Quick Fix Friday: Altissimo Ear Training Tip

Happy Friday!

Have you ever played a high note on the clarinet…but weren’t sure which one it was?

Due to the clarinet’s overtone series, it can be easy to overshoot (or even sometimes undershoot) high notes on the clarinet. If you’re practicing to hit a specific note and can’t tell if it’s correct, here’s the quick fix:

Play the same note down an octave. This will help you ears recenter themselves so you can tell if the high note you’re playing is the one you intended to.

This is also an excellent ear training hack, as higher pitches can be more difficult to hear as accurately as lower pitches.

Happy practicing, and I hope you have a great weekend!