Soprano Altissimo

[woodengrace]

I play on an Artist Series Jupiter Soprano with the original mouthpiece and Vandoren 3s. I can play up to altissimo G using the fork F key only, but i'm having no luck getting anything above that.

Does anyone have any suggested fingerings or things that I should try doing? The fingerings I've tried, just incase are:

G#
-23|-2-
A
-23|---
A#
--3|---
B
D--3|---
C
1-3|1-3 pinkie Eb
or I add the left palm Eb key to the B fingering.

What do you think?

[colibri]

If you want to be confident with playing altissimo on soprano, you first have to learn to play altissimo without the fingering. Practicing overtones 15 minutes a day helps. You might (will) get very frustrated.

[woodengrace]

Alrighty, I'll try that. Thanks :smile:

[max]

Ah - I didn't see this response before I posted the same thing in your other thread on the same topic...

(I guess that's why they ask us not to cross-post... :wink: )

[Howlin]

I suspect the neighbours might be frustrated too. Perhaps you could learn on sopranino :wink:

[Djt2005]

I suck at playing high on soprano! :cry: Most days I can octave my soprano with my alto, anybody have any tips?

[Howlin]

As Larry Teal states, development of both embouchure and pitch discernment are critical for altissimo.
"tones in this register must be heard ahead of their sounding"
Colibri's suggestion of overtones invaluable. Have you still got neighbours?

[werkinsnake]

I don't think that anyone would have to go higher than an A3 on a soprano. I can hit up to a G4, but going past A3 just sounds too high for practical use. It's a good chop builder to go higher, BUT PLEASE for the sake of your audience, do not go higher than A3 on soprano.

[colibri]

It's really OK to play higher than A3, if you don't mind seeing sour faces around the block. I recently purchased a sopranino, and recommended my neighbors some high quality ear plugs.

[werkinsnake]

I've been thinking about buying a sopranino myself, but I've never actually played one. How similiar is it to a soprano?

[colibri]

There's the usual resistance, embouhcure and pitch difference, as with switching to whatever size saxophone that you haven't played before. Playing on the nino feels a little like trying to blow bubbles on a thick McDonald milkshake. The palm keys get a little pitchy but other than that, it's easy to get into. You can never imagine how fast you can play on that cute little thing.

[noelpaz]

I suck at playing high on soprano! :cry: Most days I can octave my soprano with my alto, anybody have any tips?

Yes it is difficult to get higher notes in the soprano - in fact A4 (which is essentially the same pitch) on the tenor is easier sometimes and seems to be less piercing and I sometimes wonder - what for! Beyond A3 is just too much for most of what I do although I've actually used a C4 for effect. Its like violinist going past the fingerboard and it is almost like scratching your nails on a chalkboard. Just my two cents 8)

[tubbycub]

Any higher, only the bats can hear it! :mrgreen:

[MB-913]

I don't think it sound nice on soprano if playing higher than F3.
All beautiful pitch on soprano (for me) is just up to C# 3.
No practical reason to play as high as we can on soprano unless for train up our skill.