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Brad361
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 16 Dec 2007
Posts: 7080
Location: Houston, TX.
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 Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 5:26 am Post subject: |
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| Robert P wrote: | Clearly you need a different teacher. What you're describing- some guy who's a student with his plate full, inconsistent lesson appointments, etc. If you're not paying much you're getting your money's worth.
Your teacher shouldn't be asking "what are we working on" - he should know what kind of skills are necessary for you to work on and directing you what to work on, keeping a log of what you've been doing and a sense of whether you're making progress. He should also be prepared to fire you as a student if you're slacking and not coming to lessons prepared, not demonstrating that you're working, haven't made it a priority. |
Again, though I would like to be fair to the teacher, it sounds as if the OP simply needs to find another one, although I don't think the "what are we working on" comment necessarily means the guy is just winging it, it may be a conversational way of starting the lesson.
IMO, there are way too many variables and conflicting statements in this thread for any of us to be able to help the OP much.
Brad
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Lionel
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 Jul 2016
Posts: 783
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| Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 1:00 pm Post subject: Re: Getting there, but... |
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| ATrumpetBrony wrote: | I'll be taking lessons with a good friend / local lead and jazz player within the next two weeks (schedules have crashed EVERY time thus far).
But before I do that, I just wanted to feel out the forums a bit to see what I can do to get some tips on the following...
These days, I can get a high C with maybe 65% certainty that I'll hit it (rather than landing on the Bb). If my chops are feeling it, I can most times control the dynamics on it (maybe a mf to a f). If I visualize a line properly and am completely prepared, I can often play the note. If I'm badly prepared, I can't.
High G is perhaps 90% if I haven't been rough with my chops that day. Just about every day, (depending on how my chops feel, but still pretty consistently) I can VERY quietly and VEEERY inaccurately squeak out a tiny D# or E over high C, sometimes even up to a Gb, usually as a gliss from High Bb or C (not that I DO! just that I can!). Yesterday I squeaked up to a high G. Then recorded it to see if it was the real deal.. but only got the Gb  . It takes LOADS of concentration and focus to allow my air and mouth to change to get the pitch locked in as closely as possible.
So you know the question... what am I supposed to be doing so that THOSE tiny, TIIINY, high-pitched squeaks can actually begin to develop into notes? Is it a matter of developing blowing power? Improving lip flexibility? Is it just chop strength? |
What mouthpiece are you using? There's no extra credit for hitting high notes on large pieces. If you're playing most Bach mouthpieces it can be difficult to navigate the upper register.
The standard choice if 7C is a very sharp and deep piece. Good middle register tone but hard to support above the staff. Plus that sharp edge can cut teeth.
A better existing choice is Marcinkiewicz but their nomenclature is confusing. Granted Al Cass always made the best pieces for lead playing but he's been gone 27 years.
The most available choices could be Schilke. Like say you play a medium sized cup like the 12. It has a "C" cup. Average depth and not much help in the upper register. But you can buy both it and the 12A. It a shallow piece, good for jazz and lead.
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HERMOKIWI
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Dec 2008
Posts: 2581
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| Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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It's not the mouthpiece. It's the player. Bill Watrous has no trouble playing a trumpeter's double G on his trombone. High range is primarily a technique thing. If you want those squeaks to turn into real notes you have to develop the proper technique. You're already strong enough.
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HERMOKIWI |
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Robert P
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Feb 2013
Posts: 2596
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| Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Brad361 wrote: | | Robert P wrote: | | Your teacher shouldn't be asking "what are we working on" - he should know what kind of skills are necessary for you to work on and directing you what to work on, keeping a log of what you've been doing and a sense of whether you're making progress. |
Again, though I would like to be fair to the teacher, it sounds as if the OP simply needs to find another one, although I don't think the "what are we working on" comment necessarily means the guy is just winging it, it may be a conversational way of starting the lesson. |
Given the context in which he said it
| Quote: | | I'm not exactly sure what my job is, per se - he's the kinda guy who sits down and says, "What are we working on today" - so I suppose I'VE got to come prepared with what I want to work on |
I get the impression that these lessons aren't at all structured. His job should be clear-cut - to work on what the teacher assigned last time, which should be part of a larger picture of developing specific skills which the teacher should be keeping track of. Nothing he's said has suggested this is what's been going on, more like these "lessons" are a session of random tips.
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nick.miller.29
New Member
Joined: 01 Mar 2014
Posts: 5
Location: United States
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 4:38 pm Post subject: Sail the 7 "C"s |
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| Sail the 7 "C"s. It's a book that's hard to find, but if you can - GET IT! It provides a complete "at-your-own-pace" way to find your upper (and lower) registers. This book combines the idea that to play high, you first have to be solid in the low end - as in pedal tones. You may not get to the absolute top "C" in the book, but your range, endurance, and flexibility in the upper register will ABSOLUTELY increase! |
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gwood66
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Joined: 05 Jan 2016
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Location: South of Chicago
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Lionel
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 Jul 2016
Posts: 783
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| Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2017 12:32 am Post subject: Re: Getting there, but... |
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| ATrumpetBrony wrote: | I'll be taking lessons with a good friend / local lead and jazz player within the next two weeks (schedules have crashed EVERY time thus far).
But before I do that, I just wanted to feel out the forums a bit to see what I can do to get some tips on the following...
These days, I can get a high C with maybe 65% certainty that I'll hit it (rather than landing on the Bb). If my chops are feeling it, I can most times control the dynamics on it (maybe a mf to a f). If I visualize a line properly and am completely prepared, I can often play the note. If I'm badly prepared, I can't.
High G is perhaps 90% if I haven't been rough with my chops that day. Just about every day, (depending on how my chops feel, but still pretty consistently) I can VERY quietly and VEEERY inaccurately squeak out a tiny D# or E over high C, sometimes even up to a Gb, usually as a gliss from High Bb or C (not that I DO! just that I can!). Yesterday I squeaked up to a high G. Then recorded it to see if it was the real deal.. but only got the Gb . It takes LOADS of concentration and focus to allow my air and mouth to change to get the pitch locked in as closely as possible.
So you know the question... what am I supposed to be doing so that THOSE tiny, TIIINY, high-pitched squeaks can actually begin to develop into notes? Is it a matter of developing blowing power? Improving lip flexibility? Is it just chop strength? |
Always be suspicious of over-trained chops. In fact capitalize "Over-Trained" chops. Helping you realize that this is a significant matter. As indeed I can take fully six whole months off the instrument and still produce a musical sounding A natural above the High C. And at a really FAT volume too. Proving at least to myself that high notes are a learned skill. I still must practice some to maintain my accuracy, endurance and finesse. However no longer must need to put in the really long long hours. Thanks in part to mouthpiece selection. Lynn Nicholson has been very helpful to me. In giving good advice on mouthpiece choices.
Being able to maintain one's chops without tons of practice is a lifesaver. This because many lead players "live" at the razor's edge of over-trained chops. Holding very little in reserve.
Atrumpetbrony,
Bug me for some details in a private message and I will hit ya back with some ideas. Basically it sounds like you're "blocking the sound" from coming out.
Indeed I've seen cats like you straightened out in 5 to 10 minutes. The fault which they're exercizing is so common that after you've become familiar with the problem ?
You almost have to fight off the feeling of smugness. As this fault is unbelievably common. So much so that you wonder why it isnt addressed more often in brass teaching books. Good luck my friend! Stay in touch and PASS IT ON to others what was freely given to you.
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Carl Spackler (aka Bill Murray, 1980). |
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