Failure to Plan for Your 3rd 8va Notes is a Plan to Fail

Have you ever played in band or orchestra, or played on a flute solo where you were aiming for some third octave note, high B, or B flat, and when you got there, you totally missed it? Maybe it cracked or didn’t come out properly. You moved on because probably no one mentioned it. But you know that you missed it.

One time I was going for a high D (4th octave) at a performance with a quartet that I was in, and I did not plan well enough for that high D. So, it did crack, and that has been bothering me ever since. I am talking about this because it is near and dear to my heart.

Kid Sister

Planning for your 3^rd octave starts with a kind of empathy or understanding that leads to a special type of care or concern. I remember a theory teacher who talked about the French sixth chord as being kind of like your little sister. We must treat it carefully (meaning resolve it). That’s a great analogy for our third octave notes. They are like your little sister. You must treat these notes a little bit more carefully than you do the first two octaves. In our third octave we must do something different. Our first two octaves are so similar. We change our embouchure between the first two octaves, but they are subtle changes. We can’t use a middle register embouchure and play great resonant low notes. I’m not saying everything is the same, but we have two octaves where we’re basically using the same fingerings and not a huge difference in our air supply. But soon as we go above that high C and we get into that third octave, there are more things to be conscious of as we approach these notes.

Support

First, they need more support. I need to have tighter muscles pushing up on those high notes. These muscles must be much tighter, and they actually have to push up. So, if I’m going for a high B flat in this Hindemith Sonata I’m preparing ahead of time, making sure I have enough air and then enough air pressure in those stomach muscles to get that high Bb without cracking. My stomach contracts so that I can get that high note out and not blast. So, if I use that extra lift in my support and push up, then it doesn’t have to screech out. I can hold that air in, keep the embouchure relaxed, and keep the tone so that it doesn’t become shrill.

Plan Ahead

Now when you are playing a fast passage, you must plan ahead. You must know that this high note is coming and take the kind of breath you need ahead of time in order to prepare for that note. If you are going to the top of that range and you’ve lost your support because you’re running out of air, guess what’s going to happen? Nothing good!

For the piece I was performing I had to play a 4th octave D after a B and followed by a C#. I wrote on my music where to breathe with a Big Breath which I abbreviate BB. This means tank up as much as I can and then tighten up and hold that air. Sometimes I’ll also write “hold” over that passage to remind me that I can’t use up too much air so that I have enough air to make it to that high D. You might need to write notes. And then you know what? Practice, practice, practice. You’ve got to practice your plan.

Practice Your Plan

So where are the high notes that you’ve missed in your solos? Go find those spots and make a plan, what do you need to do to prepare your mind? You’ve got to get your head around it, prepare your breathing, get your support ready, and allow your embouchure to be open. Prepare for those high notes. Failure to plan is a plan to fail, and you don’t want to have that happen in a performance situation. Hey, we’ve all performed and not done our absolute best. We all have those times, so I’m not ashamed to admit that I missed that high D, but I’ll tell you that that’s the only time I’ll miss that high D.

Go For It

It won’t happen again because I know I need to not let that little niggly doubt creep in. I need to just go for it because I know that I’ve planned this out so there’s no failure. I have planned and now I’m going to get that high D the next time I perform it, which is next week, I have another performance on that piece with my quartet slash trio, and I will be playing that piece again and I guarantee I’ve got my plan in place and it’s going to work this time.

You check out where your high notes are and don’t miss them because you’ve planned it. You’ve mentally prepared for it. Your breathing is in place and it’s going to work for you. Then go for it. Sometimes that’s what you must do. Go for it!

Have fun!
DoctorFlute

Watch me demonstrate this:

Failure to Plan for Your 3rd 8va Notes is a Plan to Fail – FluteTips 181