 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ryder
Date: 2008-07-05 22:11
Near the end of the Allegro...
I am having trouble geting the B6 (altissimo) to speak. I've tried 4 different fingerings so far and none work. I can get the A6 (i think it's 6) before it just fine, but the B6 just won't speak. The highest pitch I can obtain with the four fingerings I've tried is F# (altissimo).
This high in the range is basically an in-tune squeak, so any tricks or fingerings that work best for you would be appreciated.
Thanks
____________________
Ryder Naymik
San Antonio, Texas
"We pracice the way we want to perform, that way when we perform it's just like we practiced"
Post Edited (2008-07-05 22:18)
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Author: Tom Piercy
Date: 2008-07-05 23:00
For a quick reference, check here for quite a few different fingerings for the altissimo fingerings:
http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/clarinet/
The Altissimo B should not be a problem to play with a nice sound and good intonation. It shouldn't be thought of as an "in-tune squeak" - but as an in-tune note which is now used often in many pieces.
Get "high" and get used to it.
Tom Piercy
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Author: Liam Murphy
Date: 2008-07-06 00:10
Ryder,
The Bb you talk of is quite a pain, however these are the fingerings and processes I would use to go about playing it.
The note preceding this high Bb is an F. The basic fingering for F, I am sure you already know, however in the context of the arpeggio, I believe the "long" fingering to be more appropriate.
High F: - long fingering makes the actual finger movement to Bb minimal - thus easier. However the tuning may be different to what you are used to - adjust if necessary.
TR / 1 2 3, c#-g#, 4 5 6
High Bb: - just add the C-F key
TR / 1 2 3, c#- g#, 4 5 6, F-C
As for learning how to make higher register notes "speak", I practice ascending harmonics from a lower note, in this case your lowest F will eventually over blow all the way up to a high Bb.
The manipulation of your oral cavity (which I will not even try to describe - I recommend personal experimentation) will, with practice, allow you to play a high Bb whilst fingering a low F. This may sound pointless, as perfectly practical fingerings already exist for this note, however the oral cavity position that you have assumed in order to play the Bb (with low F fingering) will be the perfect position to play the conventionally fingered Bb.
Process:
1) Play a low F
2) Stop playing the F, and silently assume the oral cavity position you would to play an A (one ledger-line = 17th above )
3) Keep fingering the low F and and blow - a slightly flat A should come out.
4) Repeat steps one and two, however aim for a D this time (2 ledger lines) a few attempts and the D should come out.
5) Repeat steps one and two, however aim for a G (four ledger lines) I tried this a few minutes ago, and either a G or an F came out, I am not sure why, but give it a bash anyway. The harmonic would require a similar oral cavity position that you employed in order to play the high F# that you successfully played before.
6) The next harmonic is the Bb, so aim one harmonic higher, and a Bb should come out.
The oral cavity position that you used to play the Bb, coupled with the C#/G# key and register key should create lovely Bb.
This how I would go about making the note "speak" and hopefully avoiding an "in tune squeak"
I use this process for many pieces, for example, in the Copland Clarinet Concerto (measure 50) he asks you to slur from an A (two ledger-lines) to an F# (three ledger-lines). In this scenario I would attempt to over blow a Bb (one ledger line) up to the F#. And whatever oral cavity I employed to play the F# with that fingering, I would then use when slurring from the A.
You could just blindly stab at the Bb a hundred times until it comes out nicely, which may work for you, or you could try my method or follow the instructions of another BBoarder. In the end, do whatever works.
Good Luck,
Liam
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-07-06 00:31
On full Boehms or other forms of Boehms with an articulated C#/G# key, keeping the RH fingers down will keep the C#/G# pad closed, so the Sp.Th.xxxC#/G#|xxxF/C fingering won't work for altissimo Bb due to this factor.
However, all is not lost - play it almost as upper register C (Sp.Th.xxx|xxxF/C), but take your thumb off the thumb tube while still keeping the speaker key open, giving Sp. xxx|xxxF/C.
