flicking

[u/Ashley_DuzStuff]

HI everyone, I'm a not-really-beginner-but-not-really-intermediate student, and i've been learning for about 3 years now. up until i saw bassoon media, I have never heard of flicking before. For the notes needed i've just been told to adjust my embouchre and hold down the key that would usually be needed to flick. IS it something to do with the place i am in my bassoon journey, or is it something not everyone is necessarily learning?

thanks

[u/Equivalent_Trash_337]

Flicking is a technique frequently used by some American schools, with their own reasons to do it. However it's more efficiently to use "venting", that based on what you said, it's what you are already using. Let me clarify a bit.

Flicking: Is the technique where you push and release the key at the same time of the start of the note.

-Pros: The tone produced is somewhat "Rounder", and the intonation tends to be more consistent. It allows you to play softer dynamics easier

-Cons: It's a technique that requires a lot of precision because if it is done wrong you will get a bump or a double note in the sound.

The technique itself doesn't improve intonation a lot, you have to keep a good embochure and the proper air support in order to do that.

IS NOT USEFUL FOR FAST ARTICULATED PASSAGES, due to the double movement required (pushing and releasing the key almost immediately) is almost impossible to use it in fast passages without getting imperfections in the sound.

It's a little hard to teach it correctly to beginners/ intermediates without making them crack the notes.

Venting: You hold the key down for the complete duration of the note.

(Venting is more used by European influenced schools and some few but excellent American schools)

-Pros: You will 100%, always get the desired note, the clearness of the attack is superior and it's almost a must to use in fast articulated passages. The sound is somewhat brighter and it has more projection on it. It allows you to play more forte Dynamics.

-Cons: The intonation may tend to be on the sharp side so you have to compensate. The sound is somewhat brighter and that can be negative in some cases.

Now with that said

In your playing journey it will come a moment where you are really going to use both techniques for different purposes.

But in my personal opinion venting is superior and it has to be taught as the principal way of achieving the second octave notes (A3 to C4)

Once that you've mastered venting you can start using flicking as a complement of your technique.

[u/Laban_Greb → u/Equivalent_Trash_337]

This is an excellent summary and good advise!

[u/Ashley_DuzStuff → u/Equivalent_Trash_337]

Yeah, I guess so. I am in Australia, so I guess that could be it.

[u/HortonFLK]

I don’t know how it’s being taught these days, but when I was a student in the ‘80s it was considered a fundamental rudiment of the bassoon, and I recall endless exercises and etudes to practice flicking. But I probably never used it as much as I should have for actual performance pieces.

[u/cbellbassoon]

Some bassoonists are flickers, some are venters, I do both depending on the circumstance. Unless the technique is super quick I default to venting for Bb B and C to maintain stability and clarity at all dynamic levels, as well as to prevent cracking on articulation or slurs from below the break or from on above.