How to Make Your High Notes Sound Good on Bassoon (for beginners)

[@SweeperGT]

I can play 3 octave b-flat scale because of this video, thank you for real.

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Congrats!!

[@mr.metalman1]

I've heard the Rite of Spring so many times that I knew what piece she was playing as soon as she played that first note.😂

[@mirkwoodforest]

levitin effect

[@mr.metalman1]

@@mirkwoodforest what's that

[@xacex_oliver3333]

Yeah what’s that

[@joshuaasley6168]

On high notes, sounds quite similar to saxophone.. very nice!

[@shkedovb]

I keep getting those ads instead of abs ;) Thank you for another super helpful vid!

[@maniestacio9245]

Where were you when I was starting out on bassoon?! 🙏 🙌

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

❤️ Right? We always need more love in bassoon land!

[@MackSuperb]

G4 is my current goal. It’s about fingering and transition from F4. Awesome video! Thanks and keep it coming!

[@SlaterChavez]

omg finally a bassoon yt video

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Hey linabobina thanks for watching and let me know if you have any questions! ☺️

Great video, and many good points! I subscribed :)

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Thanks Kristian! Love your channel - you are the high note expert! :)

[@Squidynx]

Bruhhh I’ve been looking for these type of videos for bassoon You’re awesome and sound dope on the bassoon!! 🤟🏽💯🔥Just wanted to mention tho that I believe in beginning there was a slight error with the description of the range (E3-C4). I reckon you probably meant E4-C5 but other than that I love this vid

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Thanks so much! I meant bassoon E3-C4, so the third highest E and the fourth highest C in the bassoon range! But that’s a good point that it could be interpreted as piano range, I’ll be sure to clarify that next time! 🙂

[@Squidynx]

@@BuildingaBassoonist You’re welcome!! and ahh gotcha gotcha 👍🏽 Yeah I was just basing it off that [piano range] bc usually “middle C” is labelled as C4 but on the diaphragm on screen it was written to C5 so I was a little bit confused

[@abhinantony5708]

Awsom video. Waiting. For more 🤩

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Thank you for watching!!

[@benjungurung1235]

I struggle for top C sharp and d above notes can you please make videos includes some tips please

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Those can be tricky notes for sure! It takes a good reed to make those work well. Many of the same concepts apply, but also double check your fingerings. For the high D, you can experiment with some variations in your right pinky key and also add your left hand second finger to create a slight half hole. High tongue position is also a key component. I’ll add this to my list of video ideas, thanks for the suggestion and good luck!

[@papaspracticeroom4598]

That first note 🤤

[@successtsribi988]

Could you please show the function of the thumb keys on the Bassoon? Thanks

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

The thumb keys are all involved in the fingerings, they don’t necessarily have a specific function except to help play a particular note. As you get more advanced, the thumb keys on the wing joint (left thumb, right side of the bassoon) are used for a technique called flicking, but you don’t need to worry about that when you’re first starting out. 🙂

[@sarasandberg5626]

Please do a video on flicking. I never learned it in elementary and HS and have now started playing again and want to learn it. I just had one lesson with a teacher who told me about this and want more info. Thanks!

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

@@sarasandberg5626 good topic! It takes lots and lots of practice to learn

[@BowenUSA]

Any tips for trill between e natural and f# above the bass clef (Bizet, Carmen No. 4 Les Dragons)?

[@BowenUSA]

A friend helped with a lifting of 2nd and 3rd fingers of my right hand. Works a charm.

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

I just saw this today! Yes that would be the trill fingering I would use. Good luck!

[@anitaas167]

Hello. Thanks for your perfect videos. I have a problem on bassoon. My lips and my jaw are shaking and vibrating when im playing c4 and higher and it sounds very bad . What can i do? Are my lips and jaw so weak?

