PICCOLO HIGHS...yuck.

FltnPicc_David · Post by **FltnPicc_David** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:07 am

Hey there! I havent made my own topic in awhile but i need some hlep now. This year for festival my band is playing the Vaughn William's Folk Song Suite and if you ahve experience with this work, you know that the 6/8 section is grueling for piccolos, haha.

I currently play a Yamaha YPC-32 and on the instrument, my A-flat and B-flat (the third octave) are really unresponsive and it's not the instrument, it's me because I had it checked before I went on to fiddle with anything else. The A natural is really clear and esay for me to play though. I dunno...When i practice this section my lips buzz so I have to fix my embouchure in that register....any hints/tips?

atoriphile · Post by **atoriphile** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:45 am

I've played that piece, but it was so long ago I don't remember it that well.

As for the high Ab, whenever possible, I play it with the right hand second, third, and fourth fingers down (along with the standard fingering). For high Bb, make sure the right hand pinky is off.

I've noticed that these notes are hard to produce on certain piccolos, even if they are adjusted properly. I haven't played the YPC-32, so I can't comment on that one. If you can afford it, you might want to shop around for a piccolo that pops these notes out easily.

I've had buzzy lips in the past, but I just kept practicing and focusing on the tone, and they went away. I'm not sure exactly what I did with my lips, so I can't help you there. I guess practice really does make perfect!

MeLizzard · Post by **MeLizzard** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 12:15 pm

Be sure to raise your left-hand first finger for the high B-flat...

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 1:20 pm

also make sure that your left hand first finger is off for the high Ab.... having that finger down on some piccs makes the note really stuffy.

MeLizzard · Post by **MeLizzard** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:18 pm

Eeeww--I can't imagine it would speak at all, but it might.

atoriphile · Post by **atoriphile** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 2:54 pm

MeLizzard wrote:Be sure to raise your left-hand first finger for the high B-flat...

The way I play high B-flat only has the left-hand thumb and right-hand first finger and D trill. No left-hand first finger at all.

Perhaps you use the alternate high B-flat fingering of B-flat thumb and first and third finger of left hand, and D trill and third and fourth fingers of the right hand?

ick27 · Post by **ick27** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 10:28 am

I find that Ab is more responsive on piccolo when I add my right hand ring and middle fingers (to the usual flute fingering for high-Ab). Bb is pretty high, but I've always found it to be much more responsive than B natural. Make sure you use ear plugs when you are practicing all this!

MeLizzard · Post by **MeLizzard** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 10:54 am

I don't often use that fingering, but was commenting because I've observed many players attempting to produce high B-flat on picc with the LH first finger down. Doesn't really work, ever.