I'm sure I read a thread about high notes in the last few days but can't find it now, so sorry to cover the same ground.

I'm working on the notes from G above the treble clef up to about E a sixth above that, and having a lot of trouble. G to C are OK (insofar as I can usually sound them first time) but the ones above are really difficult. I have a piece that uses this register, but I'm also doing lots of practice just moving slowly from one note to the next, from G up.

My teacher has recommended:
have plenty of breath available and support the breathing well
firm embouchure
experiment with head position (e.g. move head back or forward slightly and see what works best).

All of this helps but it's still a struggle. Does anyone else have any suggestions? I'm using a 2 1/2 reed - does this sound right?

It was in adult learners. http://www.abrsm.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=39217

Not sure if it's got the info you're after though.

To add to that good advice your teacher has given you : deal with one note at a time. Get the C# absolutely right before moving up.

Don't bite, and don't use undue pressure anywhere.

Hiya!

As someone who has also spent a lot of time on this quite recently, I would add that this can be a very slow journey! Just because you can produce the note doesn't necessarily mean that you will be able to play it in your pieces straight away, so don't be disappointed if you can't! I can now get up to a high F but I don't play anything above a D in my pieces because the quality of the notes above isn't yet consistent. I'm in no hurry to get F# until the ones below are concrete either!

I think if you normally play on a 2.5, stick with it! Some people suggest a harder reed can help but I found that the position of the reed on the mouthpiece can also make a huge difference with the high notes - if you just move it up by even 1mm, you will be surprised at how it can improve the quality of the notes. I don't know if you would agree with this Barry, as I know it's also often suggested that you just take in more mouthpiece instead!

When I first started to practise the altissimo register, I was very aware of the terrible sqwawking sounds I was making and I think this prevented me from giving the notes full breath support. Try not to change your embouchure or posture and just breathe confidently down the clarinet - EXPECT that note to come and don't be scared of it!

It sounds like your teacher has already given you some good advice - I'm intrigued by the idea of changing your head position and will experiment with that myself! I hasten to add that I'm only about grade 5 level myself so I do hope what I've suggested isn't completely useless to you!! Hopefully the things that have helped me might also be of some help to you! Best of luck with it!

Agree, re. 2.5 reed.

You generally need quite a lot of mouthpiece in your mouth to play effectively. The positioning of the reed makes a big difference with a number of aspects of playing, certainly, if the reed is too low, high notes in particular will be harsh, and if it's too high, the tone generally will be fluffy, and the lower notes won't be at all easy to produce.

In view of what Barry has said here, I just want to add that my particular problem was with the quality of the high notes, which did indeed sound rather harsh. I haven't had problems with the lower notes and I suspect that I had the reed set a little too low. I now set it so that it's exactly level with the tip of the mouthpiece, rather than so that you can see the very edge of the mouthpiece over it. It may well be that this won't help you at all, so probably best to consult your teacher before making any changes!

Thanks for your suggestions, everyone - you've given me plenty to think about.



Food for thought there - I think I am biting, and probably tensed up right down to my toes!




Yes, I'm beginning to see that it will be a long haul. I've done some practice this evening but if anything I'm getting worse! Some days just are like that, I suppose.

I know what you mean about the terrible squawking sounds - they're discouraging, and I'm painfully aware that everyone else in the house has to listen to them. Thanks for mentioning about taking in more mouthpiece - my teacher did mention that, but I'd forgotten.

I spent a little while just playing the high notes slowly tonight, and afterwards I found that when I played in the chalumeau register the notes were coming out high so I must have been doing something right, though at the wrong time, if you see what i mean.

By the bye - is it just me, or is the B flat on the middle line of the treble clef a bit of a duff note on the clarinet? It always sounds out of tune.

It's not a good note. It's a bit of a compromise, in order for it to be a better Bb, the register key would need moving slightly. Unfortunately, if you do that, it's then in the wrong place to act as a register key!

There's a nicer Bb available on the clarinet, but it's not the most accessible of notes. It's played by using the A key, and the 2nd side trill key (1st key being nearest the top of the clarinet, 4th key being the side Bb/Eb key).

And keeping the fingers on the lower hand down helps too

Thanks for the B flat info - will give that a try!