Fingering diagram builder

[bpimentel]

[Posting here because I couldn't figure out where to post a website of general woodwind interest. Moderators please move if appropriate.]

Here's a project I've been working on:
fingering.bretpimentel.com

I think it's pretty handy for making nice-looking fingering charts quickly and easily:


I hope somebody finds it useful.

Regrettably, it doesn't work with Internet Explorer (sorry, Gandalfe). Should be fine in all other current, major web browsers.

[SteveSklar]

That is pretty neat. Thanks for sharing that.

I'm sure Terry will ask for a full boehm version

[SOTSDO]

I'd settle for one with all of the keys on a regular horn...

A few years ago, I bought a nifty self-inking rubber stamp with bassoon key work on same. You stamp the key diagram on a piece of paper, then fill in the key outlines as needed.

It's too big for my purposes (marginalia type use on a part that has a few notes that I need a reminder for), but one of these days I'm going to scan it and "blow it down" to a more useable size for a new stamp.

[SteveSklar]

you have to go to his web page to see all the keywork selections. Then you create a graphic image of it.

[bpimentel]

I'm sure Terry will ask for a full boehm version

Way ahead of you. Open the Keywork menu, click "Keys," and enable the low E-flat/B-flat key and the left A-flat/E-flat.

Cheers,
Bret

[bpimentel]

self-inking rubber stamp with bassoon key work

Since I realize I wasn't clear, my fingering thing does do bassoon and most of the other woodwind-type instruments you could want.

[tictactux]

[Posting here because I couldn't figure out where to post a website of general woodwind interest. Moderators please move if appropriate.]

Here's a project I've been working on:
fingering.bretpimentel.com

I see, great minds all think alike. I've created something similars some years ago and made a rubber stamp as a farewell gift for my clarinet teacher, as a teaching aid.

http://www.hochstrasser.org/wiki/pmw...FingeringChart

Edit: I should add that yours is truly great, very very nice indeed!

[SteveSklar]

you might be missing the alternative right hand top sliver key for C#/G# for the left pinky key - it's between the lower joint top two ring keys, found on full and enhanced boehms.

[bpimentel]

you might be missing the alternative right hand top sliver key for C#/G# for the left pinky key - it's between the lower joint top two ring keys, found on full and enhanced boehms.

Hmm, you're right, I seem to have overlooked that one. Simple enough to add it; look for it in a future version. I'll also put a full-Boehm keywork preset to my to-do list, in case any full-Boehm players make it onto the Internet.

[Gandalfe]

Regrettably, it doesn't work with Internet Explorer (sorry, Gandalfe). Should be fine in all other current, major web browsers.

Uh... okay. Why? Security issues?

[SteveSklar]

... in case any full-Boehm players make it onto the Internet.

We have Terry ... so there's at least one

[bpimentel]

Uh... okay. Why? Security issues?

IE doesn't support SVG graphics. IE9 is supposed to fix that problem, but so far the beta release seem to have some kinks. I'm hopeful that they will get worked out.

I didn't mean anything other than a friendly jibe by singling you out--just seemed like a good guess that you would be using a Microsoft browser.

[pete]

I'm sure Terry will ask for a full boehm version

Contrabass clarinet to low C ....

In any event, EXTREMELY kewl. I'll move this to the General forum and sticky it.

[bpimentel]

Contrabass clarinet to low C ....

The clarinet fingering chart does have available keys to low C, based on the Buffet bass. If there's a different system you'd like to see, let me know. Photos are helpful.

[Gandalfe]

Brett, no offense taken. I'm just always disappointed when I find stuff IE can't do. But my area of expertise is with Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

[pete]

He's helping those of us that Can't Remember Much.



I've worked for a variety of extremely large corporations. I know that EVERY product or initiative that has an acronym as its name will be mocked about 30 seconds after the product is announced.

[pete]

The clarinet fingering chart does have available keys to low C, based on the Buffet bass. If there's a different system you'd like to see, let me know. Photos are helpful.

Ah. I see it. You click the word "Keywork" and then click the word "Keys." You might want to make the menus with the standard "Whatever ..." (which means, "Dialog box will pop up") or "Whatever ->" (that's the little triangle character. It means, "You'll see more after choosing this"). Just something to make folks aware that there are more options. Or say, "RTFM, luser!"

