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Tips learning to play partials

Author: faltpihl ★2017
Date: 2015-02-24 14:23

Hi,

I've decided to work on my altissimo recently, after realizing that I need to be more confident with some high notes for my orchestral playing.
(Note that I am more or less a beginner)

I've so far managed to find the lower altissimo (up to ~E) notes to work quite well, through doing these exercises:

http://miamiclarinet.blogspot.se/2009/01/developing-your-altissimo.html

(The exercises are basically starting on low A, adding register key, and then adding altissimo "register key" through venting. Doing these exercises I find that I can get the lower notes to speak rather well with little effort)

Aiming to improve my higher notes (I need to go up to at least g#) I came across multiple sources that state how important it is to learn to voice the first few partials with basic low note fingerings to learn how to adapt embouchure and voicing to the different ranges.

I'm having a hard time getting more than one partial.

I'm attempting to use double lip all the time, and have tried to use a rather relaxed embouchure (not pushing the clarinet so hard so I get pain after a short playing time).

I noticed that the high notes were easier if I used alot more pressure than I am used to (trying not to bite, but to "snug the clarinet with my thumb" as per Ridenours double lip instructions).

Any way I try, I have not managed to get more partials any way.

I read somewhere that you could shove a rag in the bell for this exercise, I will try that later today.
I also read somewhere that playing partials was very dependent on voicing, and not so much on lower lip placement.

I guess my question is, is this skill of playing partials the right way to go with improving altissimo security and tone?

Or should I perhaps just experiment more with playing the notes fingered until I "get the feel for it"?

Any tips and tricks regarding this topic are very appreciated