 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Eoin McAuley
Date: 2001-01-23 09:11
I've finally found a way of playing in the altissimo register. I mean the notes above the C which is two ledger lines above the stave. Up to now I have always have problems with these notes. They just come out as squeaks, almost without exception.
About a week ago, I found that if I put my left hand first finger down slightly covering the hole, the altissimo notes come out easily. I thought of doing this because the Alto and Bass clarinets have a "half-hole" system for doing this.
So now I can play altissimo. But I'm doing it by a non-standard way. Why can't I do it the normal way?
1. is there something wrong with my clarinet?
2. is my embouchure wrong?
3. am I using too weak a reed? (Vandoren 3 with Vandoren B45 mouthpiece)
Has anybody any ideas?
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-01-23 13:18
I'm in the same boat, using a slightly different paddle.
I found two things that helped;
A very SLIGHTLY harder reed makes reaching the higher notes more stable, but when too stiff, the lower notes are sluggish.
I read Larry Guy's book on intonation and practiced the "Drinking Straw technique"
which sounds like something from a Kung Fu movie.
My teacher has me visualize blowing a thin "pipe" of air down the center of the clarinet bore. I suppose this makes me concentrate on projection and breath support. Pretty clever, I must say, to come up with this on your own.
For my two cent's worth, if you have a method that works and sounds good, stick with it. I'm going to try your technique for myself.
Are the Altissimo notes still in tune, this way?
anji
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Author: William
Date: 2001-01-23 14:25
Keep your tongue high as if you were saying "heeeeee" or, as Tom Ridenour says, "a cats hiss." This alters your oral cavity and provides more focus and "speed" for the air stream toward the tip-opening of your mouthpiece making for more efficient reed vibration and tonal resonance. Hope this helps a bit. Good clarineting.
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Author: Julia Meyer
Date: 2001-01-23 15:31
The method you're talking about is indeed half-holing on the clarinet. It's only used for pitch on the C#, for the other notes it helps for them to speak without a gap. The notes should speak fine even if you're not using the half-hole technique, but this makes it smoother.
Julia
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Author: beejay
Date: 2001-01-23 16:20
On this subject, can anyone suggest a good way of moving from high G to A flat or A. Try as I might, I cannot get it to come out smoothly.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-01-24 23:51
Eoin McAuley wrote:
>
> So now I can play altissimo. But I'm doing it by a non-standard
> way. Why can't I do it the normal way?
Who is to say it is non-standard? The better fingering charts actually identify this as an option if the horn is unstable on these notes.
> 1. is there something wrong with my clarinet?
There may very well be a slight leak somewhere as these should speak reasonably well without that half-holing. I use half-holing occasionally if I must hold a rock steady pitch on a sustained, exposed note. I suggest checking the pad that is between the first and second fingers of the left hand for leakage. But on fast runs, half-holing isn't practical.
> 2. is my embouchure wrong?
Possibly but if the half-holing makes it come out, I doubt that any major embouchure issues but only a teacher could tell you for sure. It might also be breath control or breath support.
> 3. am I using too weak a reed? (Vandoren 3 with Vandoren B45
> mouthpiece)
>
I played altissimo for years on an even softer reed. However personally I do prefer a Vandoren 3.5 reed on the B45 mouthpiece.
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