Actually, putting a low A in the saxophone charts you have might not be a good idea, as different manufacturers have slightly different keywork. Hey, my Yamaha might have the key under the LH thumbrest and your Weltklang might have it in the G# cluster. You can say the same for the altissimo G key, D# trill key, etc. It would be kinda kewl if you had a saxophone set for instruments with a G# trill and the Buffet-style fork Eb fingering. And different G# clusters available. I'm just thinking out loud. Well, typing.



In any event, this is definitely, positively one of the best tools I've come across online. If you can post some instructions or such on how to make the pages, I'll volunteer. I've found bunches of interesting instrument fingering charts.

[SOTSDO]

While it would be quite useful for on-line discussions or email, a stamp in the same format would be more versatile for a teacher, since the notations would accompany the music used by the performer/student. Perhaps a way can be found to print out the artwork for such a stamp, other than the traditional screen shot or snap shot.

As for the systems to include:

There was a Series 9 vintage horn with the Maezzo system key work on eBay the other day. Too rich for my budget, but someone may buy it and demand that it is addressed in the same fashion.

Also, add a Selmer Model 33 bass clarinet, with the thumb keys for the extension to low C. These modern horns with the six key clusters are a bit much for this old mind.

And then there's the plethora of fingering systems for the basset horn, plus one or two for the basset clarinet. Can't neglect them now, can we?

(Or the alto clarinet...)

As for baritone saxes, the Yamahas all have the low A by the thumb rest, and the F# at the side of the lower "finger hole" keys.

Whilst watching an old The Avengers episode last night, I noted a serpent being used as a prop in one of the scenes. A serpent could even be included in your milieu of charts - something so exotic that only Pete would own one.

[bpimentel]

Also, add a Selmer Model 33 bass clarinet, with the thumb keys for the extension to low C.

Are the thumb keys on the Selmer substantially different from the ones on the Buffet (which I've already included)? It's been a while since I had my hands on a Selmer bass.

And then there's the plethora of fingering systems for the basset horn, plus one or two for the basset clarinet. Can't neglect them now, can we?

(Or the alto clarinet...)

I believe I've also got the (modern) basset horn and the alto clarinet covered, although I'm not familiar with the keywork on a basset clarinet.

A serpent could even be included in your milieu of charts - something so exotic that only Pete would own one.

I believe this is a six-holed instrument, so, SOTSDO, you should be able to take care of any serpent fingering chart needs using one of the "simple" diagrams I've provided.

Obviously there's no way to cover every instrument. But I do want to eventually accommodate some fairly obscure instruments and keywork systems, and build in more flexibility for half-holing, rings, and other techniques, so people can create their own fingering charts for multiphonics, microtones, etc.

Thanks, all, for the suggestions/compliments/etc. I've added a few items to my to-do list based on this thread.

[SOTSDO]

On my Selmer bass, there are only three thumb keys to control D, Db and C. No cross fingerings on either of the little finger clusters on those early horns. It's been so long since I've held an extended range bass from anybody else that I have no idea as to what is common.

The only basset horns that I have played for more than a few minutes are Selmer Series 9-ish horns. There were six RH little finger keys and the remainder operated by the LH little finger.

As for the serpent, I recall them with a couple of keys for the lower end. But, I was just being cute...

[jbtsax]

That is a very impressive tool to use for making fingering charts. It is too bad whoever posted this nearly illegible chart for saxophone altissimo fingerings didn't have access to something similar.

[bpimentel]

For those keeping score at home, I've updated the fingering thing, and included a few of the requests from this thread:

• Full Boehm keywork for clarinet
• Saxophone "harmonic" key (a la Selmer Series III)
• Saxophone G-sharp trill
• Baritone saxophone LH Low A key (you can choose RH thumb, LH pinky, or both)

More details on the updates here: http://bretpimentel.com/fingering-di...r-version-0-3/

Thanks all for your support and brainpower.

[Gandalfe]

Brett, I get this message:

Sorry, the Fingering diagram builder is not compatible with Internet Explorer. Please consider trying a free alternative browser.

Really, that leaves a lot of us in the lurch.

[bpimentel]

I do regret that this is the case. If I were smart enough to figure out how to make this thing work with IE, I would do it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately IE just operates differently than the other major browsers.

"In the lurch" does seem a little dramatic, though. Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera are all 100% free, install in minutes (without affecting IE), and work great with the FDB and other websites that have IE issues.

[tictactux]

For what it's worth, it works just fine with Iron Portable (http://www.srware.net/downloads/IronPortable.zip) which is a privacy-compliant Chrome clone - no link tracking, no "phone home" etc.
Unzip, click, works.