CHAPTER 5 - Etudes & Exercises

Multiphonic Trills:

Etude i contains multiphonic trills during which the highest note is sustained. In some cases, the high sustained note is quite resistant and difficult to produce. This resistance can vary according to the multiphonic and the individual equipment (reed, mouthpiece) used by the player. One may practice these high pitches by approaching them from a conventional fingering for that same pitch (in order to assist one in hearing and sensing the note), and then adding the trill (m.1-2) – key in circle is key trilled:

Exercise #64 (click on music for mp3)

Other trills are more difficult to sound than a conventional fingering for their high sustained pitch. In these cases, practice the lower notes slowly and as loudly as possible before adding the top note (m.13-4):

Exercise #65 (click on music for mp3)

This etude also includes some trills where the finger moving must create a percussive sound when striking the tone hole (m.4; m.22). Practice by imagining heavy fingers where the thickest part of the fingertip hits the tone hole, while maintaining strong breath support.

click on Etude for mp3:

ETUDE i

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for information on how to see/hear more examples of multiphonic trills, click here