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Post by ~*Not~a~Stalker~* on Nov 7, 2009 21:28:50 GMT -5
I'm having lots of issues getting out notes like high F on my clarinet. It shows up several times in an audition piece of mine...and although I can take the notes down an octave, I'd really rather not. It's kind of a pride thing, I guess. My director is mostly a brass guy, so I'd really like some woodwind advice on training myself to get these out. The highest I can play is an E, three lines above the staff. Right now the only way I can get anything higher out is to work my way up, and even then I can't always sustain the note. Advice?
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Post by altoclarinets on Nov 15, 2009 16:20:37 GMT -5
First off: Make sure you are working with at least a 3.5 reed, anything less can't really support altissimo. Next, blow extremely fast (not loud, fast) air so that the reed will be vibrating quickly enough. Use your Eb/Ab key as a vent key- it will help tuning and make these notes easier to play. If you have any super- high Eb's, use the chromatic (fork) fingering! The other is waaay flat. Play a register exercise- play low A, then add the register key, then take off your first finger & add the VK, repeat for all notes (You may not need the VK for the C#, but for the rest it's a must.) Note that on the alto, you have to use the 1/2 hole- the 1st finger key has a hole in it, you hold down the key but uncover the hole.
Long tones are really the only way to get good tuning and tone quality on this. I've been working on these since 6th grade. I am now a junior. I am still not perfect at altissimo playing. Good luck. ;D
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Post by ~*Not~a~Stalker~* on Nov 15, 2009 21:02:49 GMT -5
Wow. Thank you! I'm definitely going to try this. And thanks for advice with the alto too...I'm still getting used to that thing, it gives me trouble.
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clarinet361
Band Nerd
Music teacher looking for a job...
Posts: 220
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Post by clarinet361 on Nov 26, 2009 20:23:21 GMT -5
My general suggestions are to make sure your chin is flat, the corners of your mouth in (embouchure as an "oh"), and make sure you aren't dropping the back of the tongue (think "hee" or "hiss" to keep the tongue raised). As was stated above, the air needs to be fast and directed (keeping the tongue high will concentrate the air to a smaller point).
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