Tone Beyond Altissimo

[BrianJoeSandy]

There are many sounds made by a sax in expert hands and more by beginners. Has anyone exploited the use of teeth on the reed? Very easy to get a high pitch glissando for instance.
BTW I have no connection with manufacturers of reeds - honestogod

 

[jbtsax]

My beginning students made good use of that effect.

 

[Colin the Bear]

I sometimes put teeth on the reed to get a squeal. You can attract bats on the clarinet. BTW I have no connection to manufacturers of teeth.....or bats come to that.

 

[Alice]

No, I have never done this and nor will I... The reed is sacred.
That's really interesting that the clarinet can summon bats.. I like that. The clarinet didn't hold much appeal to me before, except to listen to others playing it, now I rather fancy having a whirl with it myself.

 

[Pete Thomas]

There are many sounds made by a sax in expert hands and more by beginners. Has anyone exploited the use of teeth on the reed? Very easy to get a high pitch glissando for instance.
BTW I have no connection with manufacturers of reeds - honestogod

It's no secret (I have said this before) that is how I learned to do altissimo.

Yes, it is wrong.

But for me it meant I got the note (aka squeak) easily and so could then hear in my mind what it should sound like when I went for it without the teeth.

Kind of aural visualisation.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Yes . It's odd how you can't do something and then it just pops out and you can't understand what the problem was.

@Alice The Bb clarinet will go lower and higher than the sop. Sounds a bit like a whistle sometimes.

 

[altissimo]

welcome to the world of extended techniques... I think there may be some contemporary compositions that call for such sounds
different effects can be achieved depending on the positioning and angle of your teeth and how hard you bite, as well as the shape of your embouchure - feel free to experiment
In over 20 years I've never damaged a reed doing this... although the psychological damage may be irreparable

 

[Alice]

Yes . It's odd how you can't do something and then it just pops out and you can't understand what the problem was.

@Alice The Bb clarinet will go lower and higher than the sop. Sounds a bit like a whistle sometimes.

Yes I like that a lot in the old Ragtime Jazz style.

 

[Ivan]

Not recommended if playing Plasticover

Unless you intend to Plasticover your teeth

 

[Alice]

Did Getz use this technique in One Note Samba? There are three notes which sound really punchy because they are tongued rapidly and sound like an "eeekk!"

 

[Pete Thomas]

Did Getz use this technique in One Note Samba? There are three notes which sound really punchy because they are tongued rapidly and sound like an "eeekk!"

Do you have a link to that particular bit.

He plays so many notes in "One Note Samba" (yeah) that it's hard to know which bit you mean.

 

[Alice]

Do you have a link to that particular bit.

He plays so many notes in "One Note Samba" (yeah) that it's hard to know which bit you mean.

Sorry.. I know.. I thought it stood out. I'll find a video and the timing.

 

[Alice]

This may not be the best version.. On some other recordings it sounds more exaggerated. At 2.10 ish

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AxcNmy-pVks

 

[Jazzaferri]

video not available to me

 

[Colin the Bear]

Sounds to me like altissimo that isn't quite speaking and a change of mind, direction. Some reeds just won't but are lovely in other areas. It's a lovely track.