The Serpent Forum

TY Hall · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Rock Hill SC, USA

Which notes are Keys used for? (I know 3 keys are for F sharp, B natural, and C sharp)
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Kaiser Serpent No. 024

Gabe S · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 33 Location: Yorktown, VA

The key should open a hole above a tone hole. It should help play the pitch a half step above that tone hole.
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J. Gabriel Stone

TY Hall · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Rock Hill SC, USA

How would this apply to keys below the finger holes?
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"but still try, for who knows what is possible..."- Michael Faraday.
Kaiser Serpent No. 024

Gabe S · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 33 Location: Yorktown, VA

There should be only one key below the last figerhole before the bell. It should facilitate a half step above the terminal-or fundamental pitch of the horn.
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J. Gabriel Stone

TY Hall · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Rock Hill SC, USA

so C-sharp on a C serpent? If so on a 4 key Arrangement there would be to c-sharp keys one low and one high, as far as I can tell anyway.
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"but still try, for who knows what is possible..."- Michael Faraday.
Kaiser Serpent No. 024

Gabe S · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 33 Location: Yorktown, VA

Hmmm. The low and high c#should be the same fingering just lipped to the next ocave partial. Where are the keys??? Could you post a picture or a diagram ex. For my 3 key. Koookoook. Keys and holes from top down.
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J. Gabriel Stone

TY Hall · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Rock Hill SC, USA

Ahh I was talking about serpents in general, there’s a lack of documentation on the internet on serpents with more than 3 keys. The 3 I listed (f#, C#, B natural) seem to be standard. I knew someone knew how to figure it out or something of the sort.
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"but still try, for who knows what is possible..."- Michael Faraday.
Kaiser Serpent No. 024

J.c. Sherman · Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Posts: 22 Location: Cleveland, USA

If I understand you correctly...

The typical 3 keys help with the three most challenging notes; those notes farthest outside the basic acoustics of the sounding length. The key nearest the bell helps with the semitone above the fundamental, C#. The most typical are the other two; F# which is usually operated by the right thumb or right forefinger; the other is the B key, often operated by the left forefinger. Without that key, second line B is fingered the same as octave C, but lipped down. The B key raises the open Bb up to B to help focus that note, otherwise the instrument doesn't help you at all with that note.

Is that the answer you hoped for? Smile

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c:1840 9-key Ophicleide in C by Guichard (with added Ab Key).
http://sites.google.com/site/jackofallbrass/

TY Hall · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Rock Hill SC, USA

Yes!

Thanks! but there’s a variation I’ve seen that’s a different 3 key arrangement than the one listed above (KoooKoooK) http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/UtleyPages/Serpents/serpents.html it is on the Serpent in C by William Lander, Mere, Wiltshire, England, ca. 1825, which is KKoooKooo. Would anyone care to elaborate on this difference?
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"but still try, for who knows what is possible..."- Michael Faraday.
Kaiser Serpent No. 024

Gabe S · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 33 Location: Yorktown, VA

That one is a bit goofy, There is a 'High' C# key rather than the normal one near the bell. I don't know if you can play the low C# with that key system. It doesn't seem to make as much sense as the normal positon, but I'm sure the maker had good intentions.
Gabe
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J. Gabriel Stone

TY Hall · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Rock Hill SC, USA

thanks to all! I lerned allote and got unconfused as well. Very Happy

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"but still try, for who knows what is possible..."- Michael Faraday.
Kaiser Serpent No. 024