Hugh Cooper, bassoon professor at the University of Michigan and author of "How is Your Bassoon?" (IDRS Journal No. 2, 1974), feels that many students and also some professional bassoonists make frequent errors when describing either the tone holes or the keys of the German-system bassoon.
Here are the principles of nomenclature Mr. Cooper feels we should standardize:
I. Tone hole nomenclature is determined by the hole's primary venting function when open. For example - the first tone hole which is covered by the right index finger (boot joint) is called the "c tone hole;" the only tone hole of the bell joint is called the "low B-natural tone hole."
II. Key nomenclature is determined by the name of the primary note produced when the key is depressed.
A. All keys normally held closed by spring tension have the same name as the tone hole(s) they cover. For example - the low Eb key covers the low Eb tone hole; the high a' key covers the high a' tone hole.
B. All keys normally held open by spring tension have a nomenclature which is a major or minor second beneath the name of the tone hole it covers. For example - the low B-flat key covers the low B-natural tone hole; the low E ("pancake") key covers the low F tone hole.
Below is a chart listing the tone holes of the German-system bassoon. Refer to the Difficult Fingerings column in this issue for a chart listing the names of the bassoon's keys. I recommend that bassoonists photo-copy these charts to retain for ready reference.