How do you play the high notes on a clarinet?

Question:i have to play a high B on my clarinet. The one with the thumb hole, the register key, and the left index finger. i can't make a sound come out. what do i do!?!?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: i have to play a high B on my clarinet. The one with the thumb hole, the register key, and the left index finger. i can't make a sound come out. what do i do!?!?!

OK a few things

1) Make sure you are using breath support! High notes need not only breath but support that breath. Too hard to explain here but goggle breath support and you should get some explanations or/and exercises!

2) Don't use too much pressure on the mouthpiece! The more pressure on your mouth piece the more your throat will tighten up and the less air that gets through! Make sure that your mouth and throat is relaxed! But not too relaxed otherwise air will escape!

3) Check your reed! A weak reed will not help your tone! and its harder to get the high notes! But too hard and it wont speak! Try a reed half a size higher first and if that doesn't work try a reed lower then usual! Most likely your reed is too weak tho!

4) Check your clarinet! check if there are any air going through but closing all the holes (including the end and the silver keys) and blowing through the top end.

5) Check your thumb! Quite often the thumb tends to move up while trying to reach for the high notes! Notes most often squeak when the holes aren't covered. So make sure that your thumb doesn't wander up! Try B without blowing, looking at your thumb, Practise it trying not to move your thumb up!

Just keep practising you will get there!

use a bit less pressure, try to make the air gentle from your mouth... and as they always say.. practice makes perfect : ) good luck

Blow into the thing and then press the buttons.

keep trying tighten your lips and check your fingerings again

Tighten your embrasure. Your mouth might be too loose. Try with different degrees of tightness. Watch the mouth of someone who can play it.

get up on a ladder!

Make sure you don't tense your embouchure and are using plenty of breath support. Your embouchure should not change between your low range and your high range, it should be your breath support that helps you reach the note. Use lots of air speed!

Try octave exercises. You can start in your low range (low E) and press the octave key making no embouchure changes. Your low E will pop out a B, and you must use your breath support to reach the note. Move to low F, hit the register key, low G, register key, and on and on. That will get you accustomed to breath support for crossing the break.

Secondly, using a C Major scale (b-flat concert), start on third-space C. Play each note of the scale as a whole note in 4/4 time with the tempo being 120. Work your way up and down the scale several times.
After that, try playing 4 quarter note for each pitch, but on the 4th quarter note, slur it into the next note.
Once you can do that, try it with 8th notes. You can slow down the tempo if you need, but make sure you work up to 120.
After mastery of those techniques, try playing a scale using a quarter note for each pitch. Do it articulated and slurred, change the tempo to faster or slower

Also look into good clarinet method books that include crossing the break.

If your clarinet is perfectly functioning, which I am going to assume, it is a change in the way your mouth is on the mouthpiece that you need. When I was a freshman in the high school band, I had the same problem. My squad leader said to make more of a "hissing" face. (Like a cat) For example, put your tongue on your top molars and hiss through the front. This is more of the embouchure you need. Do not become stressed and do not "force" the note out. If it helps, work your way up the Bb scale to the high B and note what your mouth looks like so you can mimic it. Perhaps, play in front of a mirror. (That is what my band director wants me to do for the high notes on the trumpet. I am just learning the trumpet from the clarinet.)

use a bit less pressure, try to make the air gentle from your mouth... and as they always say.. practice makes perfect : ) good luck