Playing High High B flat?

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:24 am

Hello! I'm an 8th grader...Apparently I'm in First chair so my teacher forces my friend (who's second/third chair) and I to play the B flat concert scale up an octave! *EEK* Strangely when I reach up the B flat, my friend goes sharp while I go flat. how do you reach perfect pitch?
If I go an octave lower for B flat, it is in tune. i think the pitch gets messed up after the G. How do you get the B flat in pitch?

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 1:23 pm

to tune this, spend a lot of time with a tuner. It helps to roll in/out for flat/ sharp, but this affects intonation. A big way to affect the tuning, is to redirect your airstream. If you are going sharp, aim your air down ( without rolling the flute in). If you are flat, aim your air upwards (without rolling your flute out). In cases where you have to have a quick fix, rolling can help, but dont become dependant on this method of rolling. Redirect your airstream.

Also, look online for alternate fingerings. Perhaps a different fingering will help you (different fingerings work best for different flutes/players).

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:42 pm

I have to disagree with Fluteguy on part of that. I would not suggest rolling at all. It will affect your tone (negatively), and unless you are adjusting with air and need just that little bit extra, is not something I would recommend using. You should first work on using your air to adjust as he suggested. The pitch in the upper registers usually is a bit funky, and the only way to learn exactly where the pitches are is to practice them with a tuner. A little bit of piccolo work might also help, but you should discuss that with your flute teacher (if you have one) first. Make sure both of you are supporting properly too...Often times people feel the need to use as much air as possible for the higher notes, but a well focused, accurate air stream will produce much better results than blowing your brains out.

piccolopete · Post by **piccolopete** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 7:59 pm

Here's another tip: Practice your highest notes every day, above, below, and beyond your high b flat. Choose a favorite long tone exercise pattern and if your teacher says it's appropriate, take it up an octave or so. Working on chromatics from c 2 lines above staff to altissimo (really high)
c. This really helped my higher notes. the more familiar you become, the easier it is to play them in tune. ( also Keep in mind that to play in tune, one must play with a good tone! ) Practice ALOT!

GOOD LUCK!

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:03 pm

piccolopete wrote:( also Keep in mind that to play in tune, one must play with a good tone! )

That's not necessarily true. Playing in tune means that you must match frequencies with some other source. If it's another instrument, it's another sound source. If it's a tuner, it measures the frequency that you're playing at, and compares it to an internalized, correct frequency for that note. It is entirely possible to change frequencies without a good tone. However, playing in tune will make your tone sound better naturally.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:51 am

sorry that my initial post was unclear. I do not recommend the rolling method except in cases of emergencies. I do advise redirecting your air upwards or downwards (not rolling the flute, just moving your embouchure) to affect tuning. I am sorry I was unclear (it seems that this happens a lot

). I also like the suggestion flutepicc gave, piccolo work would help a lot I think. It wouldnt help everything, but it would help.

briolette · Post by **briolette** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 7:39 am

You may be going flat on you high Bb by inadvertently rolling in without even being aware of it. The smaller tone hole created by rolling in can make it easier to get a tone out for some people. I've also noticed some students who tilt their head/chin down when concentrating hard on high notes and this could also cause a flat tone.

Try dropping your jaw a little and openingup the space in the back of your teeth when you play and make sure you're not pressing your chin into your chest. Use a tuner and practice highnotes slowly as other suggested. Your cheeks and tongue also affect your air stream--it isn't just your lips. Experiment with directing the air using your whole mouth.

If you're REALLY out of tune, get someone else to play the instrument and see if it might be an intonation issue with the flute. When I was in jr. high, I had an emerson which always seemed out of tune with the high B, Bb and C no mattter who played it.