Return to Tips for Band Intonation Tendencies of Wind Instruments Bassoon	by Mr. Fred J. Allen Director of Bands SFA School of Music fallen@sfasu.edu
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Bocals come in three common lengths, with 2 being standard, 1 being shorter (sharper) and 3 being longer (flatter).  There are also the rarer sizes of the longer 4 and the shorter 0 and 00.  It harms response to pull the bocal out because of the "bubble" created in the receiving tube.

• Temperature:  cold = flat, hot = sharp
• Reed strength:  hard reed = sharp, soft reed = flat
• Embouchure:  (usually directly related to reed strength) loose embouchure = flat, pinched embouchure = sharp
• Range:  lower notes are sharp on many bassoons, but the bass joint can be pulled a little from the boot, because there is not bridge key between those two joints.  High range depends on too many factors too generalize.
• Dynamic range:  Hard to answer this one!  Experienced players flatten in extremely loud dynamics.  Softer dynamics are harder to generalize.  Young players usually do not have a wide dynamic range, and the problem of flatting in a diminuendo is really caused by reed, air and embouchure.