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Could be a number of factors in play here, and it’s difficult to diagnose without seeing/hearing you play. However, a couple things to consider: is it the exact same issue on every single reed or is it sometimes easier? Could be a reed issue. It’s common for beginners to pinch/bite down on the reed in this register, thus not allowing the reed to vibrate fully. Check that you’re using lots of air and supporting from your abdominal muscles. Also check that you’re using correct embouchure (I have video on this explaining how I teach embouchure). If the problem persists after experimenting with these factors, I highly recommend trying to get at least 1 lesson with a teacher who can watch and hear you play. Best of luck!

[@zacharysmith923]

I struggle with high G (G4 i think) my tone is ugly and the pitch is shaky, but all other high notes sound beautiful. Pls help.

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Hi Zachary! That’s great that your other high notes sound good, that means that your G probably only needs a small fix! Couple things to try: -make sure that you’re using your resonance (top left pinky) key -make sure you’re using half-hole in your left index, you can experiment with opening/closing the hole more and see if that helps -practice playing the G the octave below, memorize how it sounds, and then play the high G and try to make the pitch sound the same. One of the difficult things with high notes is finding the “center” or the “core” of the note and memorizing how your air and voicing is changing. Try to hear the note before you play it. -if none of the above tips are helpful, you may have an issue with your instrument, especially if the notes around it are fine. In this case, you might want to have a shop take a look at it. Good luck and let me know how it goes! 🙂

[@zacharysmith923]

@@BuildingaBassoonist it ended up being a mix of incorrect vocal cavity shape, left pinky and the half hole amount! But it's fine now!

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

@@zacharysmith923 Awesome! Glad to hear!

[@katief4634]

When will you put out your next video?

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Soon!!! 🙂

[@successtsribi988]

Does it mean that no Octave Key is needed to Play the high note? (High register?)

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

That’s right, the bassoon doesn’t have an octave key, the fingerings just start to get funky in the high register to make those high notes work!

[@lbelsch]

any tips on F5

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Do you mean F3, the F above the bass clef staff? If so, then the most important thing to remember is that this note tends to be flat, which means you have to increase your air support by engaging your abs more when you play. Also make sure that you’re not pinching with your mouth, that you still maintain good embouchure and think “doh” when you play. Hope this helps!

[@lbelsch]

@@BuildingaBassoonist The F above that

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

@@lbelsch check out Kristian Oma Ronnes’ videos! He’s done a lot of demonstrations on those super high notes. I’ve found that adjusting my equipment (my reed and sometimes even changing my bocal) has been the most effective in achieving that range.

[@avaberkson8140]

im having so much trouble with my high c#! it’s soooo sharp, are there any keys that would help bring it down a bit ?

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Which C#, the highest one or the one just above the staff?

[@NatiaMae]

When I play B (the B just below middle C) and also middle C, it sounds really muffled and unclear. I actually don’t know why. Is this a common thing on the bassoon?

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Do you feel like you're pinching the reed? Sometimes this happens when we put too much pressure on the reed and it doesn't allow it to vibrate properly, thereby muffling the sound. See if you can get your air to support the sound, not your mouth

Great. Middle C = C4, though. Thanks.

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Yes if you’re using Scientific Pitch Notation, here I was just referring to bassoon-range only for those who aren’t familiar with SPN

[@sashasrhi]

I need some high notes methods

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Have you tried long tones?

[@sashasrhi]

@@BuildingaBassoonist Hi! Yes but when it's eighth notes it's hard

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

@@sashasrhi if you’re not already, I recommend working through the Weissenborn Fifty Studies and the Milde scale and concert studies. They work on many concepts but there are also lots of opportunities to practice high notes.

[@GuidoCavallaro]

Very high note of bassoon (C5) note

[@phinhowe]

For some reason, I can go fairly high, but C3, C#3, and D3 all are weird.

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Those notes can be a little wobbly/unstable, especially if you are on an older or weaker reed. If they are weird on all of your reeds, also think about using more air support and a very focused, narrow air stream to be able to play the center of each note.

[@phinhowe]

@@BuildingaBassoonist Thank you so much. It is always amazing to see creators who are caring and helpful to their audience even as they gain more and more viewers. Congrats on reaching 1000 subs, by the way!

