Range and Endurance Problems?

[Jeptrumpet]

Hi all,

I'm going through inivisalign treatment right now and have experienced a drop in range and endurance.

I was expecting this, however, I have noticed that over the past month instead of getting better like the months before, I started getting significantly worse.

Before, I was able to last through and play a C# above the staff at the end of a jazz etude but now hitting a high A in a region etudes (TMEA) is not (barely)possible.

When I play my corners feel the most fatigued however I do sometimes get a "ring" around the center of my lips, but they never ache. (never happened before invisalign)

I also experienced my chops quivering in the upper register at the start of this downhill slope. I can barely get through a 2 hour rehearsal of Christmas music or even a half hour of me practicing by myself.

Are these symptoms of fatigue? (This year I have jazz band at the start of my day so maybe that is the cause? Playing high at the start of the day..) Or is this caused by my teeth shifting?

Also can anyone recommend any exercises I should be doing to build back my range and endurance? (I play with an open aperture)

(I tried talking to my teacher about this but he says everything is fine but I'm not too sure about that)

Thanks!

[Andy Del]

From what you have described, it sounds like fatigue.

Without knowing all the facts, the only thing to do is rest more than you currently are. Treat this like any physical activity where muscular strength is needed. Once the muscles are fatigued, they need a break. With any sort of braces, the small changes will cause muscles to loose their strength due to change in use, movement of teeth, etc. etc. There are so many variables it is impossible to tell online.

Your 'teacher'. Is this a trumpet teacher, or a band teacher? You need to see a trumpet teacher who has experience with braces and listen to them.

In the short term, rest more, play high less and let things build gradually.

cheers

Andy
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so many horns, so few good notes...

[Dan O'Donnell]

My friend got regular braces many years ago and dropped from 1st Trumpet to 3rd.

HIS...and I repeat...HIS issue was using too much pressure of the mouthpiece on his chops.

The braces then became a factor in his ability to make progress due to the excessive mouthpiece pressure.

In the words of Arturo and Wayne when I asked both of them (separately)..."How much MP pressure do you use?"

Their answer..."As much as I need."

You obviously need some to form a good seal however, you might want to check for too much.

Ways to avoid too much pressure are as follows...

1.) Don't use the pincky ring with your right hand.

2.) Hold the Trumpet at the base of the valve casing with your left hand therefore helping to prevent the well know chop killer..."left arm octave".
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God Bless,
Dan O'Donnell

"Praise Him with the sound of the Trumpet:..."
Psalms 150:3

[omelet]

....

[royjohn]

I think you've gotten some good advice. Your embouchure has to be in a state of flux and you are trying to find a new placement that works while the things are changing every day. I think you are going to have to resign yourself to not playing as you used to for a while. When the teeth where you place the mpc have stabilized, then you'll be able to START finding exactly where you should place and how you should pivot, etc.

Most people have a high spot on which they place, but yours is moving and/or disappearing, so it is no wonder you are confused and perhaps muscles are trembling at times, altho' that could also be fatigue from overdoing, trying to play as you used to.

This is the reason I decided not to do any kind of ortho, when I could afford it now (I'm 70), and just accept a certain degree of crooked teeth.

Not criticizing your decision, just saying if you are going to do ortho, you can have an experience like you're having. At some point, you'll have a nice smile and your embouchure will stabilize. People play with all kinds of tooth structure, so my guess is you'll find a different placement that works for you, but I don't think you can expect things to be as good as they were while your teeth are moving around and the correct placement varies from day to day.

Get plenty of rest and accept the period of instability for what it is. Don't force and make things worse than they have to be.
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royjohn
Trumpets: 1928 Holton Llewellyn Model, 1957 Holton 51LB, 2010 Custom C by Bill Jones, 2011 Custom D/Eb by Bill Jones
Flugels: 1975 Olds Superstar, 1970's Elkhardt, 1970's Getzen 4 valve
Cornet: 1970's Yamaha YCR-233S . . . and others . . .

[murph66]

Although my range has gotten a little lower as I age, when I have endurance problems, throwing page 44 of Arban's into the practice mix seems to help seems to help me as much as anything.