Trumpets!

[king_kool360]

Ah, okay. I had never heard that before. Good incentive.

[reyky]

lol wow srsly?

warm up

play through whatever you need to

warm down

 

i don't even know if i would recommend just sitting there and trying to hit high notes - all you're going to do is ruin your chops, which does nothing in the long run for your playing abilities - in fact i think they would bring down your abilities. technique exercises and lip slurs ftw?

[jd2012]

aloha everyone!

 

Trumpet: Bach Stradivarius Model 43 (love the tone compared to 37)

Mouthpiece: 3C

Range: pedal whatever to super G

Chair: Section leader (no chairs yet)

 

yeah don't just start singing high notes without a warm up, I learned the hard way and it took me a few days to re-open my sound completely, that doesn't mean it wasn't fun though, lol

 

question, my directors are ticked at me because it's my senior year and instead of working on all-state stuff all the time, I work on college auditions mainly. any opinions?

[MthsTrumpetsDOItBetter]

Hey everyone!

 

Trumpet: King Silver Flair [no one has ever heard of it... *tear*]

Mouthpeice: 3C but thinking about going to a 1 1/2C [anny suggestions?]

Range: Lowest pedal tone to [usually] a G [on the top of the staff... yeah my range sucks.]

Chair: 2nd band 4th chair.

 

 

So I definately agree that high notes are bad warm ups.

Speaking of high notes... how can I get my range better? I have braces so my range sucks really bad. But I am getting the off on Nov. 28. [YAY]

Not even cheater mouthpieces [7C] seem to help me. Then I can hit a G#.

Any help? I know I'm getting my braces off really soon but I want to be able to get my range back for these next 2 weeks.

That would be awesome.

THANKS!

[king_kool360]

I was just screwing around, I wanted to see how high I could play on a 3C. We can stop discussing it. I can now hit the E on my 7C though (yay me)...

Edited November 19, 2007 by king_kool360

[trumpetman1288]

Trumpet: King Silver Flair [no one has ever heard of it... *tear*]

Mouthpeice: 3C but thinking about going to a 1 1/2C [anny suggestions?]

Range: Lowest pedal tone to [usually] a G [on the top of the staff... yeah my range sucks.]

Chair: 2nd band 4th chair.

So I definately agree that high notes are bad warm ups.

Speaking of high notes... how can I get my range better? I have braces so my range sucks really bad. But I am getting the off on Nov. 28. [YAY]

Not even cheater mouthpieces [7C] seem to help me. Then I can hit a G#.

Any help? I know I'm getting my braces off really soon but I want to be able to get my range back for these next 2 weeks.

That would be awesome.

THANKS!

 

Just giving a heads up...you MIGHT feel like crying after getting your braces off. Some people transition well after, but MANY do not fare so well immediately after getting their braces off. No matter how hard it is for you to play, just keep at it after getting your braces off and things will start coming back.

 

As far as range goes...believe it or not, pedal tones work WONDERS. I'm talking about those notes that go below the G below the staff. From personal experience and what several directors have told me, pedal tones work...I don't know why, but they do. I will say that the hardest note for whatever reason is the F below the G (doing it first valve anyways...), but after that, its not too bad. Another hard note comes up once you get to pedal C (once again, correct fingering, which would be open in this case).

 

How how does one play pedal tones? It's kind of hard to explain without a demonstration, so I'll do the best I can. As you go lower, you instinctively want to back your air off to get a looser vibration from your lips. DO NOT do that. Keep the air fast as you go lower. To get your pedals going, start at low G and play F# (fingered 123). Have a tuner handy...I cannot stress that enough. Once you have that, play F (instead of killing yourself over getting it fingered 1, just do it 123 w/ slide...it will save a lot of heartache). From there, play E (12) and continue down chromatically and be sure to check with a tuner that you are hitting the correct pitches. And whatever you do, keep that air moving.

 

Other things to work include octave slurs and long tones.

 

After you have gotten fairly comfortable with pedal tones and octave slurs you NEED to play high as well. As someone once said of playing high, "you can't expect a bodybuilder to become muscular without lifting weights, so why would you expect your range to get better without playing high?" Start somewhere in your comfort zone (a middle C would be good). From there, work up chromatically to where things start getting "high" for you (for lots of people, that is about a G). Once you get to the high note, hold it out until you run out of air, and whatever you do, DO NOT let that pitch fall or crack the note as your run out of air. Repeat until you become comfortable with that note, then move up a half step. Over time, you will notice improvement in your range if you really work at this. It really requires a lot of patience, but if you work at it, you won't sound horrible when you go higher (like A LOT of people do...).

 

Something you MUST KEEP IN MIND about ANYTHING related to trumpet playing is that everything requires air. Without pedal tones, slurs, and long tones, your current range will probably be better if you push your air much more so than you are now. The stuff I mentioned above will help you to sound better while you work your range. Because...let's face it...playing high with a horrible sound is NOT cool. It's really more of a nuisance than anything. I have a modest range I would say (pedal F# to a really flat double G), but I don't care to play high if it sounds bad...I work on my range because...well...as a trumpet player, it's kind of in you to just want to.

 

Well, hope all works out for you, and best of luck!

[MthsTrumpetsDOItBetter]

Yeah, I know I got my braces on in eigth grade and I couldn't play a concert F [yeah, the one IN the staff]. I started crying in my private lesson. God, you have no clue how mad I was. So I know where your coming from.

 

As for the pedal notes, I'm pretty good at those. But I would have never guessed they would help my high notes! I must try this!

 

I am definately going to try this stuff!

Thanks for the help!

I've got about a week until I suck really bad.

So I'm gonna try it after I recover from my sucking.

