To freak or not to freak

[DaveH]

I think it's some of both.

I think a lot can be accomplished with good instruction and lots of work.

I also think that certain people will always do it better than others, and for whom it will be easier, for other reasons that have nothing to do with instruction and work.

[rebus9]

[tim_wolf]

[tim_wolf]

Another "freak" from the orchestral side was Thomas Wohlwender, former 2nd trumpet of the Cleveland Orchestra. He could play the Carnival of Venice, and hit the high "F" at the end--at ten years old.

[NYC-player]

In high school I had a brute force high F...and rarely a high G. Which was a brick wall. I could play theat F or G at ffffffffffff, but never pay a G# or an A

In my 20s something just "clicked" and I "discovered" more extreme notes. I gained a fourth or a fifth in a day.

I learned how to use and compress air differently, my chops changed from a stretch/smile player to a more forward chop approach and frown shape.

Now it took a decade to figure out what was really going on with my chops and tongue.

But it wasn't dental stuff. Wasn't "building strength" etc. Long tones, pedal tones??? Nope. Just a discovery, and correcting some inefficient and ineffective issues that NOBODY could have shown me.

[rebus9]

[NYC-player]

The best I can describe what I discovered:

Relaxed corners, open jaw ( doing this puts me in a frown shape automatically when my mouth is closed) and my bottom lip now is over my top teeth.

I might be an upstream sort of now. Instead of stretching, I compress top and bottom lips, and my chin now bunches up as I ascend.

This is my always set up. I only focus on keeping everything relaxed. And I play on pretty small hardware about a 10.5C ( or smaller) rim and shallow cup, tight backbore.

I have more endurance the more I play music, and not just practice high notes. Lots of articulations helped me get used to my new set up as I recall.

[rebus9]

[NYC-player]

It wasn't that drastic of a change. Mostly just relaxing my corners, and opening my teeth, everything else fell in to place

Nothing else really changed with my lips. No tucking or rolling in or out...that I'm aware of.

I think smaller hardware also helped me, and playing melodies INCLUDING articulations in the upper register. That helped me to learn to back off on over blowing and using too much air.

[ConnorJ]

I think while there is some natural ability involved in playing in the extreme upper register, being able to use that high range is completely different and no natural gift will help you with that. For example, I can play double G and squeak the A, but what I consider to be my "usable" range tops out at around a high D ("usable" being a range where I can actually use the notes rather than ascending up a scale to reach the extreme high register like I have to for the G).

Yes, there is probably some natural element to the upper register, but I believe turning that register into something you can use musically and accurately can only be done through practice.
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A bunch of Blackburn trumpets
A bunch of Vennture mouthpieces

[lakejw]

When I got to music school (college), my next door neighbor in the dorms was much better than me. He could play a double G as a freshman, and I was topping out at C on a good day. In order to preserve my fragile ego, I convinced myself that some people are high note players, and others, like me, just weren't. Of course I never saw the years of serious practicing he had put in to get to that point.

The best advice I ever got about the high register was from a trombone player that could play higher than me (on trumpet!). It was "practice your high register every day." I developed high note routines for expanding range, flexibility, and endurance, and worked at them every day for years, yes, often at a detriment to other facets of my playing. I'm still working on it, and always will be. But my conclusion is that anybody can learn to play high, with the right focus and commitment.
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New Album "ensemble | in situ" on Bandcamp

johnlakejazz.com

[John Mohan]

All aspects of trumpet playing, including the upper register, require the development of strength and coordination, just like any other athletic activity. Some fall into the knack of it easier than others, but anyone can develop the ability if they know how, what and when to practice and then have the patience and tenacity to stick with it long enough for the development to occur.

I think I am good evidence of that fact. I did not fall into the knack of playing the upper register easily (though fortunately for me, most all the other aspects of playing came along fairly quickly with proper practice). But eventually when I set about seriously attempting to develop my upper register (around 2005), I developed a practice register to G above Double High C with a consistent performance register to Double High C. Sadly, if I don't do certain playing exercises every day, my strength level drops and my upper register limits drop by about a half octave. But that's okay. I know what to do if for some reason I feel the need for those notes in the future.

Best wishes,

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

[razeontherock]

[danny45635]

[razeontherock]

[razeontherock]

[razeontherock]

[razeontherock]

[razeontherock]

[rebus9]