Struggling in Somewhat High Register

[GTRPT]

Some days when I do a good warmup and begin to play, I struggle to play a high G (over the staff) and other days I do everything identically but I can easily play a high F (above the high C). As anyone can imagine this is extremely frustrating.
When I'm struggling to play the high G, I tend to be able to play it for a second (with terrible intonation, either too sharp or too flat) and then it suddenly turns into just air. This occurs when I slur up to it, go up chromatically, and try to play it on its own. I'm pretty sure that it isn't a problem with breathing because my instructor works with me on breathing frequently. It also isn't a problem with being too tense because I watch myself in a mirror.
I'm a freshman in high school, I play on a 7c (which I also play on the good days when I can play high). I would ask my instructor what the problem is, but every week when I go to him for lessons, I always have a good day. Not normally the best, but I'm at least playing up to a high C normally.
I would appreciate anybody giving me advice or at least troubleshooting based on the little information I've provided. If anyone needs more information, please ask because I desperately need to fix this problem. Thank you all and I'm sorry for the long post!
_________________
Bach LT180S37
Yamaha 4335GSII

[Christian K. Peters]

Hello GTRPT,
Your write well and have a nice quote..I would not have thought your were a HS freshman. Not knowing your past performance history, I think you are in the right place. As a younger player, I found myself over extended in groups at your age and was frustrated that I did not have the range I thought I should. Later I understood that I was just fatigued most of the time, and that poor habits had crept in...Leading to all the frustrations you have. I think one you have developed a routine with a trumpet instructor, you might find a middle ground of keeping the fatigue in check and know when to critique yourself accordingly. I am pretty sure that I did not know of the higher range until I became a sophomore..That was my first year of high school.
_________________
Christian K. Peters
Schilke Loyalist since 1976

[trickg]

You're what, 14-15 years old?

Don't worry about the range too much. Provided you are working on your fundamentals -

- Tone production
- Breath control
- articulation
- flexibilities
- etc

and provided you don't have any other major embouchure obstacles to overcome, this will be a minor thing that should self-correct with a bit more time. Remember, we can't measure progress in days - it has to be measured in weeks, months, and years.
_________________
Patrick Gleason
- Jupiter 1600i, ACB 3C, Warburton 4SVW/Titmus RT2
- Brasspire Unicorn C
- ACB Doubler

"95% of the average 'weekend warrior's' problems will be solved by an additional 30 minutes of insightful practice." - PLP

[MF Fan]

I don't subscribe to the advice of, "don't worry about range," "or it will work itself out." That's illogical. If you're physically able to play an F above high C one day, than barely a top of the staff G the next, there's a variable in play that you need to isolate and manage. We all have days where playing seems easier than others, but to lose nearly an octave in range from one day to the next should have a explanation. Consistency is critical if you're going to be serious player. Being able to cut the lead book in practice, then crash and burn in performance the following day isn't a situation you can live with.

Knowing you're a relatively young player, I have a few questions:

1. When you say you can play a high F, can you truly play it on demand consistently within a musical context, or it a note your "hitting" in isolation when you're fresh? Are all the notes below the high F equally strong and controllable on a good day, or is it a note separate from the rest of your range you're somehow managing to squeak out? If that's the case, I'd say it's not really in your playable range. Can you play a clean two octave scale up to the high F and sustain the top note without excessive MP pressure? If not, what's the top note you can play up to in a two octave scale? That's the true top of your range. Squeaking out a high note in an uncontrolled fashion one day and not the next isn't necessarily a problem. Which scenario are you really dealing with?

2. Is there any correlation between how hard you played the day before and what your range is the following day? It's human nature that on the days you're really "on" and playing is easy, your upper register is strong, you will tend to over do it, causing excess fatigue and possible damage. The next day is bound to be much more of a struggle given you haven't had enough time to recover from the prior day's session when you over did it. Does that sound familiar? I'm guessing this is the root of your problem, which isn't uncommon in high school players.

if high F is truly in your playable range, and you're not over doing it the day before and are still have the problem, you need to be very self-aware of what you're doing from day to day. Your instructor should be able to help as an outside observer. For me, I had to consciously monitor MP placement and change in jaw position between ranges in order to avoid inconsistency from day to day. If I wasn't paying attention I found those two variable would change slightly from day to day and that would dictate good days vs. bad. I focus on both during my warm up and things fall into the right groove from there. Once you've identified what variables are changing from day to day you'll be able to get them under control.
_________________
MF Fan
__________
L.A. Benge 5x
Holton MF3
Lead Trumpet - My Basement Jazz Orchestra

[charles_stuedemann]

practice low playing, think low when playing high

[GTRPT]

[quote="MF Fan"]I don't subscribe to the advice of, "don't worry about range," "or it will work itself out." That's illogical. If you're physically able to play an F above high C one day, than barely a top of the staff G the next, there's a variable in play that you need to isolate and manage. We all have days where playing seems easier than others, but to lose nearly an octave in range from one day to the next should have a explanation. Consistency is critical if you're going to be serious player. Being able to cut the lead book in practice, then crash and burn in performance the following day isn't a situation you can live with.

Knowing you're a relatively young player, I have a few questions:

1. When you say you can play a high F, can you truly play it on demand consistently within a musical context, or it a note your "hitting" in isolation when you're fresh? Are all the notes below the high F equally strong and controllable on a good day, or is it a note separate from the rest of your range you're somehow managing to squeak out? If that's the case, I'd say it's not really in your playable range. Can you play a clean two octave scale up to the high F and sustain the top note without excessive MP pressure? If not, what's the top note you can play up to in a two octave scale? That's the true top of your range. Squeaking out a high note in an uncontrolled fashion one day and not the next isn't necessarily a problem. Which scenario are you really dealing with?

2. Is there any correlation between how hard you played the day before and what your range is the following day? It's human nature that on the days you're really "on" and playing is easy, your upper register is strong, you will tend to over do it, causing excess fatigue and possible damage. The next day is bound to be much more of a struggle given you haven't had enough time to recover from the prior day's session when you over did it. Does that sound familiar? I'm guessing this is the root of your problem, which isn't uncommon in high school players.

if high F is truly in your playable range, and you're not over doing it the day before and are still have the problem, you need to be very self-aware of what you're doing from day to day. Your instructor should be able to help as an outside observer. For me, I had to consciously monitor MP placement and change in jaw position between ranges in order to avoid inconsistency from day to day. If I wasn't paying attention I found those two variable would change slightly from day to day and that would dictate good days vs. bad. I focus on both during my warm up and things fall into the right groove from there. Once you've identified what variables are changing from day to day you'll be able to get them under control.[/quote]

I agree with you're thought on consistency. Now to answer your questions:
1. The days I play the high F, I can typically play up to it chromatically or in a slur (I can't work on slotting in the upper register because it only decides to show up every so often). The notes below the high F typically are clean and speak somewhat well. It doesn't sound like I'm straining. I have never tried a two octave scale leading up to the note, but next time I will definitely try. The highest note I can play in a two octave scale for an average day is typically around a high B. I would say that I'm squeaking out the high F, but I don't understand why notes under the high F (even just a C is all I'm asking for!) never show up again.

2. I have not noticed much of a correlation between this. It all seems quite random. Some weeks I can play a high C every single day, while others (namely this week) it never shows up.

Thank you so much for responding and I hope that these questions can help you. The next time that I see my instructor, I will definitely ask him to monitor my playing to assure that nothing strange is occurring. In my free time I will do as you suggested and try my best to single out variables. Thanks again.
_________________
Bach LT180S37
Yamaha 4335GSII

[Brad361]