When we choose to play piccolo it’s often because we enjoy the high tessitura. Let’s face it, we all like playing that 3rd octave. It’s pretty cool. But those high notes come with a price tag. That price tag is learning to get those notes without tightening the embouchure.
Now one of the biggest problems with playing up there in that 3rd octave is getting a buzz in your lips. When you’re playing up in the third octave on the piccolo and your lips buzz, it’s always because of these two reasons: your lips are too close together and you’re embouchure is too tight.
If you are beginning your journey into the piccolo world, the worst thing to do is to jump into the upper register with wild abandon. It is a surefire road to a tight embouchure and that dreaded buzz. The key to prevent that outcome is to work up slowly. Start with etudes that don’t go too high. This will help build the embouchure muscles up. Add higher notes slowly. Work your way up by adding one note, then one more note, and so on. Pick etudes that are lower. Then progress as your upper register notes increase.
Another technique to help you get your 3rd 8va notes without pinching your embouchure so tightly that your lips buzz is to use a lot of support. You must have a lot of support to play in that 3rd 8va. That means tightening your stomach muscles, pressing out on that ribcage, and pushing up with that air pressure when you play those high notes. In this way you allow this embouchure to stay nice and loose and as open as you can be to still get those notes to come out. Keep in mind that if I’m as loose as I’m going to be in the low register, of course I’m not going to get anything. So, there’s some firming that must happen. Firm is a good word to use. Don’t think about tightening because you will do the wrong thing. Think about getting firm. A little bit firm, not tighten it up. Because tightening is negative. Firming means support. You’re supporting it up there.
As you are approaching your high notes and playing, whether you’re playing orchestra music, or band music, or you’re just playing for fun, you’re thinking about your high notes being pushed up there by your support by your air pressure, not because you’re tightening up your embouchure. Loosen up your embouchure.
I’ve rarely come across a student that’s come to me, who isn’t too tight up there in that 3rd 8va. I would say, err on the side of being too loose. Then if you can’t get anything out, then firm it up a little bit. But you want to be quite loose and quite open in that 3rd 8va.
Then the other thing is just making sure your lip plate is in the right spot. How do you know it’s the right spot? Experiment. If you feel like you are still loose and you’re pushing from your air pressure, with your support, and you feel like there’s still something not quite right up there, well then experiment with the angle on this lip plate. If I’m cracking and trying to get these notes and they crack too much, I’m going to lower my air stream too, and blow that air down a little bit. Of course, this is going to help with my intonation as well.
Start working on your 3rd 8va notes on the piccolo. it’s all about air support, keep your pressure high, loosen your embouchure, have space between your lips, and angle of your air stream.
Have fun working on your 3rd octave high notes on the piccolo!
DoctorFlute
Watch me demonstrate this: FluteTips 70 Piccolo 3rd Octave Notes
Failure to Plan for Your 3rd 8va Notes is a Plan to Fail – FluteTips 181
The Basics of Starting the Piccolo
Can I Just Start with Piccolo?
Sattoh for Piccolo and Percussion by Katsutoshi Nagasawa
