um help!

i can't get any higher than top B at the moment- not good. is it me? or the reeds?! i use Vandoren 2 1/2s but will be getting V12's soon.

ive never really been able to get the high notes comfortably, and i can't do anything unless i can play them. pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease help me!

Nat

sorry for constantly moaning and asking for help!

hey,

yeah try using maybe size 3 reeds, they help me to get the high notes. i used to use vandoren but changed to rico royal. they are wonderful! plus make sure your embrochure is correct??

go to Vandoren 3's or Rico R. 3 1/2's and sand, polish, scrape, et cetera properly.

If you've been playing your sax, it needs a different embourchure (cant spell it) so maybe you've switched which one your using. It happens sometimes when I go from clarinet to flute, I find it hard to get a good tone out of my flute. Its asking a lot to make your mouth to do lots of different things in a short space of time!

Im confused!Isnt top B da one with sumting like 8 ledger lines?

ye thats a B but i mean the one below that!! lol

Wow. I've never really had much a problem with high notes-- in fact, my sophomore year I was thrown into first part and had to learn all these ultra high notes I didn't even know existed.....
Sorry, though, I don't know the best way to explain anything...I'm not much on teaching clarinet yet......

What you have to remember is not to tense up but to open your air passage, breathe clearly and constantly , slightly tilt your head backwards, pushing out your instrument slightly - remember - relax, the high notes will come, but take it gently, not for too long at a time, little by little each day, and you will find they will come !
Hope this works !!

Hey, what size reed are you playing on? If it's too thin, that might be the problem.

QUOTE (Clarinet_Con_Brio @ Aug 3 2004, 01:59 AM)

Hey, what size reed are you playing on? If it's too thin, that might be the problem.

2.5

Hi Nat,
May be a really obvious suggestion, but have you had your clarinet serviced recently? There may be a pad leak or malalignment of one of the keys somewhere causing it to squeak or be difficult to play. Advice from trudihiggins is what I'd suggest too - don't force the note out and make sure your not putting your top teeth too far down the mouthpiece (especially if you've just played sax).
P.S. Have a nice holiday!

It takes so much practice to be able to switch between instruments quickly, and at the moment, Natalie, you don't want to play both woodwind instruments in the same day, until you've learnt how to change embouchures.

Of course, it's also sensible to choose your mouthpieces and reeds wisely so that although you need to change your emboouchure, you won't need to change the strength of your mouth's grip at all

Try using other size reeds, perhaps even splash out a bit on a reed which you know is going to be to your standards. I make all of my own reeds, but if you were to buy a specially made one, it could cost as much as £20.

Try by forming your embouchure as though you are saying the sound 'EE' or even that tighter anatomy of 'DEE'. Your mouth should be shaped to a sound of 'F' but actually saying 'EE'.... sorry if i'm confusing you here!

If i'm in a hurry for a concerto or solo appearance or something in orchestras and havent got time to make about 3 reeds then i will buy vandorens new make called the 'Rue Lepic 56', they are wonderful, they make me feel as if i am playing a larger bore instrument than i actually do, and i play Peter Eaton English large bore clarinets!

have a go anyway, and i'll try and think of other solutions, what is your teacher saying about this?

Rico Royal 2.0 is great fdor me. do a lot of long note practice, ensure to support your notes with your diaphragm.
Alex
xxxx

My teacher tells me to blow hard and to think the note! Sounds a bit weird but it works! He also says that when you get a note to try and remember how it felt to play it so its easier next time.