we've been getting very advanced level music in band lately and i've some fast passages in the high notes w/sharps and stuff for instance:




and stuff like that. are there any special fingering that you can use or special techniques that you use for notes that are high like this (and in sharps)?

This is for bassoon, right? I assume you're writing it in treble clef because it's easier to see that way. Well, all I can say is, good luck.

The transitions between F#, G#, and A are tricky. You might try using the F# with all right hand fingers, (0,0,0,4,5,6 plus little finger key). I don't know if that would take some of the complexity out of it.

There is a web site with suggested fingerings for hard passages and certain runs - I've forgotten what it is but you could probably find it by googling "complicated fingerings bassoon" or something like that.

Band music in the key of E and hopefully with the bassoon part not in treble clef, but formidable to say the least - you must have one heck of a band. At any rate see the fingering charts here for alternate fingerings http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/

Have i been taught different fingering? To me this seems reasonable. If the transitions are too hard try to avoid using the speaker keys until you get to the A so your thumbs there ready for it.

My teacher's always said once you've learnt to use the speaker keys you need to learn to not use them! For rapid notes the change in intonation isn't so noticeable and they can make a passage unnecessarily fiddly. Just use your mouth muscles properly and you'll be fine!

Hi Heath,
How would you finger going from G# to A up there? Seems like a toughy to me. Or maybe you're just a little more dextrous than I am.......fast fingerings really are depressing.

To be honest it's too early to try it out atm (neighbours...) but what I would do is my normal fingerings. I play G# as A without the 2 LH speaker keys which I then use for A. I'll check later but I can't imagine doing it any other way.