Can't Play Low Notes

[Michael W]

I've been playing trumpet for a few days now with no teacher, and with no valves down pretty consistently hit middle c, g below that, and e above that. On rarer occasions I can hit a g above the staff and c below the staff, but never consistently.

Unfortunately, any tutorials or blogs online for beginning trumpet all seem to start on low c, and whenever I try to play it I feel like I convolute my embouchure so much and a lot of air leaks when I play and my sound is wavering and weak. Does anybody have tips to play lower better or ways to extend my range down? Thank you!

I've been playing oboe and saxophone for 8 and 5 years, respectively, so I don't know if that has something to do with why I start in such a high register.

[zaferis]

it can take weeks or months to develope even the smallest consistent range... IMO you've most likely gone too far already and building some bad habits....

Find a teacher, find a teacher, find a teacher, find a teacher


There are many things that are involved, from equipement, breathing, chops, hand placement... you will inveitably develope some band habits then ultimately frustrate yourself, and if wait to find guidance you will then have to UN-learn things = even harder!


find a teacher.
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[bach_again]

[trickg]

Because you are so early into it, your best bet is to find some firsthand guidance with a personal instructor - anything we might tell you is likely not going to make a lot of sense because you don't really have much of a point of reference yet.

With that in mind, you might try doing long tones on the G in the staff - play them relaxed at as low of a volume as you can. Part of the problem is that you are so undeveloped as a player that you don't have chops focus yet, and that's what it takes to be able to effectively play lower notes and have good command of them.

Once you get good mastery of the G, work your way down the scale the same way, one note at a time until you have mastery of the next lower note.

I've probably said this close to a dozen times over the last couple of weeks: there is no secret and there are no tricks or shortcuts - it takes time and work in the practice room to develop your embouchure.
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[RandyTX]

[trickg]

[dstdenis]

[Tpt_Guy]

[John Mohan]

If you cannot afford a teacher either in person or through Skype, I highly recommend you buy and use the book Physical Approach to Elementary Brass Playing by Claude Gordon. This book is unique in that it is designed to systematically develop sound, range, flexibility and technique. And you'll really like the fact that the first lessons begin with playing Middle G and gradually expand the playing range up and down at a comfortable rate. The instructions in the book are superb. Spend one year in this book (about one Lesson every two weeks) and by the end of the year you'll have a playable range from F# below Low C up to High C along with good power, sound and technique. Note that the book also assigns material from the St Jacome Method (but material from Elementary Studies for the Cornet by Herbert L. Clarke is often substituted for the St Jacome material).

https://www.amazon.com/Physical-Approach-Elementary-Brass-Playing/dp/0825832802

Best wishes,

John Mohan
Skype Lessons Available - Click on the e-mail button below if interested
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[Shaft]

A few days..... well there may be tingling and new feelings that occur as your face/ lips gets used to the vibrating and such.

There shouldnt be any convolution.

Using the typical "m" approach where your lips are at rest as if you are going to say the letter m.

Gently place the mouthpiece up to touch your lips.

Blowing warm air like haaaah and imagining the Low C rolling out of the bell and falling a couple feet in front of you may give you what you need.


FOR REAL THOUGH - get a teacher - never in a million years would I learn to play trumpet simply by web surfing.
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[deanoaks]

I'm going to preface my comment with this important statement:
I have never taught or given advice to people first beginning with the instrument. Take what I say (like with any other advice you find on the internet( with a grain of salt.

With that being said. I am a firm believer in the "if you can buzz it, you can play it" mentality. Get a drone tool or a pitch pipe and find concert Bb and try to buzz down to it from a concert F in the staff. Start reasonably soft and gradually get louder (but not so loud that the sound stops). When you comfortable can get from F-Bb, go down a half-step from E-A and continue this pattern until you go from B-F# concert below the staff.
Doing this will get you to find the proper lip:air balance in the lower register as well as develop your embouchure.
Mouthpiece buzzing may not work for you but I think it is certainly worth a try.

Another method would be to try and chromatically go down from the G in the staff to C below the staff. Google images has a plethora of fingering charts to choose from. The important thing to remember is starting at a comfortably soft dynamic and gradually getting louder as you go down.

Please let me know if I said something confusing. I'm more than happy to try and clarify.

[Robert P]

You say you can hit the C on occasion. The next time you do focus on what's happening - you should find your mouth/teeth open a bit more compared to where you are for a middle G. I would suggest thinking about opening your mouth a tad wider, also try angling the horn up slightly higher - or tilting your head down a tiny bit - also pushing a bit more air. I'm talking about subtle changes.

When you get the low C to sound hold it out for as long as you can. Then take a big breath and do it again. The idea is to train yourself for the feel of it and be able to consciously do it - and then eventually be able to do it without as much conscious thought.

Remember assuming it's kept clean inside and doesn't get damaged the horn doesn't change - if you get something on one attempt and don't get it on another it's completely a function of something you're doing differently even if it's a very subtle difference.
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[deleted_user_680e93b]

Hello michael,

I really think that so many issues for beginners and come-backers alike would go away if they started off first to learn to buzz the lead pipe the way that bill adam taught it. Learning to Buzz the lead pipe correctly will allow you to play with much less effort. As a sax player think about how your reed vibrates with different amounts of pressure provided by your ligature. Too loose, the reed rattles. too tight, the reed stops vibrating.
Its a little like that.
There are countless examples of Lead Pipe buzzing online, it would help so many people who play with too much tension. Tension can manifest itself in both high and low notes.
hope this helps, although if you haven't learned about lead pipe buzzing yet, it must sound awfully vague and not direct enough to answer you post, but after you learn it, you'll understand.

best of luck,

tom