 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ms.ace
Date: 2013-12-04 23:59
Hello! I am currently a sophomore and was looking on some insight on All-State try outs. I would like to try out next year and figured the earlier I start the better. I was wondering if anyone has advice about what kind of things I should be practicing outside of the scales, Rose Etudes, and Celebrated Method for the Clarinet. Specifically tips on reaching the highest notes like the altissimo F and G and sight reading. My current plan is to practice music for the most recent auditions, work on scales, and work on range. ( I'm sure I can get there in a year.)
For reference I've played for about 5 years, my set up is as follows: horn is a 40 year old grenadilla LeBlanc Artist Series, a Selmer HS hard rubber mouthpiece, I typically play a Mitchell Lurie or Vandoren 3 1/2 or 4 size reed. I often come to this forum for advice when I'm looking for a wide variety of opinions and get great response, thanks in advance I really appreciate all the help
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-12-05 03:07
ms.ace -
To make All-State, you must be able to play altissimo F, F# and G with good tone and complete control and reliability.
To learn how, use the exercise described at http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=320043&t=319992.
That is, you begin low A soft, crescendo while gradually pressing the register key so that you jump to clarion E, without knowing when it will happen. Carry the warmth of the low note into the high note. Then decrescendo, maintaining the tone quality.
When you're comfortable doing that, crescendo on low A, press the register key to go to E, hold the dynamic and slowly roll the tip of your left index finger down to go to altissimo C#, where you decrescendo, carrying the warmth of the low A and the sweetness of the E up to the altissimo.
Repeat with Bb-F-D, B-F#-Eb, C-F-E. C#-G#-F, D-A-F# and Eb-Bb-G. To do this, you'll need to learn how to voice each register, which is described in the link. (Some of the altissimo notes will be out of tune. Don't worry. You'll be using better fingerings once you master the exercise.)
Your goal is to make the high notes sound as easy as the low ones.
Some private lessons will help. There's no substitute for a teacher who sees and hears you play and can pinpoint the spots where you need work.
For All-State, you'll also need to have your major and minor scales, scales in thirds and arpeggios really easy and smooth at least through four sharps and four flats, and preferably all the way through seven sharps and flats, plus seventh and diminished seventh arpeggios. Very slow practice is the solution. Never practice faster than perfect.
This takes time -- several weeks of concentrated practice just for the register exercise -- but every advancing player was in your position once and worked through it. You can too.
By the way, Selmer hasn't made the HS mouthpiece for a really long time. The tip was very close. Are you sure your mouthpiece isn't an HS* (medium length, fairly close) or an HS** (medium length, fairly open)?
Ken Shaw
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