Bassoon Bocals

Chip Owen

Bassoon bocals tend to be a problem for anyone stance, Heckel and Fox bocals are almost one number
involved with bassoons. They are simultaneously an apart with Fox bocals effectively about one number
integral part of the instrument and yet are also an ac- shorter than the same number Heckel bocal. That is,
cessory to the bassoon. Bassoonists often indulge in a #2 Fox bocal would play at about the same pitch
an eternal search for the perfect bocal. As a result we level as a #1 Heckel bocal.
tend to buy, sell, trade and collect bocals. In general a player is best off using an average
There are a number of names for bocals. A few length bocal. (At Fox, number 2 length bocals ac-
other common names would include crook, esse and count for the greatest quantity of bocals sold.) At-
pipe, tempting to correct a very flat or very sharp instru-
ment by using an extremely short or long bocal is
Handling bocals generally not recommended, especially since these
Bocals are expensive and can be damaged by im- problems are often the result of the way student bas-
proper handling. soonists are playing rather than a deficiency of the
When installing a bocal in the wing, or adjusting instrument.
its position, it is very important to hold the bocal Some makers also add markings to their bocals to
properly. Improperly twisting the bocal in its socket indicate the type of the bocal. These are usually let-
can cause serious damage to a bocal. This is the most ters. There may be a single letter or a set of letters.
common way of splitting a bocal's seam. Always In addition to be a model designation they letters may
hold the bocal at the top of the bend closest to the also indicate specific details of that bocal's design.
wing joint. Never move the bocal from near to the These letter codes are specific to each maker and are
reed end; the closer to the wing the better. not relevant to bocals from another maker.
The tip of a bocal is a critical part of the entire When specifying a particular type of bocal it is
bassoon. Care must be taken to avoid damaging the customary to use both the design letters and the
tip. It is not uncommon to see distorted tips. This length number. Both parts are important but their
can often be straightened by using a reed mandrel but sequence is not. Either "#2 CVX" or "CVX #2" is
that same method can also flare the tip the wrong equally valid.
way, or split the seam at the tip, or distort the tip in a
way the makes it difficult to put the reed on the bocal. Material
Most bocals are made of either brass or nickel sil-
Variations ver.
Part of the fascination of bocals is that they come Nickel silver tends to be more popular among pro-
in so many variations. Just a simple list of variables fessional level bocals as its sound projects well. Mu-
includes bore, length, material, alloy, temper, thick- sically, it tends to be on the stiff side.
ness, bore surface, plating, bend, vent position and Brass vibrates easily, making it responsive at low
vent design. dynamic levels. It is less preferred at the professional
Beyond the list of variables comes the incredible level as it doesn't project as well as nickel silver.
sensitivity of bocals to the most minute of details. Other metals are seen rarely. Sterling silver has a
The slightest change in a bocal can alter its perform- pleasant dark sound and is easy to blow but has poor
ance qualities. projection. In addition to sterling silver Heckel also
As a result of all of these variables there is no offers bocals of gold and palladium.
such thing as consistency among bocals. The higher
the quality level the more this is true. Plating
Although subtle, the plating on a bocal does make
Markings a difference to the performance of a bocal.
All bocal makers mark their bocals with numbers Nickel is the most common plating for bocals. It
to indicate the length of the bocal. Typically these typically gives the darkest and most resonant sound
numbers range from 0 to 4 with a lower number being with a big, full voice. It tends to be a bit stiff com-
shorter and a higher number being longer. There is pared to silver
approximately 1/8" difference in physical length be- Nearly as many bocals are made with silver plat-
tween one number and the next. ing as with nickel plating. Silver plating tends to
Don't expect perfect agreement in effective pitch
between the numbering of various makers. For in-
 BASSOON BOCALS

