 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sanya
Date: 2005-04-09 02:39
I've been playing for almost 5 years and for some reason have never really worked up the altissimo register. I suppose that is because none of my music has ever had it, and only a couple of scales I have done in class have gone up to the F after the C that is played with only one's thumb. Altissimo is obviously difficult for me because I don't practice it, and I'm just starting. I have a crappy plastic clarinet that I rent from my school (I'm getting a wooden one when it's time for university), and I don't even know what brand it is because the name is faded, and I use Vandoren #3 reeds (which I alter a little), and my mouthpiece is crappy, too. No brand on that either. Any suggestions on how to start working with the altissimo register -- and making it sound GOOD? Thanks!
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Author: pewd
Date: 2005-04-09 02:54
>have a crappy plastic clarinet
>mouthpiece is crappy, too.
> I don't practice it
answered your own questions.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: kal
Date: 2005-04-09 02:58
Sounds like the first thing you might want to do is get a decent student mouthpiece. I started with a Hite Premier fifteen years ago, and I still see them recommended all over this bb. After that, practice, practice...
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Author: Merlin
Date: 2005-04-09 05:33
1. Practice
2. Get a good mouthpiece
3. Get a better clarinet.
4. Get either Norman Heim's altissimo book (pub. Kendor) or Opperman's book on Extended Working Range for the clarinet (pub. Carl Fisher)
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2005-04-09 05:39
Merlin has the right idea. I would suggest something like this:
1. Practice
2. Practice
3. Practice
4. Practice
5. Practice
6. Practice
7. Practice
8. Practice
9. Practice
10. Get a good mouthpiece and then a good clarinet.
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Author: Karel
Date: 2005-04-09 13:31
I would suggest the following order:
1) Get a teacher (one on one) if you don't already have one.
2) Get a good mouthpiece to make your practice more enjoyable such as Hite Premiere or Fobes Debut or Ridenour's Student mpc.
3) Then practice and practice.
4) then look at better clarinets.
Karel.
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Author: sanya
Date: 2005-04-09 16:29
It's a little hard for me to look at new clarinets right now because I'm a little on the short side with my finances. I practice every single day, what I meant is that I don't particularly practice with the altissimo register because none of my music has it. So first, I have to learn how to get up there and reach all the notes, because right now I'm just going with the online fingering charts.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2005-04-09 18:44
A book of studies you might find useful is "TheDevelopment of the Altissimo Register for Clarinet" by Norman Heim, published by Kendor Music. Progressive exercises with suggested fingerings followed up by 10 etudes. Currently $9.00 from SheetMusicPlus. (Mine only cost $4.50. ![[tongue]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie6.gif) )
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Author: Robert Moody
Date: 2005-04-09 19:21
Hey Sanya. I'm actually going to offer you some advice in the vein you were asking for. First things first though is what people suggested above. The equipment really does have to be able to do what you want it to do. I'm not suggesting that it doesn't but please realize the possibility is there that it is getting in the way.
With a reasonably firm, yet comfortable, reed...squeak on a throat tone G. If you need to move your embouchure around and mess things up to get the open G to squeak, then do that. Once you get it to squeak, continue to blow the squeak and bring your embouchure back to a good position.
Your goal is to learn to squeak the open G without having to move your lips around. What you will be doing when you accomplish this is learning to voice. This is done by resetting the way your tongue and throat are positioned so that you are "convincing" the mouthpiece and reed that it really is playing a high note. Do not try to "bite" the squeak out.
You will have to play around with learning to get the squeak from a good embouchure and an open G. That is the key to getting started into easy altissimo playing. So take whatever time you need to work that out.
Once you have gotten the squeaked G (really just a flat sounding D-natural in the altissimo) down pretty confortable with a good embouchure and airstream, you can try these mini-exercises:
- Alternate between squeaking the G and playing a regular G. Tongue each change between the notes and try to make sure you have a good sound on both notes without moving your outside face muscles around (lips, chin, etc).
- Squeak a good G (altissimo D) and hold it out. While holding it out, add the traditional fingering for the altissimo D (thumb+register key o x x| x o o top right-hand pinky key). Go back and forth between these slurring. Do not tongue the change but keep a good embouchure and steady airstream. No need to play timidly.
- Squeak the G (altissimo D) and while holding it out, add the fingering for the C# (thumb+register key o x x| x x o ). Go back and forth as above.
The point here is to focus on what is happening inside your mouth. Maybe do these things with your eyes closed and pay close attention to when everything works right and try to replicate it on the spur of the moment...no prep. This voicing is important to learning to play the altissimo without biting and\or getting a "loud only" playing style up there. If you really spend some time learning to voice properly, you will find yourself being able to play to altissimo G from the softest entrances.
Nothing can substitute for having an experienced teacher showing you this stuff, but I hope you can get an idea and that it helps you over the current hurdle you are facing.
Take care and let us know how you are progressing.
Robert Moody
http://www.musix4me.com
Free Clarinet Lessons and Digital Library!
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Author: Clarino20
Date: 2005-04-09 19:36
There are many ways to practice and perfect the altissimo register of the clarinet. Is it fairly easy for you to play in the clarion register? If so try and think of the first finger (index finger) of your left hand as an extra register key. The position of your tongue should change slighlty and it should feel as fluid as going from your throat tones to the clarion register. Another thing I find in a lot of my students is that they do not use enough air and are afraid of squeaking. Play each note you hit forte for a week and then worry about making it sound better. Paula Corley has an excellent method book out that has a great exercise on her website right now (Midwest Handout) It is twelve pages but goes over some of the basics and gets into some great altissimo and clarion exercises and tips on improving tone in those registers. If you have more specific information about what is happening I may be able to help you out a little bit more.
Corey
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Author: Clarino20
Date: 2005-04-09 20:00
Maybe it would help if I gave you Paula's website www.clarinetcity.com
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