So there's no need to disengage the adjusting screw from the RH rings to the C#/G# pad cup in order to get the altissimo Bb with the standard fingering.
This fingering works on standard (17/6) Boehms too - compare them to see which you like best.
I found this altissimo Bb fingering in Jack Brymer's book, and it's come in very useful. Cheers Jack, wherever you are.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-07-06 01:55
Ryder wrote:
> This high in the range is basically an in-tune squeak
I strongly disagree.
Many clarinet works routinely go up to Bb6, B6 and C7. These notes should not be thought of as "in tune squeeks" (your words) but rather, the upper working range of the clarinet. If those notes for you are presently weak, then it would be wise to start developing them now.
David Blumberg's suggested Bb6 fingering is ok but often has some resistance. It also may be low in pitch and can be slippery to attack.
Therefore to make the note speak quicker and more securely, I would suggest adding the throat Ab/G# key to that fingering.
Two other excellent Bb6 fingerings (especially useful in coming from F6) would be:
1. Play the standard (short) F6 fingering using the right pinky F#/C# key and adding the throat Ab/G# key.
2. Play the standard (short) F6 fingering and remove the thumb, keeping the register key depressed.
...GBK
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2008-07-06 16:58
Another long F fingering for clarinets with articulated G#/C# keys is to open the throat G# key instead of the left pinky G#/C# key.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-07-06 18:29
If the side F# key was 'nudgeable' while keeping the RH fingers down (and being able to nudge only the side F# without opening the side Eb/Bb key in the process), then that would probably work better for the altissimo Bb than taking the thumb off the thumb tube due to the smaller diameter of the side F# tonehole.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-07-06 21:02
You know it’s more than just the fingering. I used to have trouble playing that passage years ago, it was hit and miss. Now it’s a piece of cake for me to play a high Bb. I do have my favorite fingering, actually two, but it’s so much more than that. You have been giving several good fingerings but they will be of no avail if you don’t know how to support and VOICE those upper notes. For me it was finding the mouthpiece that allowed me to voice those notes properly as well as getting the sound, control, intonation etc. on the rest of the instrument. Too many students think just using a harder reed does it but a reed that’s too hard creates all kinds of problems and really does not solve the problem. Of course too soft a reed and you’ll never get it out plus a weak sound. Practice going from the high A to the Bb and hear the Bb pitch in you ear, then adjust your throat and tongue position to ‘VOICE’ the Bb, it may take some practicing and concentration. Of course you need good air and embouchure support too. ESP
www.peabody.jhu.edu/457 (Listen to a little Mozart, live performance, but no high Bb)
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Author: Ryder
Date: 2008-07-07 02:29
Thanks for the tips.
Ed P.,
My teacher showed me a funny trick, not to be taken very seriously, to practice voicing a while back. You put the bell of the clarinet against your calf, or a couch to seal it off. Then close all the tone holes. You can learn simple songs by, dare I say "squeaking" (...GBK), and voicing the pitch produced to achieve different pitches.
Of course because you'll never play with that kind of resistance, or in that manner it doesn't have allot of use other than showing you a somewhat exagerated form of voicing. It does however make people envy you. :-)
____________________
Ryder Naymik
San Antonio, Texas
"We pracice the way we want to perform, that way when we perform it's just like we practiced"
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2008-07-07 12:48
Something that helps me on altissimo notes is to make my lower lip tight and stiff, but not press it hard against the reed. I realized way too late in life that I had a tendency to bite like an alligator on very high notes. I was choking them off.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: Tara
Date: 2008-07-07 13:51
I use the "standard" high F fingering and then add the left hand G#/Ab key for the high Bb. I think someone mentioned this one, but I will agree that it's a good one. Works great for me! But I also agree that voicing is most likely the issue here, and not the fingering.
Good luck! Tara
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