I recently recieved a piece for Solo And Ensemble. The piece i got stuck with is all in the upper register. I can get the notes out (exept for a high f#) but it dosn't exactly sound pretty. It squeaks and blats etc. Any advice for playing high notes? well, that sound decent?


A.K.R. Thanks

Well, I remember when I first started playing bass, I tried too hard to get out the high notes. I was thinking of an embouchure change more along the lines of the one used for playing Bb clarinet, when actually, the one for bass is quite different. It seemed to me that barely any "change" was required, except when you get up to about B, where you have to make sure you use a lot of support from your lower lip. Are you talking about the F as in fifth line F, or the F above the staff?

funfun! high notes are awesome!

i'd say maybe play long tones with the high notes and see what you can do to try and make them sound "prettier". also, excessive squeaking in teh upper register can be a sign something is leaking- i've been having issues with that and all the high notes would either not come out or sounds like poo. just a thought.

what peice is it?

Yep. High notes can be weird on bass. Or they can be very easy and satisfying. For the record, 5th-line F# is one of my least favorite notes on any bass. Especially pro model horns. It has to be adjusted perfectly, and even then it requires careful "voicing" to make it sound like the other good notes.
Daily Register slurs can fix your upper register in just a couple weeks..... if your horn if adjusted properly. Also, your mouthpiece facing must be flawless, and your reed not warped or too soft, and your cork tight, and your embouchure near perfect, blah blah, etc. And, if you have a ghetto brand mouthpiece, high notes are very hard. Good luck to yoU!

the 5th line f# (played like a regular b, but with the register key). Overall i can get most of the notes out...it just sounds like...let's just say bad..

And i have another question. I just got a Eb Alto Sax yesterday, i played it then went to play my Bass Clarinet, and OMG... It seemed abnormally hard to blow into. Is that normal?

Regarding the alto sax thing, I played bass clarinet all summer during marching band practice and didn't touch my Bb soprano clarinet (I know, I know, I should've been practicing) and when I finally went to play it about two weeks before school started, I couldn't even get a note out. I remember thinking something must be wrong with my instrument! But just keep trying to play, and trust your muscle memory, your mouth will know what to do!

Thanks clarinet guy!!!!!!!!

A.K.R