Strange and bizarre problem with the start of my high notes

ianpatrickroe · New Member Joined: 05 May 2020 Posts: 6 Location: London

I hope this isn't in the wrong section, as it's not about the register that is TOO high. This is my first post so I don't want to mess up. Hi all.

I have searched endlessly online and no one seems to have the answer to this problem I'm having. After having some time away from the trumpet, I am re-building my embouchure, and struggling. At the moment this very strange thing is happening when I am only playing the higher D (so not that high at all), and for some reason, at the attack of the note, it seems to slip a few more notes higher and then come back down, very quickly. It only lasts a millisecond, and it's subtle but it's not a clean entrance to the note and I need it clean.

How do I solve this, it just keep continuously happening and no amount of practice is solving it? What am I doing wrong with my lips? Am I the only one? No one is talking about this issue online. It's strange because I never had this problem when I played as a kid (I was very good back then) but as a 33 year old adult, who had got back into it, I'm stuck on this issue.

Thanks ina dvance.

JayKosta

royjohn · Posted: Tue May 05, 2020 12:10 pm Post subject:

I agree this is part of the learning process and I would also state that this is a great problem to have, as it may indicate that your embouchure is free and ready to go higher without strain. I would even encourage this "flipping up" to see where I could go in the higher range. Most people do not have this "I'm playing too high" problem, so I would consider myself lucky if I had it.

You have obviously hit on some kind of natural knack. When I started back on trumpet I tried all kinds of things to access the high register. Ultimately, it was work with a Reinhardt teacher that helped me find my natural embouchure and access the high register. When the teacher helped me figure it out, I was astonished at how easy it was. If it's a great struggle, you're doing it wrong. So rejoice in the fact that you're doing something right naturally and investigate how that works to bring it under conscious control.
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Trumpets: 1928 Holton Llewellyn Model, 1957 Holton 51LB, 2010 Custom C by Bill Jones, 2011 Custom D/Eb by Bill Jones
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ianpatrickroe · New Member Joined: 05 May 2020 Posts: 6 Location: London

ianpatrickroe · New Member Joined: 05 May 2020 Posts: 6 Location: London

[quote="JayKosta"]

royjohn · Posted: Tue May 05, 2020 4:33 pm Post subject:

Well, sorry you didn't like my first answer...I still think that hidden in the small blip is a sensation of flipping up effortlessly to high notes, something everybody wants.

HOWEVER, here are a couple of other ideas. I'm assuming that the blip occurs when taking an interval up to a high note and I'm wondering if you are pivoting too much...so-o-o-o I'd suggest just being aware of the horn angle and any change as you approach the high note. Just be aware of what happens as you get the blip and then the note settles down...maybe it's a horn angle change.

My second idea is to approach this stepwise. Just go up the scale slowly in quarter notes, half step slurs. Start g-g#, g#-a, a-bflat and so on. See if the notes are easier to get that way. You can hold the second note to see if it's steady. See if you can go higher with a secure attack this way. If this works better, you can devise exercises that give you more of an interval up to the second note, like g-a, a-b, etc. then g-b, a-c, b-d (thirds) and so on. Then also try stacatto notes in scales going up: g,a,b,c,d,e,f#,g. I'm thinking a few days of practice and maybe this or maybe something else will make some improvement. You played these notes OK before, so the muscle memory ought to be accessible in time. Good luck and let us know what works.

If you don't wan thos little blips, put them into an envelope and send them to me and I will practice them and turn them into big fat high notes...LOL.
_________________
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 . . .

cgaiii · Posted: Tue May 05, 2020 4:55 pm Post subject:

You obviously can play the note, so I think the simplest answer is audiate the note. Hear it in your mind. Singing helps. If like me, your mind gets a little lazy when you change pitches on modern trumpet, trusting that the valves will lead you to the right place, you just think "higher." In this case, you are thinking that the note is hard to play so your mind gears you up and bingo, you hit something higher. Sing the note (you can use a phone app like Cleartune to generate a pitch if you are unsure), hear it in your mind, play what you hear.
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JayKosta

BobList · Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 9:24 am Post subject:

I've found a little too much pressure on the upper lip will do what you are describing. (Blipping too high). Transfer a little of that pressure to the lower... see what happens. Bear in mind, not enough pressure on the upper lip will have you blipping lower on the attack before the note centers... so it's a matter of centering it in.
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delano · Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 11:59 am Post subject:

What’s ‘the higher D’?

zaferis · Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 3:10 pm Post subject:

stop, stop , stop... for our beginner/chop rebuilder, go out and get some face to face instruction. Trying to "solve" problems as a beginner is treacherous. Self-analysis is challenging for a mature player - as a beginner you nothing to base any conclusions nor have you established any base to work from. You're looking for anwers without knowing what the real question is.
At this rate you're heading straight into a sprial of inconsistancy and never ending speculation.

Go find an instructor
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Beyond16 · Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 5:18 pm Post subject:

This happens to me too. If I've been playing cornet for a couple of weeks and then switch to trumpet, it seems worse. Either the cornet is easier to play, or I'm just used to it.

rmch · Regular Member Joined: 20 Sep 2012 Posts: 94

Do you have a teacher? A teacher can hear you, see you, and get a much better assessment of what is going on than all of us can from reading your post. That being said, something that might help you understand where that note lives is to start the note with a breath attack instead of tonguing it. Have the fingering already set and then start moving air into the horn and slowly start bringing your lips together until the note sounds. Whatever your corners, aperture, air, and tongue position are doing in the moment when it sounds is what you need to do every time in order to play that note. If you want to talk about it more, feel free to message me.
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