Can anyone tell me some good fingereings for the E and F# above the staff? I`ve already learned all my scales two octaves and Bb three octaves, except for concert G. For high F I Use octave key, half hole, A key, Ab key, E key, and D key. Can anyone tell me the fingerings of those two notes?

BTW, I`m in the seventh grade and already a highly accomplished musician. I want to know everything at least two octaves to stand a chance at state competition next year. You can also e-mail me if you wish.

I think your F may be off, some of these have alts, usually has to do with the leading context - such as playing Eb then F, sliding the left pinky is sloppy so you use the right hand keys to get at G# & Eb.


Eb:
half, A, G & B (left-pinky)
E, D

E:
octave-1
half, A, G, G# + left Eb together with left pinky
E, D
OR
octave-1
half, A, G, B (left-pinky)
E, D, Eb (right pinky) + Right side G#

F:
octave-1
half, A, G# + left Eb together with left pinky
E, D
OR
octave-1
half, A, B (left-pinky)
E, D, Eb (right pinky) + Right side G#


F#:
octave-1
half, half-hole A, G# + left Eb together with left pinky
E, D
OR
octave-1
half, half-hole A, B (left-pinky)
E, D, Eb (right pinky) + Right side G#

If you have a third octave key then some other things are also possible.

These include "Short Fingerings", they are bascially just harmonics, but can be useful in fast passages. These are also some times called "German" fingerings as they work very well in german set up oboes and Auto Octave oboes. I play Buffet and they seam to also work on this instrument, So why not give it a go ??

A good example of using them include;

Saint Seans Sonata - 3rd Movement
If you know this work there is a run in the 3rd movement which is an octave drop from G` to G followed by a scale run upto top G`` with C#;s and F#`s in the run. "short fingerings" can work very well here with the notes from Top E``` to G``` being -

X = Wholes Not Colsed - (ie. don`t put any finger in the right hand down)

E```
3rd Octave
--
1/2
A
B
G
G#
--
X
X
X

F``` (this note is not in Saint Seans Run - Just for Reference)
3rd Octave
--
1/2
A
X
G#
--
X
X
X


F#```
3rd Octave
--
B (perhaps 1/2 ??)
X
X
G#
--
X
X
X

G```
3rd Octave
--
B
X
X
G#
--
F#
X
X


If you are looking for more about the upper register, try the text on fingerings and exercises by Jim Prodan "The Third Octave, a Study of the Altissimo" this book goes upto high C``` ( play like a flute !!). Jim is (or was ??) the professor at Uni North Carolina - Greensborough.

SM

www.smreeds.com