main sticking points with this instrument. Fortunately, these situations are all very workable.
My opinion for what it's worth...