The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jlcook8
Date: 2003-11-12 01:58
I can play above the first high Bb. PLEASE HELP reply soon plz!
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Author: clarinetdaddy
Date: 2003-11-12 02:10
Don't give up. It takes a lot of patience. A great book that helps with the high register is "The Develpoment Of The Altissimo Register For Clarinet" by Norman M. Heim. But just go one note at a time.
Miles
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Author: ron b
Date: 2003-11-12 03:17
It might help, JL, if you would describe a bit more about what it is that's not going right for you. A small measure of patience on your part is helpful too. This is a great BB and folks try to respond rather quickly - and carefully. Remember, we're not just shooting back answers without giving it some thought and consideration of you, as an individual.
If you could start off by maybe answering a couple of the following questions, it would be a lot more helpful in getting people to try to help you.
So, just to get things off to a smoother start:
Has someone else, a teacher, a fellow player, played your instrument to determine whether IT may not be working right?
Have you tried another clarinet to determine whether it's you and not the horn?
Do the notes just not come out at all?
Is air coming out, but no sound?
Can someone observe you to see whether you are covering the holes properly?
How low can you play?
What mouthpiece, reed are you using now?
- rn b -
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2003-11-12 12:45
Jessie,
It was only 4 minutes between your first and last message; you sent 4 messages in that time - perhaps a new record for the BB. Things can take longer than that to answer.
Patience, please.
HRL
PS Also, I'm not sure what you want to find out as you say you "can play" but do you eman "can't play?"
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Author: William
Date: 2003-11-12 14:14
"I can play above the first high Bb. "
Do you mean the Bb above the staff, which we call Bb5??
Some suggestions to help those higher notes speak:
Make certain that your reed is in good condition. I would also recommend a reed strength comparable to VanDoren Traditional 2.5 or 3.0.
Use good breath support--breath all the way toward the bottoms of your lungs without raising your shoulders.
Arch the back of your tongue like you re imitating a cat's hiss. Don't actually hiss, but just "make believe". This will help focus your air stream toward the tip of your mouthpiece.
Also, try using more right hand thumb pressure to force the clarinet mouthpiece more firmly into your mouth. This will also tighten your emouchure (lips) and give more support to those pesky higher notes.
If those notes don't play at first while tonguing, then practice slurring up to them. Once you get the "feel" for them, then try tonguing.
And lastly--yes, you guessed right!!--it's the old "P" word, PRACTICE. (you know............the formula for "perfect")
Good luck.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2003-11-12 17:02
I know this is MUCH easier said than done, but don't play "up" to them. You're likely tensing up too much as you think "this note is high." Play it just as you would any other note, just with another fingering. Be sure you have plenty of air, and think that you are resonating the air column from the mouthpiece to the last finger down, especially in the altissimo.
If your eyebrows go up and you lean back when you try to play a high note, you're too tense, and it will have trouble. Instead of thinking "This is the fingering that should make a (whatever note). I sure hope it comes out, so I'm going to try extra extra hard to will it out," think, "this is how to play a (whatever note), and that's exactly what I'm going to do." Play it downward.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: sinkdraiN
Date: 2003-11-12 18:48
A 6th graders most common mistake with the high notes is not covering all the holes. And I mean REALLY covering the holes so that there is not even one hair-line opening. Its very difficult to know this unless you look in the mirror and look to see if fingers are only half covering holes etc... Talk too your teacher and ask if you can meet with him or her alone for a few minutes to work on it. It takes time. Playing the high notes are easy its putting the fingers down perfectly that makes it hard
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Author: Pam H.
Date: 2003-11-13 01:15
One thing that my flute teacher has stressed to me on several occasions which I think applies here, is that when you are practicing the high notes, practice a little higher than you want to be able to play in a performance situation. Then it may feel like "oh that note is easy, because I can hit the 'A' (or whatever) above it. It will help you to be more comfortable playing them because you are not at your upper limit.
Have patience with yourself as well. You're probably a second year student? Time and practice will go a long way to helping you improve your skills.
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