Klarinet Archive - Posting 000652.txt from 1996/08

From: David Blumberg <reedman@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Altissima Register
Date: Sat, 24 Aug 1996 11:59:31 -0400

Dick,
Make sure that your reed is hard enough to get the high notes first of all.
What mouthpiece-reed combo are you using? Keep your throat open and relaxed
when you blow the high tones. Aim the air up towards the top of the
mouthpiece, and speed up the air. Take more mouthpiece if you tend to play
towards the tip. The legendary Joe Allard told me to "hear the note that you
are going to play in your head before you play it".
Good luck,
David C. Blumberg- Phila.,Pa -Univ of Penn
Reedman@-----.com

----------
From: Klarinet - Clarinettist's Network on behalf of Dick Walters
Sent: Friday, August 23, 1996 11:48 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list KLARINET
Subject: Altissima Register

Anybody got any suggestions about how to develop the ability to reliably
play notes in the altissima register. Seems like my attempts above high
D# are a matter of Russian roulette. Thought long tones would help, but
there must be a technique of getting the clarinet to speak these tones
without squawking sometimes that has escaped me all these years. I'd
like to at least reliably hit a high F or G without embarrassing myself.
I'm sure it's not the horn, so I must be a very slow learner, or not
know the "key" to unlocking this mystery.

Dick

Also, how do you recognise a Buffet R-13 from an R-12, or whatever model
preceeded it? My Buffet is s/n 57786, which I think makes it a 50's
horn. Don't think it's an R-13, but never been sure. It has German
Silver keys, not plated.

Thanks for any info or suggestions on these from you experts out there
in e-mail land.