High playing getting further with ease?

tankus · New Member Joined: 30 Apr 2012 Posts: 7

Does anyone know any good exercises for high playing?

At the moment I'm pretty much just using the Herbert Clarke But just playing it at the top of my range.

Also Does anyone know of an acceptable replacement mouthpiece that would help with playing higher? At the moment I'm playing (comfortably) up to about a D/Eb above the stave.

I use a Marcinkiewicz E3L (i think that is basically a Bach 3E) What would be easier but also not too much of a differnce?

Jake

zackh411 · Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:19 am Post subject:

I just put together my summer routine about 10 minutes ago and it has a few good high note exercises in it. Here is a download link.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4684840/ZH%20Summer%202012%20Daily%20Routine.pdf

If you look at the upper register section, just play the first few measures of that glissando exercise over and over... for me that was really useful in the whole "playing with air" thing, which unlocked a lot of the stuff above that. Basically, find the highest one you can do comfortable and do it repeatedly.

as far as mouthpieces go, a schilke 14a4a is a good place to start. Check the TH marketplace... there should be a bunch of used ones around $30... make sure you check and make sure its a trumpet shank and not a cornet.
_________________
Stomvi VRII Lightweight in Silver
1946 Martin Committee #2 Bore
Bach Strad 183 Flugel
Stomvi Elite Piccolo
Bobby Shew Jazz Mouthpiece w/ 18 Drill (Legit)
Yamaha Miyashiro 1 w/ 18 Drill (Jazz)
Stomvi JMZVR w/ M4 Backbore Jim Manley Mouthpiece (Lead)

jiarby · Heavyweight Member Joined: 08 Jul 2011 Posts: 739

Zach...

I'd add in some Concone/Charlier etudes to get some lyrical/musicality work in there, and also I didn't see any flexibilities stuff (Irons/Colin).

zackh411 · Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:32 am Post subject:

tankus · New Member Joined: 30 Apr 2012 Posts: 7

Thanks guys this is great.

I'll give it a go and i will have a look at the charlier stuff too!

j

jhahntpt

ljazztrm · Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 2:19 pm Post subject:

Hey Zack, most of that routine looks pretty standard and a good chop workout with combining improving certain aspects of technique. I think the 'chop workout' part is setup very well for someone who needs a routine like that and doesn't get it from music/gigs/etc. and the whole soft gliss thing is good if you need to memorize the placement of those higher notes. The Stamp variation is good for those who like pedals and are not used to going in and out of the pedal register with the same setup, etc.

But what I'm really interested in, is the leadpipe section in the beginning. Did you get that from Manley? It's like an expanded approach from what Greg Spence is talking about.
_________________
Mouthpieces:
Curry custom 590S2. .590 diameter shallow with Warburton 6 backbore.
Curry custom 590TC. .590 deep V, 27 throat, Warburton 3* backbore.
Trumpets:
Carol black nickel 5000L.
Flugel: Carol satin finish.

csemartin

zackh411 · Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 6:34 pm Post subject:

kungfuhorn · Regular Member Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 40

Hey Zack...is that vid something you can send me too? I think I play similarly to Jim in a lot of ways and have developed some really crazy upper register stuff in the past couple of years. Would love to hear what he has to say about it. I loved the vid on youtube with my buds from the airmen hanging with Jim. I have never met Jim but totally dig what he said on that vid.
Any explanation about about his "Fleshing out" of the notes would be great for me to hear because that is what I am working on right now!
It is a long story but I am working on integrating two chop sets together (kind of) and would like to hear all your ideas and Jim's on connecting and filling out notes around and above DHC.
Thanks !!!

kungfuhorn · Regular Member Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 40

Also...could you explain the leadpipe thing a little more in detail? I mean.. is it mpiece' in the pipe and tuning slide pulled out a la Adams? Really looking forward to trying some of this stuff!

zackh411 · Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 5:12 am Post subject:

The leadpipe thing: Put mouthpiece in horn, remove tuning slide, make funny noises.

I haven't talked a lot with Jim about actually developing the upper register, specifically. The leadpipe thing is more about developing sound and efficiency, I think. I think I remember Jim saying that the leadpipe thing is relatively recent for him; I'm assuming he had his monster chops before he started doing it. I'm not 100% on that though. I'll post a video on here when I've got the time (it's finals week next week and I'm working on a few huge projects).
The only thing I can say about Jim's playing is that I have never seen anyone play with as little effort as Jim does. The only time it looks like he's exerting himself at all is when he's railing a triple C.
_________________
Stomvi VRII Lightweight in Silver
1946 Martin Committee #2 Bore
Bach Strad 183 Flugel
Stomvi Elite Piccolo
Bobby Shew Jazz Mouthpiece w/ 18 Drill (Legit)
Yamaha Miyashiro 1 w/ 18 Drill (Jazz)
Stomvi JMZVR w/ M4 Backbore Jim Manley Mouthpiece (Lead)

ljazztrm · Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 8:00 am Post subject:

Hey Zack, thanks for sharing all this. Yeah, Manley has gone through different chop changes/experiments. When I took a couple of lessons with him years back, he was still into the Wedge breath. Now he's gone down a different route and I think he sounds stronger.

