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 very high A
Author: Ginny 
Date:   2000-07-26 23:45

The fingering for A in the sqeakmont area (the space six lines over the staff), is fingered reg key, thumb,left hand 23 and a vent below (per Rubank Advanced). The E a fifth below this is the same, but for the vent key...so do I bit? smile real hard? inhale helium, or move to Mars?
Clearly its in the overtone series a fifth up... I've been biting, bad bad bad.


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 RE: very high A
Author: Mark Charette 
Date:   2000-07-26 23:52

Take more mouthpiece for a start - high notes can really benefit from it.

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 RE: very high A
Author: Meredith H 
Date:   2000-07-27 02:27

You shouldn't have to bite any harder to get this note it is more a different way of blowing. I think I drop my jaw a bit to get the A, once you get the hang of it is isn't too hard.

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 RE: very high A
Author: William 
Date:   2000-07-27 03:20

I finger both notes the same--reg.key, thumb, L-H 2&3 and R-H Eb key. Only the bats notice the difference. FYI--A good fingering for the companion Ab is the same as for D (above the staff) except use the L-H C/F key instead of the usual R-H Eb/Ab key. Wear your ear plugs, neighbors!! Good luck.

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 RE: very high A
Author: Bob Gardner 
Date:   2000-07-27 03:29

there goes the neighbor-hood!!!!!!!!!

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 RE: very high A
Author: John 
Date:   2000-07-27 04:09

If you need to slur from high E to high A, it helps to add the RH C# key rather than the RH Eb key. This might be a good fingering to use. Be wary of adding too much extra mouthpiece, although a little works. It may also be that your reed is a bit too soft for those high notes.

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 RE: very high A
Author: Dee 
Date:   2000-07-27 09:38

Besides the other suggestions, I find it helps to increase the air pressure that you blow with but of course you have to control the quantity of air or you will just get a squawk. Also I find that a firmer embouchure is required. Note that I do not mean biting. Think of mattresses. They come in different firmnesses but all of the just lay there on the bed. However a very firm mattress supports you differently than a very soft mattress when you lay on it.

A word of warning. Once you finally obtain that high A, it will take a little time before you can control it and be able to choose between the A and the E.

Mathematically, this A is the 7th harmonic not the 5th.
Chalumeau = 1st harmonic (i.e. fundamental)
Clarion = 3rd harmonic
Altissimo = 5th, 7th or 9th harmonic depending on the note played and the choice of fingering for that note. The "standard" chromatic scale fingerings for altissimo C# through F# are 5th harmonics. The chromatic G through A# are 7th harmonics while the B and C are 9th harmonics.

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 RE: very high A
Author: Katherine Pincock 
Date:   2000-07-27 12:30

Good suggestions from everybody above, but here's something else to add: altissimo notes are much easier to place if you can "hear" where the note should be. If you can get a person to play the high A for you, then concentrate on the pitch and play, it might make it easier. Another good way to do this that doesn't require someone else to hang around is to do slow chromatic scales from the bottom of the clarinet to your highest notes--it's easy to pitch the next note that way. Once you're more secure with that, practicing A arpeggios will help you learn to do the switch between E and A without as much trouble. Hope that helps!

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 RE: very high A
Author: Robin 
Date:   2000-07-27 12:36

If you can control these notes already on their own, maybe you should try different vents when you combine them.

I use a RH Eflat/aflat vent for the high E, and a LH C#/F# for the high A.

The different vents seem to 'bump' it up more easily.

Good luck,
Rob

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 RE: very high A
Author: javier garcia 
Date:   2000-07-27 12:38

another tip to the slur high E - high A, add the side LH Eb/Bb key, played with RH index, only for bring the high A, then release the key. (the rest is the standard fingering). Even to play directly the high A, it is useful.

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 RE: very high A
Author: Graham Elliott 
Date:   2000-07-27 16:42

Katherine is absolutely right, in my view. Hearing the note in anticipation is the key. There is a passage in the last movement of Finzi's concerto where you have to slur rapidly from A to E (if I remember rightly). Even once the A is already established, the mere act of thinking the E tends to make the E come out.

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 RE: very high A
Author: William 
Date:   2000-07-28 17:03

Fingering both notes the same (T-R, L-H 2&3+R-H little finger Eb key), flicking the side Bb/Eb key makes the slur up to high A from E a breeze. Also good for stunning small rodents for humane removal :>) lol etc. Lots of luck!!!

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