blow easier than nickel. It also tends to be a bit softer key did not come into existing until 1905. The exis-
in tone quality with less projection than nickel. tence of this mechanism imposed a need for stan-
Bocals are sometimes made with no plating. They dardization on the placement and shape of the bocal
tend to vibrate easily but the tone can be a bit on the vent button.
dead side and lacking in character. Also, they tend to Prior to the adoption of the modern whisper key
have less bottom in the sound, tonally centering a bit bocal vents were commonly left open. Sometimes a
higher. key was mounted on the bocal with a pad that could
The amount of plating can have an effect. Too close the vent hole. This was not a key that could be
much plating is not desirable. In general the plating operated while playingit was either on or off.
on a bocal should be thinner than the on keywork. There is a surprising level of consistency between
various makers in the position of bocal vents and
Bends whisper key pads. As a result it is usually possible to
Nearly all bassoon bocals have essentially the use any make bocal in any make bassoon.
same bend. There are a few other bends that are Some differences do exist in bocal vent and whis-
available. per key positions, however. There are some makers,
One controversy that exists with the standard bend particularly from the former East Germany, that use a
concerns just how the tip position relates to the big different vent position. The position is fine on their
end of the bocal. In general if the big end is placed own instruments made to suit that position. When
squarely near the edge of a flat surface the tip will be someone tries to use one of these bocals in a bassoon
very close that surface. The question is whether the made for the conventional vent position (or vice
tip is above or below that surface. versa) the reed ends up in a position so far off to the
Players who support their bassoons with a seat side that is quite impossible to use.
strap tend to hold their bassoons a bit more vertical
than players who use a neck strap. As a result players Bocals for schools
using a seat strap typically want the tip of their bocals Schools purchasing replacement bocals for their
above the level of the big end. Players who use a school owned bassoons suffer from two problems:
neck strap will typically want the tip of their bocals budget and instrument care.
below the level. For many schools the only function of a bocal is
The "British Bend" is probably the second most to connect the bassoon reed to the bassoon and to
common bend. The tip of this bend ends up an inch make the result look like the student is actually play-
or so above the level of the big end. This allows the ing the instrument. The thinking is that no one can
player to hold the bassoon slightly lower. This bend hear the bassoon in a band anyway so why waste
works particularly well with instruments supported by money on a quality bocal when a cheap bocal will
floor pegs, which are often used in England. It is also suffice. For band directors who think this way there
good for tall players and can relieve stress on their are cheap bocals available that are so bad that the
shoulders and arms. makers won't even put their names on them!
The most extreme bend is the Waterhouse bend, Fortunately, there are many schools where the
named for the prominent British bassoonist who de- music program understands the importance of quality
signed it. To use it requires very long arms. Some instruments and provide their students with good bo-
persons who try this bend cannot even reach the keys cals. These schools find the means to get good bocals
on the boot joint! that help their students play better.
Using a bocal with a different bend places the Unfortunately, the standards of care that most in-
bassoon at a different height relative to our ears. As a struments receive in most schools is terrible. For a
result we perceive the sound differently as a player bassoon bocal this often means that it is mishandled.
even though a listener may notice no difference. Repair technicians routinely see bocals with large
It is possible to make small adjustments to the dents, kinks in the tube, missing vent buttons and split
bend of a bocal. However, if this done incorrectly it seams. With this in mind it is not unreasonable for a
is equally easy to destroy a bocal. In general, take school band director to seek a good bocal while not
care that you do nothing that changes the bend of a spending the money for a top end bocal.
bocal. If you have a good reason to alter the bend of
your bocal get some assistance from someone who Bocals for a student bassoonist.
has experience in doing this. The high cost of a bassoon means that most stu-
dent bassoonists play on school owned instruments.
Vents It can be highly desirable for a student bassoonists
There have been vent holes in bassoon bocals for playing on a school owned bassoons to purchase their
hundreds of years, even though the modern whisper

2
 BASSOON BOCALS

own personal bocals. A careful selection of a quality value of some bocals. The condition of some damage
bocal can do a lot to help the student's performance. may dictate that repairs might be a waste of effort.
It is often believed that a good bocal can make a For instance, a bocal that is split wide open so that
cheap bassoon play better. Sometimes that's even you can see inside the bocal should probably be
true. Certainly, a good bocal will improve on the thrown away.
performance of a bad bocal. Removing dents in a bocal is extremely difficult.
Obtaining a bocal of a quality level above what a If the bocal is performing satisfactorily, leave the
school will purchase can be a good move. The stu- dents alone.
dent will benefit from a better bocal. Keep in mind, Kinks in the tube where the tube has been bent
however, that if the instrument itself is in bad shape sharply at one point are also difficult to repair. Kinks
no bocal will be able to improve its performance. weaken the tube to the point that continued used of
the bocal may further damage the tube. Even if the
Bocals for the professional kink can be straightened the very localized damage of
When a professional buys a bocal a different set a kink may create a place that will be vulnerable to
of standards come into play. future kinking.
A professional musician is interested in perform- The seams of bocals can split open if the bocal is
ance above anything else. It doesn't really matter who twisted. The most common reasons for this occurring
made the bocal or what it looks like as long as it per- include a cork that is too tight in the socket or mis-
forms. handling of the bocal by attempting to move the bocal
Actually, certain makes, types and vintages do be- from too far from the wing. Bocals with hairline
come important. In seeking a new bocal these details splits that have not be distorted can be fixed. Split
can define bocals with certain desirable characteris- repairs are done be either re-silver soldering the split
tics. For instance, some players have a strong prefer- seam or by soft soldering a patch over the split. Both
ence for pre-war Heckel bocals, while other players methods are valid and there are often reasons for ei-
feel that those same bocals do not provide the quali- ther method to be better than the other in specific
ties they are seeking. situations.
Bocal damage and repairs
Bocals do get damaged and will need repair. It is
important to know that almost any serious repair may Revised October 26, 2001
change the way the bocal performs.
Just about the only repair that won't change a bo-
cal is to have it re-corked. When a bocal cork gets
too loose in the socket, or is breaking off of the bocal,
get it replaced. This is a service that any woodwind
repair technician can do.
Replacing a vent button is a relatively simple pro-
cedure. This may also provide a way to correct a vent
hole that has been drilled out too large.
Relocating a vent hole to a different position can
be done but should be avoided. Relocating might be
desired to coordinate a bocal with the whisper key
pad. The hole for the button at the old position must
be patched and a new hole drilled for the button. The
patch could cause problems for the bocal.
A similar problem occurs when a player requests
that a bocal be shortened for tuning reasons. The tip
of a bocal is a very special area and must not be cut
back. The correct place to alter the length of a bocal
is at the big end. This would also require patching
the old hole as part of relocating the button.
Dent work, kinks and splits raise issues of whether
fixing a particular bocal should be done. Bocals are
so extremely sensitive that bocals that must require
these repairs will not be the same afterwards. It the
repair is well done the cost may exceed the practical