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pandawee
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 8:11 pm    Post subject: RANGE Reply with quote

I have been rendered extremely frustrated recently, as I have attempted to increase my range (which is excruciatingly limited to a G above the staff on a GOOD DAY), although I have been practicing daily with scales, trying to get it up. The problem is, I USED to be able to play that high, a mere couple of months ago, while in marching band. Why has my range just disappeared? I read somewhere that mouthpieces make a difference? That a 1/2C mouthpiece makes it harder to play high? (I use a 1/2c Bach megatone mouthpiece)- is that the problem? Should I switch mouthpieces? If so, to what? Is it that all of a sudden I am not suited to trumpet? I'm extremely frustrated.
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Robert P
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do you mean a 1 1/2C? With a 1C you should be able to get to at least a decent high C. If you can't, it's something you're doing, it's not the mouthpiece.

There's something off about the mechanics of how you're playing that's getting in your way. Unless there's been some injury or drastic change in your embouchure like you lost your front teeth, any "I used to be able to and now I can't" complaints mean that there's something you're doing differently. I'd suggest posting a video of yourself playing and also look for a competent teacher. How long have you been playing?
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pandawee
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have been playing for 6 years now. I don’t notice a change in what I’m doing, to be honest: mouthpiece in center of lips, lips tight, etc...
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Trumpetingbynurture
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How long have you been playing? Do you have a teacher?
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Robert P
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pandawee wrote:
I have been playing for 6 years now. I don’t notice a change in what I’m doing, to be honest: mouthpiece in center of lips, lips tight, etc...

The change can be very subtle - you're always walking a tightrope when you play trumpet. There are a lot of variables - teeth opening, how far your lower teeth/jaw are extending, how your lips are lining up with your teeth, oral cavity/tongue level, pressure distribution between upper and lower lip, whether the way you're tensing your lips is right, whether you're pushing enough air. If you can do something one time and can't another time, you're doing *something* differently, you just don't have enough awareness yet of what's going on when you play.

For what it's worth, it's something you'll deal with for as long as you play trumpet - no one is 100% consistent. Really good players just have a better percentage of getting it all lined up.
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Billy B
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get a 3C
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HERMOKIWI
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 8:29 am    Post subject: Re: RANGE Reply with quote

pandawee wrote:
I have been rendered extremely frustrated recently, as I have attempted to increase my range (which is excruciatingly limited to a G above the staff on a GOOD DAY), although I have been practicing daily with scales, trying to get it up. The problem is, I USED to be able to play that high, a mere couple of months ago, while in marching band. Why has my range just disappeared? I read somewhere that mouthpieces make a difference? That a 1/2C mouthpiece makes it harder to play high? (I use a 1/2c Bach megatone mouthpiece)- is that the problem? Should I switch mouthpieces? If so, to what? Is it that all of a sudden I am not suited to trumpet? I'm extremely frustrated.


G directly above the staff isn't a very high note. The mouthpiece isn't your problem. There are no magic mouthpieces. If your top note on a good day is G directly above the staff it's clear that you have fundamental technical issues which are unrelated to the equipment.

The fact that you've been playing for 6 years means that whatever fundamental technical issues you're having are very pervasive, to the point that you are probably just getting more entrenched in doing the wrong things and, so, will continue having these problems. After 6 years you should have at least a reliable high C (two ledger lines above the staff).

Currently you're experimenting and hoping for the best. That method is not going to work for you. You need to work with a qualified teacher who can diagnose your problems and guide you in the proper techniques consistent with range development.
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dstdenis
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 8:48 am    Post subject: Re: RANGE Reply with quote

pandawee wrote:
I have been rendered extremely frustrated recently, as I have attempted to increase my range (which is excruciatingly limited to a G above the staff on a GOOD DAY), although I have been practicing daily with scales, trying to get it up.

If your range has been topping out at a G5 on a good day after playing for 6 years, then I suspect either you haven't been practicing consistently, or haven't been practicing a well-designed program of skills, or have been trying to learn these skills but in the wrong ways.

You know what comes next: get help from a really good trumpet teacher.

pandawee wrote:
The problem is, I USED to be able to play that high, a mere couple of months ago, while in marching band. Why has my range just disappeared?

No idea. Lots of possible reasons, but it'd be a guessing game without more info.
pandawee wrote:
I read somewhere that mouthpieces make a difference? That a 1/2C mouthpiece makes it harder to play high? (I use a 1/2c Bach megatone mouthpiece)- is that the problem? Should I switch mouthpieces? If so, to what?

Yes, mouthpieces make a difference. Without seeing you, I have no way of knowing whether a 1.5C is a good fit for you. A really good teacher or mouthpiece fit expert could tell.

pandawee wrote:
Is it that all of a sudden I am not suited to trumpet? I'm extremely frustrated.

I understand your frustration. No, I haven't read anything from you here that proves you aren't suited for trumpet. I do think you need to practice properly every day to develop the necessary skills.

I don't know for sure, but I strongly suspect that you will have to work on some basic skills before you think about adding a lot of range. (This might be why you're stuck: trying to add range before developing a good foundation for playing, or trying to play higher notes with bad form.)
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cheiden
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 8:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lost range usually means your daily playing is out of balance. When that happens I usually try to ignore range and work on fundamentals for a while. If you don't have a good grasp of the fundamentals then you really need to get with a pro teacher and get shown what the fundamentals are and how to approach them.
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NevadaBigHorn
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 10:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You wrote "lips tight". I don't know about everybody else but my lips are never "tight" and are fairly relaxed up to at least D above high C then very slight increases in tension. Are you trying to muscle your way to better range? In my experience that's a frustrating and inconsistent way of playing. Most of what happens in your body that enables high range happens before the air gets to the chops. Again, my experience.
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Robert P
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 2:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Who decided you should be playing a 1 1/2 C? Going to something like a 3C or 5C probably wouldn't hurt but it's not the answer to your issues. I have a 1C and a top of staff G on it isn't much more effort than on my high-note oriented mp.
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rufflicks
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 3:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My first suggestion is that you find a teacher that has a good upper register and has a proven method for register development. Easier said than done yes I know but if you want to improve a teacher is key.

Here is a range video play list. Within this channel there is a playlist that links to other channels with valuable information.


https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjtQbOLXI0BB_2bn5GjxlWCYsEM8DDVTH
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pandawee
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 8:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for your tips, guys! I'm a highschool student and my teacher is a professional trumpet player. I see a lot of mentioning of fundamentals- could someone elaborate on this? I have All region tryouts in January and I need to be able to play comfortably higher by then.
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pandawee
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Marching season ended a couple of months ago- by any chance does that have anything to do with it? Increased pressure on mouthpiece? overblowing? etc; could all of this be affecting my ability to play currently?
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HERMOKIWI
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 9:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pandawee wrote:
Marching season ended a couple of months ago- by any chance does that have anything to do with it? Increased pressure on mouthpiece? overblowing? etc; could all of this be affecting my ability to play currently?


Based on your original post you've never been comfortable playing higher than G on top of the staff. So all the things you've mentioned are not significant factors. It's not your trumpet, it's not your mouthpiece, it's not overblowing or fatigue, it's not any of that. It's the fact that you have fundamental deficiencies in your technique. If your teacher is a professional trumpet player then you should be consulting him/her and he/she should be able to diagnose your issues and give you information which will head you in the right direction.
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