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

@@phinhowe thanks so much! 🧡💛

[@AlexDrawzCrud]

0:54 that would be E4 unless bassoon is written an octave down.

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

E3 in the bassoon range, E4 in standard notation :)

[@Gen_yaly22]

I have trouble with my Embouchure. My Directors always say "Loosen your lips" And I'm just there like 👁️👄👁️.

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

This made me lol 😂. You can check out my video on how to form an embouchure: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmeuZauvd9Kmm5I When you’re putting pressure on the reed, squeeze your lips from side to side, not top to bottom. One of the most common embouchure problems is that people squeeze too hard and it doesn’t allow the reed to vibrate and make sound. You want to use the least amount of pressure possible to be able to still control the sound. Hope that helps!

[@marcusstinnett8396]

I believe that the shape of your reed may also make a difference.

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Absolutely! And things like the thickness of the cane in certain parts of the reed may also help or hinder the high register. So many variables!

[@Lenovo-vz7ln]

Sorry but you have totally confused me with your E3 and C4 references at the beginning. I've read the other comments, and still don't understand. Your diagram shows the bass clef, and the note highlighted above is E4 (the first E above middle C). This is Scientific Pitch Notation and applies to all instruments - it is incredibly confusing to refer to it as E3 on a bassoon when it is not a transposing instrument. (I do admit that Yamaha seem to disregard this and refer to C4 as C3 etc.) Your C4 diagram surely cannot be right as the note highlighted is clearly a D not a C, and to me, it's a D5. My musical knowledge isn't that great, so please feel free to correct me, but this seems to contradict everything that I thought I knew. (And I don't even play bassoon! Hahaha)

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

Thank you for your comment! I understand it can be a bit confusing. I wasn’t intending to use scientific pitch notation for this video. By C4, all I meant was that that C was the 4th highest C in the bassoon range. So C1 in the bassoon range would be the C a fifth below the bass clef staff, C2 would be in the bass clef staff, C3 is “Middle C” or the C a third above the bass clef staff, and then C4 is the highest C that you can play on the bassoon. I can see an argument for using both notation systems, but I simply chose to use the bassoon range as the basis because many beginning students don’t necessarily know how the range of the bassoon fits within scientific pitch notation. Hopefully that makes sense!

[@Lenovo-vz7ln]

@@BuildingaBassoonist Thanks for your reply. I'm fine with that now, but I automatically assumed that you were using Scientific Pitch Notation as it looked identical. I'm sorry to be so pedantic, but I am still slightly confused by your upper right diagram at 00:55 which is marked C4. The note is on the 6th line above the Bass Clef and has surely got to be a D not a C?

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

@@Lenovo-vz7ln ah I see, yes that looks like a D, my mistake. I probably forgot to remove the line from the middle of the note when I made the graphic, apologies for the confusion.

[@Lenovo-vz7ln]

@@BuildingaBassoonist It was just something else to add to my confusion - I thought that it might have been another unusual bassoonist convention! Thanks very much for your help and your video - really interesting and informative. I've never even picked up a bassoon in my life, but I'm tempted to take the plunge and invest in a cheap secondhand one (I'm never going to be any good - it's just something I'd like to try!). Beautiful instrument.

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

@@Lenovo-vz7ln absolutely! I hope you are able to try it out and let me know if you have further questions!

[@christianborkey5459]

I just feel that I should say the c4 part was actually a c5 lol

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

C5 on the piano, C4 on the bassoon 🙂

[@christianborkey5459]

@@BuildingaBassoonist is the bassoon one octave lower than written?

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

@@christianborkey5459 nope! C4 meaning it’s the 4th highest C in the range of the instrument

[@christianborkey5459]

@@BuildingaBassoonist ohh ok

[@abhinantony5708]

Bflat high

[@BuildingaBassoonist]

That can be a difficult note for sure! I find that I have to be really aware of where my left thumb is on the keys or else the note isn’t as clean or doesn’t sound correct. Let me know if you have any specific questions about Bb! 🙂