Hi I took up the piccolo this summer for band and the music we`re doing this year is super hard! especially considering the time i`ve been playing... Do any of you have any tips for hitting the high notes? I can hit up to a b flat on a good day but i find f to be really hard to hit although everything other than that is fine, any ideas on why? I also get really tight on the higher notes, any advice there? Im accepting everything here! My pic knowledge is scare...

my pic knowledge is scarce...

The biggest advice I can give is to make sure you use ear plugs. You can find them sold in packs of 50 at around $5US. At least use it in your right ear when you play the piccolo indoors or you can damage your hearing over time.

You may also find if you use both ear plugs that it may help you hit those high notes as you will not back away from them, but don`t always practice like that or you won`t know how you really sound.

I used to use two ear plugs and pull out my high register excerices when I was young to irritiate my brother. Though he started hiding pieces of my flute too...

Wow I`ll definitely try that! The piccolo is squeeky and hurts...

On both flute and piccolo, a good quality top register has to come out of the bottom register, if that makes any sense. I would reccommend lots of low register exercises, as the piccolo can actually sound very beautiful in this area. If you can reliably achieve success here, then you will have done the important groundwork, and should be able to move up to the higher register with ease. Just ensure that when you do, be especially aware of the top lip, as this should not clamp down. Keep the bottom lip well forward, and the top lip as free as possible.

Just pull your mouth muscles back very hard and concentrate your airstream. Practice eventually gets results (earplugs are helpful for this!) Piccolo is also my summer instrument (marching band) and I have had a few years experience. My advice might not sound professional, but it works!
(I love your screen name! Tinuviel as in Luthien Tinuviel from Lord of the Rings?)

Yah tinuviel from LOTR, the bestest character ever! oh i luv that story *sigh* Jess about the pulling ur mouth muscles back I have bad history with that I was very very tight when playing flute and it`s what i`m trying to avoid because I was developing tendonitus *pardon the spelling* or somethign in my jaw NOT GOOD! But maybe that`s not what u meant... Ty for the advice :D

wow, piccolo was also my summer instrument! I tend to play really flat up high...any advice?

Sorry. Unfortunetly, I am also pretty flat on the piccolo-there are just some days where you cannot get the right pitch...It`s such a picky instrument!!! Let me guess...The Phantom from the Phantom of the Opera! I had the lucky chance of seeing the play on Broadway a few summers ago!
P.S. Has anyone seen KC or Arak around lately?

play with your lips tight and be sure to blow hard. becareful not to sqeak.

Umm.. I probably shouldn`t even comment on that last post, but I will say this much... Please be careful in posted advice if you aren`t sure of what you are talking about. It could really mess some people up.

please ignore the advice from piccolo queen, never play with a tight embochure and blow as hard as you can, you need to learn to focus properly and support the air,dont force

As I have said before, a tighter embouchure is a good thing to have on piccolo.

maybe avoid the word "tight", it implies tension, the lips need to be relaxed, and the pressure on the corners of the embochure needs to be a certain way for proper picc playing.

Yes, the corners of the mouth should be firm, but I still say tight.