How to Play High Notes on the Clarinet
The clarinet is a woodwind instrument. The sound is produced with the aid of a mouthpiece and a reed. Learning how to play high notes on the clarinet can be difficult because the higher notes involve the use of more fingers, and the position of your mouth needs to be precise so that the notes can be clear and not squeak. In order to play high notes on the clarinet, study the fingering chart, focus on your mouth position, focus on your hand position, play scales and play songs.
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Instructions
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Study the fingering chart. In order to play high notes on the clarinet, you need to know which finger combinations to use. By studying the fingering charts, you will have a better idea of how to play the notes. You can find the clarinet fingering charts online or in the scale book.
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Make sure that you have the proper mouth position. When playing high notes on the clarinet, it is necessary that your mouth is in the correct position. Do not puff your cheeks out. You should cover your lower lip over your teeth, keep your chin flat and then tighten your upper lip over the mouth piece. For the higher notes, you will need a tighter mouth position.
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Cover your fingers entirely over the holes. The high notes on the clarinet involve the use of almost all of the fingers. Many of the keys on the clarinet are open holed. If you do not cover the entire hole, the sound will not be produced.
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Play each high note of the clarinet a few times, trying to improve your sound with each attempt. If you do not produce any sound the first time, keep trying until you hear the note clearly.
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Play scales. In order to play high notes on the clarinet, you need to practice the transition from one note to another. Scales are good for this because they are repetitive and easy to memorize. You should practice your scales each day. You can find clarinet scale books online or at the music store.
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Play songs that incorporate both high notes and low notes. Playing the high notes in a song will help you to become more familiar with playing the notes with different articulations and rhythms. Most scale books have songs that correspond to each scale exercise.
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References
- Photo Credit the clarinetist image by Pix by Marti from Fotolia.com
