How do I expand my range?

Question

I've been playing clarinet since 6th grade, and I went to huge schools, so individual attention was rare. Also, my parents didn't want to pay for music lessons. I think I'm fairly good (I'm entering college this fall) but I'd really like to work my range all the way up. I can only play up to the G on the ledger line (upper range) and simply trying to play the notes above isn't working for me. I know I'm on the same level as the kids in my class that had lessons, and I want to get better even without personal instruction.

David McMillian · Accepted Answer

lol
the answer before mine was painful just to look at.

but nonetheless its one of the better clarinet guides floating around on the internet.

the altissimo of the clarinet is not the most beautiful thing in the world and the highest ends are rarely expressed in most of the classic works. But in more modern works, it gets pretty annoying.

To master the high end of the clarinet require very VERY strong and steady embrasure, and extreme control of the airflow into the horn. 

first you need to find the balance between the amount of air going into the clarinet and the tightness of the lower lip on pressing on to the reed.

If you are pressing to hard on the reed, then the air will be cut off resulting in a very nasty squeak or completely shutting down the sound.

If its too loose, then there will not be enough air support for the demanding of high notes.

And when playing them, try going up from a lower note and play either chromatically or on a scale to the note which u desire to achieve. Them memorize how it feels like, and remember that feeling and soon it all becomes muscle memory and you are able to play it anytime.

this might sound like a cliche, but practice is the key.

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How do I expand my range?

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