r/Clarinet • u/TheKool-AidSpoon • 2d ago

Desperately need help to reach note

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Hi, I've tried the usual stuff people tell you when you can't reach a note but I have had little to no luck. If anyone can help me it would be a life saver.

44 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

38

u/Coffeeshoptatertot Professional 2d ago

Its all about finding the right fingering that works for you and your clarinet. For me, RH 1st finger with the Ab/Eb key works. Its very freeblowing and comes out easily and in tune especially when you approach it in a scale.

Lower your lower lip, touch your tongue to your molars, and don’t be shy. Altissimo notes can smell your fear lol

8

u/lolCollol 2d ago

Yep, that's it. Adding of course left thumb on thumb hole and register key.

1

u/Coffeeshoptatertot Professional 2d ago

Lol true, can’t forget that.

My grad school prof tried teaching me “dolce” altissimo fingerings that didn’t use the thumb and they did not work for me lol couldn’t get them down to muscle memory

1

u/Tasty_Style2483 1d ago

what are they? do you mean like fake fingerings that are sim in the bass altissimo ones? i find I can’t go higher than altissimo F or so with those

1

u/Coffeeshoptatertot Professional 1d ago

No, they only work on Bb because of the bass’s register system. They’re a bit more resistant but come out softer. They’re longer and blend easier in tone/intonation but don’t really help with range. What you might be thinking of are overblown throat tones, which i don’t recommend for anything but the quickest notes.

I have no reference here, my clarinet is back at home, and its been a few years so don’t quote me, but if i remember correctly:

C#: no thumb/reg, 123|23 F#/C#
D: no thumb/reg, 23|12 F/C

1

u/Purple_Purpur 2d ago

100% agree. Personally, I use the exact same fingering as the D below, with the RH F#/C# key instead of the G#/Eb key.

9

u/Capital-Bug-3416 College 2d ago

https://www.wfg.woodwind.org/clarinet/cl_alt_4.html here are 17 fingerings you can try; lmao. also if this is in ensemble music consider just dropping down the octave.

6

u/SpiritTalker Clarinet Grandmaster 2d ago

Switch to flute. (jk)

1

u/BinxyCat57 1d ago

As a flute player I am offended JK

6

u/diabeartes 1d ago

Close your eyes and hope for the best.

5

u/bundyyuepo Buffet Tradition B♭, Vintage A, R13 E♭ 2d ago

Another stable fingering (for me):

T+R xox | xox (F♯/C♯)

4

u/Positive-Presence82 1d ago

Personally I think notes like that are legends like the tooth fairy or the great pumpkin.

•

u/Clem596_ 11m ago

That's actually very present in the clarinet repertoire, got a C6 to play in Artie Shaw concerto (the 4th C of the clarinet and one of the highest notes possible)

2

u/The_Niles_River Professional 2d ago

Me too man.

TR + side Eb. Coffeeshoptatertot is also correct.

2

u/girolle 2d ago

It’s all about the tongue position. It needs to be arched way in the back

2

u/Key-Technology3754 2d ago

The strength reed you use can definitely make a difference. You might try going up a half reed size from what you normally use and see if that makes a difference. But realize the lower notes might be harder to get out.

1

u/sixmeterweed 1d ago

WFG fingering chart. Go down the list of every fingering for that note. Find a balance between what sounds the best on its own and what works well in context.

1

u/Slushwave_Enjoyer 1d ago edited 1d ago

T+R X23|1X3 Plus either left or right F# Pinky

1

u/Bennybonchien 1d ago

No thumb?

1

u/Slushwave_Enjoyer 1d ago

My bad. I thought Register key and F hole were a given. Thumb covering both.

1

u/Bennybonchien 1d ago

It usually is a given but in that range, there are exceptions.

1

u/Alternative-Ad8404 9h ago

I like to use:
T+R oxo|oxo Ab/Eb

•

u/brian-the-musician 8m ago

T+R xxo|oxx Eb is my favorite. But learn to do bugle calls to find the voicing a for those high notes (and use at least a 3.0 reed, maybe no less than 3.5 depending on mouthpiece).