Scratching First and High Notes--remedy?

Rodgers · Regular Member Joined: 20 Aug 2014 Posts: 38

I've made a semi-comeback at trumpet. I used to play ALOT in high school in multiple ensembles and got my fair share of district and state awards. I stopped playing a good deal through my first 3 years of college am now starting my senior year of college. I have noticed that I scratch opening and high notes much more than usual than I did as a high schooler. What can solve this problem? My first guess is long-tones, but does anybody have any other thoughts?

zackh411

Rodgers · Regular Member Joined: 20 Aug 2014 Posts: 38

Bump. Any other suggestions?

EdMann · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 7:05 am Post subject:

The octave work in the Stamp book is great for that. Stamp in general is a good method, and I love the idea of thinking low to go high and vice versa. Really brings the notes together in one place.

ed

Andy Del · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 11:18 am Post subject:

If you are missing initial notes, and high notes, then you need to practice this.

TO work on initial tones, find exercises that have you pick up the trumpet, and play a note. Just one. And then put the horn down. Repeat.

I think there's something like this in one of the Scheubruk books...

Missing high notes? Get in the queue! But finding similar exercises will help. Recently, I have been working on things I avoided over the years - ALL involve the upper register...

Working on these pieces, etc, well, as we say down under - bugger me! I find them not so hard anymore... (some are even easy!)

cheers

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

razeontherock · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 11:32 am Post subject:

John Mohan · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 11:43 am Post subject:

Despite their popularity, "Long Tone Exercises" are not really a good idea. There are better things to practice. Spend your time dividing your practice routine into three parts: A Flexibility Exercises section (Earl D. Irons or Charles Colin), a Technical Studies section (Clarkes) and a Range Studies section (I recommend the Louis Maggio exercises or better yet, the Part One and Part Two exercises throughout Claude Gordon's book "Systematic Approach to Daily Practice for Trumpet". Incidentally, while the long holds on the last notes of the Pedal routines that make up all the Part One exercises in Systematic Approach might be construed as being long tones, they are not, in that the point is not to hold them forever and ever, but rather to get the air out and then keep squeezing the expiration muscles even as one runs out of air to build those muscles up and significantly increase one's Air Power. Also, being that these holds are done on just low and pedal notes, the facial and lip muscle over-use and cramping that can occur with normal long tones does not happen.

Best wishes to you,

John Mohan
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Trumpet Player, Clinician & Teacher
1st Trpt for Cats, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Evita, Hunchback of Notre Dame,
Grease, The Producers, Addams Family, In the Heights, etc.
Ex LA Studio Musician
16 Year Claude Gordon Student

MrOlds · Posted: Fri May 18, 2018 7:06 pm Post subject:

Shuebruk.

These will quickly expose where your ears and your mechanism are out of whack.

fijimorgan · Regular Member Joined: 08 Jun 2018 Posts: 12

Probably the quickest answer is making sure you're not holding your breath before you play. The inhale and exhale have to be one smooth motion; like a golf swing. If there's a hitch then you can't control the air as much.