 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Wayne Thompson
Date: 2002-12-10 21:06
Hi,
I’m a moderately experienced player, trying to get my altissimo register under control. My altissimo f#6 has always been woefully flat (30 cents or more) compared to it’s slightly sharp neighbors. This has been true always on my student horn, an old Evette Schaeffer, and now on my new Buffet Festival. (This makes a G scale up there sound pretty bad.) I play on a Borbeck 13 or a Van Doren B45. I’ve always used the ‘basic’ fingering: thumb, register key, middle left finger, and the right D# key. Lately I’ve been trying an alternate fingering; thumb, register key, first two left fingers, first right side key, and the D#. It’s much more compatible sounding, and not too difficult to finger. I’m curious what others have experienced on this note. Is this simply a personal issue, or is this basic fingering known for flatness? I’ve seen no mention of this in my reading. I know that it’s the responsibility for everyone to figure out their own horn, especially for these high notes; I guess I’m also curious how much effort in general people have to put into their altissimo.
My reference for fingerings is Timothy Reichard’s Woodwind Fingering Guide at < http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/>.
Wayne Thompson
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-12-10 21:33
Wayne...The "standard" text book fingering for F#6 is one of the worst fingerings printed in most beginning fingering charts. It is woefully flat and the response leaves much to be desired.
The F#6 fingering you are using from Tim Reichard's site is the one I happen to have posted as a preferential one to use. Glad you discovered it.
There are a few ways to improve the "standard text" F#6 to bring it better into pitch. You could try using the low F# key as a vent instead of the low Ab key. You could also try using the RH sliver key to help with the tuning. Try both possibilities to see if those help.
There are more than 20 ways to play F#6, many are quite useable as to pitch and response. The use of alternate fingerings depends on many factors: the notes that preceed and exit the F#6, ease of fingering, and the specific equipment you are using.
Always have a few alternates in your arsenal of fingerings, and use them when the passage warrants it...GBK
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Author: Vic
Date: 2002-12-10 21:40
Just to follow up on GBK's suggestion, the Tom Ridenour fingering book is an excellent source.
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Author: JPM
Date: 2002-12-10 22:40
Dear Wayne,
May I suggest adding the G sharp key played with the left hand little finger to the regular high f sharp fingering? This combined with relaxing the embouchure will bring this note right into pitch.
I hope this will help.
Sincerely,
JPM
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-12-11 01:19
GBK suggests it, and David Pino insists that incorporation of the right hand sliver key with all the other stuff you listed will produce "the best fingering of all for this note, as long as you are sure to allow the right-hand ring keys to stay all the way up...." Maybe so, but do remember that altissimo fingering charts are not at all Holy Writ. Minor variations in construction or design of instruments can cause altissimo intonation to be very unlike "normal," whatever that may be. Depending on the instrument, you may find better intonation by inventing your own fingering rather than using a chart. This is not weird; it happens.
Regards,
John
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Author: clarynet
Date: 2002-12-11 13:26
Wayne-
I know you're probably researching the pants off of other fingerings right now, but here's a quickie for you, try thumb, register and 1 2, 123 and your e flat/d flat key (it's like fingerings e flat without your left ring finger). That's an old standby for me. Give it a go, and let me know how it works!
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2002-12-11 18:10
As Wayne says try this nice free-blowing version of F#. It just depends on where you're having to come from, to get it. Give this one a serious go - I'll use it over many of the alternatives and especially the "standard" fingering. It's a great trill fingering with G - just lift L2 and you're there. Not all clarinets are the same in altissimo, but this works on both my instruments. No-one (sensibly) has suggested if these don't work look at different m/pieces and I hesitate to mention it , but I recently experimented with American made narrow bore 'pieces on my wide bore Eatons and this area was exactly where the worst intonation was experienced. I'm sticking with my Eaton mouthpieces.
BobT
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Author: Wayne Thompson
Date: 2002-12-11 18:12
I'm on the right track then. GBK, especially, thanks for the confirmation. Last night I fiddled just a bit with the sliver key and the left hand G# key and they seem to make the note too sharp. But as always, this is a fun kind of problem solving. Thanks for your help.
Wayne Thompson
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Author: Wes
Date: 2002-12-12 20:01
Yes, the high F# is hard to bring up to pitch. However, one can sometimes get it closer by a little more focus on the embouchure on that note. Of course, there are a lot of alternate fingerings. In a concert band setting, when one has to play unison with other first clarinets on this note, it may be best to just try to bring it up with the embouchure as best you can because, if you play up to pitch in tune, the section may sound more out of tune. Good luck!
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