Less is More

[Dufcapers]

For years I've struggled with range. I'm currently 41 years old, and since College I didn't regularly have even an F above high C. I would work and work, press, practice and punish myself.

Pushing and blowing harder. Thinking that I must not be putting enough air into the horn.

A couple of years ago I had taken a lesson with a local Trumpet Guru, and he had me doing some lead pipe buzzing. That helped; quite a bit actually. More than anything I had done in 10 years for certain. I didn't increase my range much with that, but I solidified; and that was almost as good.

So then recently, a month ago in fact, I picked up the OLD Cat Anderson book. And it preaches a 'whisper g' approach. I've only completed the first lesson, but I've done it numerous times over the past month. Not daily, but maybe 2-3 times each week. And even with that limited commitment I've seen drastic results.

The concept, in its most pure form, is "Less is More". As you ascend the scale into the stratosphere, don't push harder with more air/pressure/power....but back off. The whisper G approach helps you train yourself to just USE. LESS. AIR. It's counter-intuitive, your brain tells you this won't work, it fights against you in your struggle. DON'T TRUST IT!!

I know this isn't a new method, I know it's tried and true and probably talked up and down the boards here; but I wanted to share my first hand experience - A month ago I had a squeaky Ab, and nothing more. Today I have a SOLID Ab and last night I played a dubba C - twice. The C wasn't Ingram strong, but it was there enough that I would call it a note and not just jive talkin'. I normally run scales to push my range; this was a concert Bb scale - 3 octaves, held on the dubba C and back down the scale all the way to low C. And done a second time to make sure it wasn't an accident.

Join me in celebration, join me in the upper registers, and join me in putting less air in our horns gentlemen.

[Robert P]

Good job!
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[JLoyalist]

Nice! That Cat Anderson book is certainly a great lesson in patience lol

hearing Wayne talk about high notes has helped my consistency a lot


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opznsv23y34

[razeontherock]

This is a great use for TH - congrats to the OP!

You may not realize this but "blowing the leadpipe" is a tool developed by Bill Adam. You also advocated mental attitudes that at least align with some of his approach, and they have worked for a veritable who's who of trumpet players over the past 20 + years. He taught (in my own words) to absolutely NOT trust our own thoughts, esp while playing, and to avoid that by focusing on SOUND. This can bypass lots of potential pitfalls, and "trick" our body into learning, naturally. A great analogy is to a little baby. It can produce HUGE volume, never tire, never had a voice lesson, never got taught how to breathe 'properly,' knows nothing about 'air support,' and yet gets results that should make all trumpet players envious.

If you can tap into the same learning methodology you did as a baby, it will surely get results you can rely on. Tons of great reading material in the forum dedicated to Bill Adam, that might just springboard you into a ton of progress? And even teaching schools that think they disagree, ALL use at least some of the same 'stuff.' ALL great playing has certain things in common.

Playing the pipe IS a study in less is more! If more (energy, airflow, effort, anything at all) is put into the pipe, MUCH more comes out! Either that or you're doing it wrong. Usually what will happen is getting 'more' out of the pipe (not necessarily volume as we perceive it, but more audible harmonics that are louder and more stable) via LESS effort.

Hopefully you already know that this was used as the very first thing in the playing day? Then the idea was to transfer the same 'stuff' to the whole horn. It can be a very useful tool, with a lot of applications. Don't overdo it though. A few minutes is probably all the good it will do you, and what pitch(es) you produce are CRITICAL.

There are some real range gurus near you! Jim Manley being "of note."

Another helpful concept is the realization that our horn is already "filled with air." We don't have to try to "fill it." We do need to move some, and do so with the right energy

[marieritac@gmail.com]

That's great!

[HERMOKIWI]

Problems with producing notes in the high register are often the result of excessive tension stopping the vibrations/air. The "whisper G" approach is a method intended to reduce tension which would otherwise interfere with producing notes in the high register. The concept is consistent with developing proficiency in the high register. Keep it up!
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HERMOKIWI