:]

[TRtrumpet]

Ugh... I wanted to kill myself after trying to play when I got my braces of. Well, not THAT drastic, lol, but I was pretty bummed.

[jd2012]

try long tones too, those will get your endurance up more so it's not as painful to play high

trumpetman1288 is right, without good low notes, you really can't get good high notes

 

I understand that braces suck, I got mine off freshmen year and it took me FOREVER to get used to it. be patient and don't do anything to ruin your chops and you should be good, most of all, be patient.

[jd2012]

another thing for everyone, go get a bag of balloons, take one per day, put it in between your teeth and lips and blow it up with an open throat, this really works the corners and air support. Do this like five or ten times in one session, then do it again blowing through a straw. my private lesson teacher taught me this and it really works.

[MthsTrumpetsDOItBetter]

Okay so i got my braces off on Wednsday and I really do kinda wanna kill myself. Gahhh, I would have thought it would get better in almost a week but it hasen't.

It really depends on what day I pick up my horn. Yesterday I could only play a D in the staff and today I could play an E.

So yeah. Really kinda discouraged because sometimes I try and play a D or something and I just get a really loud blat that is like a REALLY ugly sounding low note. Gah, I really hope getting my bracess of pays off because this really sucks.

Most of my music doesn't go about an E [stupid third part] but I don't intend to be on third part for the whole year.

HHEEELLLPP?

XP

[TRtrumpet]

I feel for you man.

 

You just have to keep practicing. You'll get it all back (and more) eventually.

[MthsTrumpetsDOItBetter]

Gah. I sure hope so.

Makes me mad because region was this week and I wanted to try out! BUT NOOO!!! I have to SUCK!

I have to only be able to play an E!!!

GGAAHHH!

XP

 

Okay, sorry. Rant is over.

...for now.

[Trumpet of Doom]

One time in 7th grade we we're having auditions deciding what band you made next year, you walked in his record on the tape said you name and played your stuff. Well, I was last to go and I had my braces tightened the day before. Needless to say I sucked it up and got in a horrible band, I was so pissed off. Just shows you how much braces can screw you over.

[TRtrumpet]

Yeah, braces are always screwing over trumpet players.

[NSUMusician]

Hey guys. Couple of quick thoughts. I'm currently teaching and don't practice as MUCH as I used to, but "back in the day" I had c above second ledger line c. I consistently still have double g and f range. I've had that since high school. Anyways, here are my thoughts:

HIGH NOTES DO NOT MAKE A PLAYER! Clarity of technique and a clear, dark but brilliant tone make a great player (see Wynton Marsalis).

 

As far as playing high notes, it's like this in my opinion. There is a Holy Trinity to playing high: firm embouchure, fast air, and a raised tongue. There you go. Think of the following too. Try playing "directionally" with your air. What I mean by that is if you think of playing down inward into the cup of your mouthpiece then your tongue will raise. Also, as trumpet players we normally talk about firming our corners. I don't like that idea. In immature players in causes us to clench our teeth. Instead think of pulling or firming the cheek muscles.

 

As far as playing pedal tones for range, yes it works. It's all about air. You have to have an insane amount of air to play pedal tones and generally you use the same air speed on the higher range stuff.

 

Try playing lots of Clarke Technical studies and scales. Add a note everyday. Make that note clear and brilliant before adding another note.

 

Those are just some thoughts. PM me if you want to talk more.

[MthsTrumpetsDOItBetter]

Wow, lots of replys! Lol, well I'm getting better. My tone has improved alot. I can now pretty much get up to a G above the staff but this is still screwing me up. Braces. Screwing up band kids everywhere. So yeah, now I kinda have to make fun of myself before anyone else does. You know? And I agree with NSUMusician but, if you can't play your high notes and everything else is amazing... it still wount get you super far. Because if you get a first part, there are bound to be high notes in there. I'm still working on my range. I'm SSSOOOOOOO glad I have a private lesson teacher or I would have thrown my trumpet off of the top of the empire state building by now.

[TRUMPet]

I just wanna make sure that i got this right. does double mean double above the staff or like in g the one just on top of the staff

 

Oh and i wanted to ask about a, well "injury"

for some reason when i play now, my neck about 2ish inches off my wind pipe hurts like crazy. Almost like somethings gonna explode. I thought it was just being tense but my necks relaxed. I think it has something to do with expanding my windpipe when i play.

 

Any one has a clue what it is or preferably a remedy?

Edited January 8, 2008 by TRUMPet

[TRUMPet]

I also thought i'd bring it to everyones attention that despite everyone saying they can't stand us and were ego maniacs (although probably true... after all we are the best), acording to that instrument game people don't really hate us... i think were the only section that has not moved... Period.

[Trumpet of Doom]

I just wanna make sure that i got this right. does double mean double above the staff or like in g the one just on top of the staff

 

Oh and i wanted to ask about a, well "injury"

for some reason when i play now, my neck about 2ish inches off my wind pipe hurts like crazy. Almost like somethings gonna explode. I thought it was just being tense but my necks relaxed. I think it has something to do with expanding my windpipe when i play.

 

Any one has a clue what it is or preferably a remedy?

 

Sounds like you might want to contact a doctor.

[TRUMPet]

i did... turned out to be a lymp node infection

[TRtrumpet]

Ouch...

 

 

what's that?

[Trumpet of Doom]

My friend had one of those, but it went away pretty fast. You should be okay, anyways in concert band this season. Since i'm first chair and play the first trumpet part, I have to double tongue a series of twenty 16th notes at 160 on the metronome. It's pretty crazy, and also REALLY hard.

[TRtrumpet]

Double tonging=fun!

[TRUMPet]

i live for fast sections like that. I just wish i could double tounge better. what piece is it.