I wanted to offer you something that I am recently experimenting with as well.

http://www.warburton-usa.com/index.php/atv

If you don't have an ATV, I would recommend it..Terry made me one in the new Shoop diameter which is my main mouthpiece. But what I have been doing is playing right along with Chad in the video. I'm doing each exercise he does exactly how he does it. I don't think I've experienced such a killer chop workout before and felt it so much in my face. I made the mistake of doing it two days in a row and paid the price! (I'm a pro player and have a heavy playing schedule on most days) I think I'm just going to do it 3x a week, just like a type of bodybuilding routine..So I'll be getting one 72hr break a week and one 48hr break a week. Just another something you may want to get into! All the best, Lex
_________________
Mouthpieces:
Curry custom 590S2. .590 diameter shallow with Warburton 6 backbore.
Curry custom 590TC. .590 deep V, 27 throat, Warburton 3* backbore.
Trumpets:
Carol black nickel 5000L.
Flugel: Carol satin finish.

kungfuhorn · Regular Member Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 40

Thanks Zack! I Appreciate the feedback. Hey Lex, the ATV is awesome right? You know, Lynn Nicholson has you get just a rim...like from a reeves or warburton 3 piece m'piece and do some of those same exercises. It is brutal. I couldn't believe how much of a workout it is. Really makes you get a sense of what is happening with your chops better than almost anything else I have tried, too.

Anyway.. Thanks again Zack. Jim seems so relaxed. I watched the video that he did with Brian Mac and Kevin Burns and it was cool. I totally dig what he said about not trying to push TOO much air because it shuts things off. That is exactly what I was doing. Long story short after a couple of lessons a few years ago...even recently again actually) with some really good guys and experimenting on my own I kinda figured something out. Got a CD coming out soon but if you want to check it out, my title track is on youtube now. Look up... Johnny Hodges "Yeah.....About That".
I wrote the tune, played all the trpt parts, flgl and solo. That was a flgl through a phaser, and an auto-wah. Hope you check it out and dig it.
Good luck with it all bro!

Johnny H

zackh411 · Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 1:24 pm Post subject:

ljazztrm · Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 1:58 pm Post subject:

Johnny Hodges! I know about you! Didn't you do some stuff with my buddy John Hines at the Big Apple Circus? Heard very good things about you and your playing. Im on a gig right now but really looking fwd to checking your youtube. Yeah, your top is hip for sure, but I am down on Chads new. 560 piece and, right now, Terry is making me a deep miles V for all my jazz stuff in that diameter. Thanks for letting me know that about Lynn.. Yeah isn't it amazing how freaking intense just a few minutes of that is?? Im totally blown away by the whole concept. Not too long ago I did a tribute to electric Miles Live at the Cellar Door with the auto-wah here in nyc...I love the autowah! Look forward to hear what you're doing with your electronics setup! Will be in touch. All the best, Lex
_________________
Mouthpieces:
Curry custom 590S2. .590 diameter shallow with Warburton 6 backbore.
Curry custom 590TC. .590 deep V, 27 throat, Warburton 3* backbore.
Trumpets:
Carol black nickel 5000L.
Flugel: Carol satin finish.

ljazztrm · Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 6:25 pm Post subject:

I also ordered Bill Carmichaels 'drop v-cup' (check youtube).. its. 600, which is about the biggest I like to go. But the whole concept sounds intriguing having dug the mf design a lot in the past, but the diameter on the original mf pieces feel too big to me.
_________________
Mouthpieces:
Curry custom 590S2. .590 diameter shallow with Warburton 6 backbore.
Curry custom 590TC. .590 deep V, 27 throat, Warburton 3* backbore.
Trumpets:
Carol black nickel 5000L.
Flugel: Carol satin finish.

kungfuhorn · Regular Member Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 40

Crap...sorry Lex...I wrote this long thing and then lost it all when I went to take the dog for a walk!

Zack...yep. that's me! An awful lot of blood sweat and tears went into making that piece. Kenny Titmus and Terry and I worked on that for over 2 years. I would come in off of a ship ( I was the senior MD for CCL for a long time) and gripe about how I folded on the show because of the M'piece. Kenny would laugh and then Terry would say "sure...blame it on the mouthpiece...sure...not practicing and drinking like a fish has nothing to do with it!" and we would all bust out laughing.

Lex...yeah man, John and I really good friends. He is such a great player and an even nicer guy if that is possible. He is one of my go to guys when I need a great sub. Always sounds great and always a pro.
The Cd thing was fun. Loads of stuff came out of it! I truly love the auto-wah. I was shooting for a retro "Brecker Bros' kind of sound on some of it. The CD is available thru iTunes or Amazon or CDBaby. There are a few tunes that are kind of retro sounding on there. I played everything on all of it except for on one track my buddy Bryan played some too. Lots of solos and high tones on there though! I have heard your name before around town, but never seemed to be in the same place at the same time!
Hope one day we can hang!

zackh411 · Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 8:08 pm Post subject:

kungfuhorn · Regular Member Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 40

Ha! I have thought seriously about trying to go to a smaller inner diameter. It seems like the best way to go, but I simply can't go much smaller from where I am. Well...that isn't strictly true, really. When I was a kid, I played on a 6a4a so I can pay smaller stuff. Chad's piece is great... I really wish I could get my self into it. Far as that goes.. I wish I could sound like Chad...lol. I haven't gotten to play or see one of Jim's pieces.. or Lynn's pieces, by Stomvi yet. Interested in what they are like. Especially Lynn's piece. I also played on an old Jet-Tone MF3 when I was a kid. I always thought I could go back to a V type cup oike that later, but I have never been able to play one again for more than about 5 min then I swell and they shut off. Even right out of the gate, I can't really move around on it like I would like to.
Oh well....maybe one of these days, we will have a JH2 or 3 and it will be a little different. lol.
Glad you can use my piece Zack! Like I told you on the other thread....don't let these clowns on here get to you. You do what you like to do and have fun. If you want to take it to the next level, that might be a different thing....but till then...just do what makes you happy! That is what music is supposed to be about...joy. Kind like sex. If it isn't fun, you are doing it wrong. lol.