Klarinet Archive - Posting 000010.txt from 1995/09

From: David Gilman <dagilman@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: E + F# above the staff
Date: Fri, 1 Sep 1995 18:12:08 -0400

At 01:39 PM 9/1/95 -0400, Jay Winick wrote:
>Recently I've been having alot of trouble with the E and F# above the staff.
>Dealing with the E first, I have no difficulty getting it to speak, however
>when doing long tones it has a tendancy to break. Despite my best efforts at
>adjusting the speed and quantity of air I cannot fix the problem.
>
>On to the second note, I have a great deal of difficulty getting it to speak
>at all, when doing any interval from the clarion register. I would
>appreciate any help.
>
>
>Regards,
>
>Jay Winick
>Amateur Clarinettist
>
>
Jay,

I have had problems with these notes as well. For the e''', make sure you
give it extra support at the diaphragm, especially when playing softly:
really push hard. Think of tightening up the throat, or raising the back of
the tongue until it touches the upper molars. For a slur into it or a
pianissimo attack, you may have to half-hole with the first finger. Try not
to, though, because it can trip you up in technical passages. Make sure you
don't use too much pressure, because it overblows easily to a''' above.

As for the f'''#, it's a bad note and slightly flat. Half-holing is
inconvenient because that will flatten it even further. You can raise the
pitch by adding the trill key with the third finger of the right hand. Or,
try the long (closed) fingering: RT | 1 2 | 1 2 3 Eb. This fingering
gives a stable note, but it could be sharp and a bit piercing. Be careful.

Hope that helps.

David Gilman
dagilman@-----.edu