How important is range?

[Bryant Jordan]

So here's my dilemma. I've never had a solid high range (as of now it's High D, E at most). Mainly this is due to my embochure. My top lip falls into the cup, leaving a deeper inprint (half circle). I've tried to reform it many times, and am working with my instructor as of now on it, but I'm afraid I won't be able to keep my top lip from falling into the cup permanently. I have placement on the vermilion of my lip, which is ideal. I'll have college auditions coming up the beginning of next year, so what I'm wondering is how much not having a great range would impact my auditions? How important is it in that aspect? Any feedback is appreciated.

[trpthrld]

Sound is the most important thing. A rich, vibrant, resonant sound is what most players go for.

After that is technique and control.

Add those in with a consistent sound (also meaning good pitch center) throughout the range that you have and you can be a highly-in-demand trumpet player.

Doc Severinsen said it best - when he was asked what could be done to increase range he replied "Why worry about high notes? Herb Alpert is the richest trumpet player ever and he seldom plays above the staff."

(I could be paraphrasing a bit on Doc's quote).

When you audition, you should always play to emphasize your strong points.
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[Bryant Jordan]

That reassures me. I needed that. Thanks a ton.

[Lionel]

[Robert P]

The more you can do the better. Range is one element you should work on along with everything else. Sound, sight-reading, various aspects of technique, improv, endurance. Having a clean, solid high range is a lot better than having a brittle, fuzzy high range.

In some situations it's more important than others. If all you ever do is play traditional jazz you won't necessarily have to have a lot of range. If you want to be able to play the lead book in a stage band you need range and power. If you can play really tasty improv solos on a non-lead chair maybe not so much.

Al Hirt had a successful career with a range that went up to a G. I've never heard him play higher - but he could hit it consistently. Harry James the same. I've heard one recording where Harry goes up to an Ab. Both had fantastic technical facility and solid sound.

Someone mentioned Doc. He may have said (I'll take trpthrld's word for it) "why worry about high notes" but in his heyday he had an Eb over dub C he could nail live in concert. A lot of his appeal as a soloist during his Tonight Show years was a powerful high range, something that he had to work at to achieve.

There's also the concept of overkill - it's better to have more range than you actually use. If you have a dub C, you're going to be more secure hitting high F's and G's.
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[Dayton]

In terms of how range impacts your audition, I wouldn't worry about it. Interpretation, intonation, rhythm, sound, technique...collectively count for much more.

If you get to choose what you play for college auditions, focus on your strengths. If you achieve a breakthrough with your embouchure before then, great. But the reality is that much of the literature you'd choose -- or that someone would ask you to play -- doesn't go above high C. Here are some examples:

Arban's Characteristic Studies and the Aires Varies and Celebrated Fantaisies
Bordogni's vocalises
Bitsch's etudes
Most of Charlier's etudes
Saint Jacome's Characteristic Studies and Grand Artistic Studies

Arutunian's Trumpet Concerto
Balay's Andante et Allegro, and Prelude et Ballade
Brusser's Andante et Scherzo
Goedicke's Concert Etude
Hindemith's Sonata
Hummel's Concerto
Kennon's Sonata
Martinu's Sonatine
Peeters' Sonata
Prescott's Sonata #3
Rachmaninoff's Three Songs, and Vocalise
Ravel's Piece en Forme de Habanera
Ropartz's Andante et Allegro
Schumann's Three Romances
Scriabin's Etude

Good luck!

[TKSop]

Good range is a good indicator of good (and consistent) technique...

Having said that, nobody listens to you because you have good technique.. they listen to you because they like what they hear - they like your tone, they like the way you express yourself, your musicality.


Don't let range concerns put you off performing and don't let them put you off auditioning... but do consider that it may be a sign that you've still got plenty more progress to make.


All the best!

[dstdenis]

Well, you need enough range to play the repertoire, including high parts that might be programmed at the end of a concert.

But audition committees also listen for other things that can be more decisive in evaluating your audition, like playing in tune, with accurate rhythm, using a pleasing tone that's well-suited to the music, at a suitable volume to balance with the ensemble and with expressive musical phrasing.

