Klarinet Archive - Posting 000533.txt from 1997/03

From: Bob <laker29@-----.NET>
Subj: Re: Teaching Altissimo
Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 21:42:52 -0500

THANKS FOR ASKING!! I don't have all the answers, but I'd like to tell you
what I have found (after 30 years of teaching) to be of Great Success!

I have first year players playing up to F above the Staff on a regular basis!

Here's My Process ---

1. USING A GOOD CHROMATIC FINGERING CHART (usually my kids start in sept.
and we use Yamaha Band Student Band Method, and have a Great First Concert
in Dec. THE KIDS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE WONDERFUL!!!!

Then in JANUARY we -- Start with low Bb and play down to low E and back up
to 3rd line Bb! Use the left low F# and low F on right, and low E on
left, keeping right finger on low F Key! Establish this as the NORMAL
PATTERN & it will work in the next Register!!
Work this Bb down to low E & up to Bb until they can do it in 30 Seconds
or less!! They LOVE it! Time them with your Watch!! Listen to see that
they have good coverage of the tone holes! That's the Key!! You've got to
cover the HOLES!
Make it Fun! Time them each lesson so that they Beat their old Record!!
Like GOLF "you want a lower score"!

NEXT: Say: "O.K. You're READY to go Higher! YOU'RE WONDERFUL !! It's just
like low, except you hit the Register Key!! So "LET"S TRY IT!" AND THEY
CAN!! So You Connect the TWO REGISTERS and they WORK!! Try it to top
line F the first week! (OR TWO) Then to high C with the Thumb!! They
"FEEL SO PROUD"!!

You've Got Kids who "Get it" and feel so GOOD that "You can't Stop them"
they want More!!
Last Year I had a Student in 5th Grade was Playing to Altissimo Bb!! He
went to "F" then "G" and asked "What's Next!" I had to tell him to "Hold
Back" a little, and work "more for Tone"! In 6th Grade this Year he is
still playing up to Altissimo Bb! He was playing a 3-1/2 Reed & Had the
"Chops" from practice, to do all of that!

He's the first student to do this in my years of teaching, but that's not
the Idea! The Idea, is to get them to Hi "C" above the staff or Maybe to
high "F" above the Staff! I have 90% going to Hi "G" by the end of 6th
Grade!!
I also teach Scales & Rythums including triplets & 16th's & Dotted quarters
& 8th's! I stress Rhythms & Chromatic Scale!! Another BIG KEY is to
choose music that they WANT to play that has those Rhythms in them!! "STAR
WARS" is a big one this Year! Choose the right Music, or Write it yourself
- & you've GOT IT MADE with your KIDS!!

Bob Lake - Band TEACHER & Clarinet/Sax Player
Edina Public Schools
Edina, MN <laker29@-----.net>