Hi,

I'm college senior who has played clarinet since 7th grade. I began in college as a clarinet major, but stopped taking lessons when I became a voice major, which has served me well.

I have, however, kept playing the clarinet in band and have recently been "commissioned" to play a John Mackey piece titled "Damn" with the percussion ensemble. I don't know how the percussion teacher thought this was a good idea, she just thought it would be cool since I'm dating one of her percussionists. Anyway, disregarding the obvious problems I'm having with the bizarre runs (you can view the sheet music online), I cannot, for the life of me, hit the final stratosphere-high B. I am using a Vandoren 3 1/2 reed, rubber mouthpiece, and Buffet E13 Bb clarinet. I have scoured the library for information about this register, but have found little to none, and do not know when the clarinet teacher travels to my school to teach the three clarinet majors.

Can anybody help me?

-Chirp

Yes, I can play everything up to the high-high Bb, just not the B itself, and it's KILLING me. Next on the agenda is to try a harder reed.

A harder reed will just make your problem worse! My flute\clarinet teacher, whose played clarinet for many years in a professional military band, says that softer reeds are better to play in a situation like yours.

is the the B 1 line above the staff or the B above that?

I actually relax my embouchure a little on the stratospheric B of ear-splitting doom.
I move my jaw a little forward but not much, just enough so the reed still vibrates freely. Practice with musician's ear plugs in, and you'll get it eventually. Don't cringe or screw up breath support when you get up there, just keep blowing. Don't blow too hard.