Notes ABOVE 4th Octave C?

FruityFlutie · Post by **FruityFlutie** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 7:41 pm

Last year, I heard of a girl at district band auditions who played her F major scale 3 octaves. So I was looking into it to see if I could find the fingerings to prepare this year to further my playing and put me at that higher level. Does anyone have a clue what those fingerings are? From 4th octave C# to the F above that? I've looked online and other places and have yet to find them. Help?

juneroses · Post by **juneroses** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 8:11 pm

i don't believe you can go three octaves. my private teacher taught me a high 4th octave C sharp and D but according to her it doesn't get any higher than those two notes. They aren't listed on most fingering charts either. You really probably won't have to play them like, ever. If you just want those two fingerings I can give them to you

ick27 · Post by **ick27** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:17 pm

It is possible to play up to an F# or G in the fourth octave, however these extreme high notes are only of limited musical use. Prokofiev often writes up to D for flute, and this is considered the top of the "standard range" in some orchestration textbooks and I've played new composed pieces that used up to an E. I've never found an F fingering that is in tune at all (the standard fingering seems very flat to me) and the G is not producable on all flutes. I think these high notes are worth working on because it helps you become comfortable with the upper third octave. I believe Julius Baker advocated playing melodies in the fourth octave for this purpose. You can try the fingering chart on Larry Krantz's site, or search around the internet. http://www.larrykrantz.com/fingers.htm
I doubt that the district band people are looking for fourth octave notes in auditions, but it's always fun to push your playing as far as you can.

FruityFlutie · Post by **FruityFlutie** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:53 pm

ick27 wrote:It is possible to play up to an F# or G in the fourth octave, however these extreme high notes are only of limited musical use. Prokofiev often writes up to D for flute, and this is considered the top of the "standard range" in some orchestration textbooks and I've played new composed pieces that used up to an E. I've never found an F fingering that is in tune at all (the standard fingering seems very flat to me) and the G is not producable on all flutes. I think these high notes are worth working on because it helps you become comfortable with the upper third octave. I believe Julius Baker advocated playing melodies in the fourth octave for this purpose. You can try the fingering chart on Larry Krantz's site, or search around the internet. http://www.larrykrantz.com/fingers.htm
I doubt that the district band people are looking for fourth octave notes in auditions, but it's always fun to push your playing as far as you can.

Thanks for the help! I added that page into my favorites and I will be working on them from now until (and past) district auditions. The good thing about knowing them (and being comfortable with them) is that you can get extra points added to your score for each octave above what is required. More of a chance at getting in.
If you have ever heard of Trevor Wye, that is where I first saw the fingerings up to F. My private instructor gave me a packet with them in it, but I lost the packet and I'm not currently taking lessons. Again, thanks for your help.

juneroses · Post by **juneroses** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 4:27 pm

wow. you learn something new everyday. *adds to favorites*

Band_Geek · Post by **Band_Geek** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 7:32 pm

Ive never heard of anything higher than C on the 3rd octave.

MeLizzard · Post by **MeLizzard** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 8:22 am

There's also a good chart at www.woodwind.org (I think that's it) with fingerings to G above high C. I have some pieces with Es in them, and have seen one piece (contemporary chamber music) with an F. A D# turned up in the all-state band music, Donald Grantham's Southern Harmony, a couple years ago, but it's a terribly unresponsive note. I have, literally, 16 fingerings for this note. ONE works on my flute (Muramatsu), and only one (a different 'one') worked for my student in question. She sat second chair, and, after the concert I asked, "Did anyone play the D#?" She laughed, saying no, and that the conductor finally cut that movement because many instruments' parts were witten in extreme, read: virtually unplayable, ranges and were too difficult to learn in a weekend. Like high Es, Fs, and Gs (above the staff) for the bass clarinets!

Schof · Post by **Schof** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:18 pm

I have a book that has a fingering chart that goes up to that F. One of those Rubank Advanced Method ones. The intermediate one has a fingering chart at the begining and a trill chart in the middle.

FluttiTutti · Post by **FluttiTutti** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:50 am

Band_Geek wrote:Ive never heard of anything higher than C on the 3rd octave.

Do you mean the 4th octave? Because theres the lowest C, middle C, the C above the staff, then the highest C

Band_Geek · Post by **Band_Geek** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 3:10 pm

Yea thats what I meant.

Flute/picc · Post by **Flute/picc** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 8:15 am

*Squeals* I KNEW IT! There are higher notes. *Shakes head* Everyone in my section (Flute of course) were trying to say that the notes ended at D because the chart didn't have any other notes but I was trying to tell them that the chart was missing at least one note but I know there is supposed to be a Bb at the bottom and E at the top even if there is nothing else. *Is eager to run into band room to tell them that they are wrong* lol... Now I have a few more notes to learn how to play and memorize fingerings on. Yay!

amhso · Post by **amhso** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:13 pm

yeah..my friend just showed them to me 2 days ago. D and F. I don't know the fingers, but I always knew there was higher. but they are rarely used, and if they are used, it's quick...really quick, just as high C is.

amhso · Post by **amhso** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:16 pm

yeah..my friend just showed them to me 2 days ago. D and F. I don't know the fingers, but I always knew there was higher. but they are rarely used, and if they are used, it's quick...really quick, just as high C is.

piccolopete · Post by **piccolopete** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:17 pm

Wow! Thanks for the info about the page. I use alot of Larry Krantz's stuff... I have binders full of his stuff that i printed off of the internet.. I wanted to really expand my range, but I've bewen too busy with all-state band music to search for more charts... Yay! * prints and starts playing flute at computer*