I've read articles and seen videos from trumpeters at the top of the profession who say that, when they sit on an audition committee, they often know within the first 15 seconds whether the player is a viable candidate based on those factors I listed. If the player can't do those things, the committee won't care how high s/he can play.
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[snichols]

If you're just going into college, a high D is fine. Your teacher will work with you through your time in school and you'll likely solidify the range you have and probably add a bit over the 4 or 5 years you're there. Tom Hooten could only play like a high C or D when he won the Marine Band gig back in the day... Like was said before, focus on all of your fundamentals and making a good sound. You likely won't need to play higher than a high D for a college (undergrad) audition.

Unless you're going into jazz, and then range doesn't really matter..

[trickg]

I've been a working trumpet player for 30 years - since I was 17. I have never had consistent range above a D/Eb, and for years it was a touch lower at C/D. With that said, in the wedding band I'm in, I own a D all night long and have a lot of charts with written Cs, C#s, Ds, and even an Eb or E here ore there.

My lack of stratospheric range has never prevented me from gigging, but I have a solid sound all the way through from low F# to that D/Eb, and I have good control on things all throughout my range.

I suppose it depends on what you want to do. If you want to be a big band lead player, you'll need to own a G, but otherwise, you should be fine.
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[jscahoy]

Excluding the elite music schools, the average high school first or second chair trumpeter has no problem passing the initial audition. But if you want a virtual guarantee, take some lessons from your preferred school's trumpet teacher.

[GeorgeB]

Most of the playing I do occasionally calls for a G above the staff, and the odd A, but I do maintain a range of E and now and then I hit an F just to prove to myself I can do it. I find having a decent range makes playing within in and below the staff that much easier.
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[JoseLindE4]

Since you're asking about college auditions, I'll give you that perspective.

I don't teach at one of the ultra-competitive schools to get into, but when I'm listening to a high schooler audition I'm listening and looking for three things.

1. A healthy sound and some sense of musicality
2. A pleasant and positive attitude
3. Preparation

If you show up (early) well prepared, you demonstrate that you will work and do what your teacher tells you. Most college teachers just want to teach students who will work hard, do what they're asked to do, and are enjoyable to be around. No one expects you to play the Brandenburg or a Maynard chart.

[andybharms]

Depends on how high we are talking. Double C? Absolutely not. High Eb? Yes.

To quote one of the greats: it's not that you need it, it's that every great trumpet player has it.
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[deleted_user_680e93b]

[trickg]

[Brad361]

Generally, people who are very impressed by a double C or above (I'm not in that category) are other trumpet players.

That being said though, it depends on the genre. For most "legit" playing, a D or maybe an E above the staff is probably adequate. But for jazz band lead ( again, "jazz band" can mean "String Of Pearls" but it can also mean "Channel 1 Suite), or a lot of "commercial" material, a consistent E-F#, maybe G-A is probably needed.

As others have said, tone, technique and intonation are critical, but a solid upper register is something many of us need, again, depends at least partially on the genre.

Brad
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[Craig Swartz]

I, too, advise you to take Tim's advice. Without a good, vibrant sound and adequate technique to get the job done, plus a good sense of style, high range, in and of itself means nothing, at least not to people who can really play. Good luck.

[trpthrld]

As far as playing for musicals, it used to be if you had a solid & consistent D that you could play the 1st Trumpet book on just about any show. Occasionally there would be an E, maybe an F or two (and those would usually be button notes). But that solid D would get you hired.

Then maybe like 20 years ago, shows started having more and more Es, F, and the occasional dubba G would be written in the part....and that means you have to play them.

Now...geez...Fs, F#s, Gs, As, and a bunch of optional dubba Cs are commonplace.

HOWEVER...a lot of shows that I play are in smaller venues with greatly reduced pits. Rhythm section, maybe 2 reeds, 1 or 2 trumpets, and if you're really lucky a Fr. Horn and or a trombone.

In instances like those, there is nothing wrong with taking those high notes 8vb. If you were to play them as written, you're probably gonna bury the pit AND the stage, and that's the worst thing you could do. Everything a pit musician plays should be played so that in enhances and supports what is happening on stage.

Plus, with that reduced instrumentation and even if you have a keyboard "filling in" for the missing instruments, you won't have the harmonic support and voicing under you that you need so that the high notes sound good and not like some hot-shot trumpet player trying to show off his chops.

So Bryant - fret not - as long as your honest range is solid, there could still be a LOT of work for you in pits. All ya hafta do is use common sense and remember that your primary job is to support the stage, not draw attention to yourself.

ps. Thank you guys for the kind words - they're always greatly appreciated!
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