Ways to keep upper register solid when getting tired?

[agarnica95]

Hello all,

I play lead in my university's big band and it has come to my attention that maybe I am not as strong as I thought I was. My range is fine, I can typically hit most notes between high C and double C every day, but the second I start getting too tired my usable range cuts off at around a high F. This is troublesome because I want to be able to play with my "complete" range through an entire set. What are some things I can do to help with this problem?

Thanks!

[CJceltics33]

1) Ensure you’re playing the right mouthpiece for the job

2) Take your fundamentals up in the extreme upper register.

3) Practice all types of articulations throughout your range.

4) Watch overtraining during practice. Don’t be aftraid to take a light day.

5) Keep playing the things that got you your range.

Best of luck to you,
CJ

[Lionel]

Yeah I concur with CJ. Especially on getting some support from the mouthpiece.

There are so many cool things you can do to modify a mouthpiece to get a big sound but with enough support from the shallow cup. Perhaps I'm in the minority here but Ive either made a living or played a ton of fairly good amateur gigs over many years. And having the right equipment is very important for me.

It takes a while to adjust to shallower mouthpieces but they work great. What I like to do customize my piece so that I can play a couple sets of big band lead even without practicing for 3 or more weeks. I dont ever intentionally stay away from the horn so long. However since Im constructing a whole new embouchure this year, Im not practicing on my regular system at all. And yes, I can still blow down a lot of lead even without actually practicing. Of course using my new embouchure does kinda keep my old chops going.

However occasional long vacations have also tested my mouthpiece theory. And its fer sure that even with lots of time off I will still have at least decent lead chops. And here's why this is just good sense,

Because if my mouthpiece allows me decent lead chops even without any conditioning? Then I'm far less likely to end up with stiff, swollen, over-trained chops.

However the player using a mouthpiece too large to make lead playing easy? Is always at risk of swollen stiff chops. An over-trained embouchure is the nemesis of many a trumpet player. Although he usually doesnt know it. Signs of over-trainsd chops are,

Warm up takes too long.
Hard to play soft and accurately.
The lips just feel fat.
Easy stuff is hard.
Hitting "air" on high notes you usually nail well.

As well as other symptoms.

As for mouthpiece recommendations? This is always personal. Changes should be made in graduated depth adjustments. It can literally take five years to slowly work down to a very shallow piece. And on ant shallow cup? I would never use a tight throat. A #23 is my preference. Whereas standard pieces run tight. Like #26 - #28. Pretty good for a standard depth but too shrill for shallower pieces.
_________________
"Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but if I kill all the golfers they're gonna lock me up & throw away the key"!

Carl Spackler (aka Bill Murray, 1980).

[INTJ]

Ageee with all the above and will add:

Play high notes a LOT but NEVER strain.

This is a must in our practice time and we need to stick to that as much as we can while rehearsing with the band. If we play past when we should and start straining to play, we begin to teach our bodies that we MUST strain. When I see that happening to me I need to take a day or two off to reset.
_________________
Harrels VPS Summit
Wild Thing
Flip Oakes C
Flip Oakes Flugel

Harrelson 5mm MP

[HERMOKIWI]

Build more strength or become more efficient (or both).

The only way to build more strength is to exercise the chops, which means to increase the stress limit by playing more in the high register. The danger there is suffering an injury so you have to take this as a long term project.

You can get help with efficiency through equipment. It's easier to play the high register if you're playing against more resistance (up to the point of too much resistance). The simplest way to increase resistance is to do so with the mouthpiece. Shallower mouthpieces and smaller drill holes increase resistance. Resistance helps keep your embouchure in place so your muscles don't have to work as hard. "Getting tired" is just another way to describe an inability to keep the embouchure in place due to muscle fatigue.
_________________
HERMOKIWI

[shakuhachi]

to OP:

In no way I can compare to your "only high F when getting too tired"...

...but I can quote a great one - Roger Ingram:

[theslawdawg]

[Sustained note]

Maybe something George Vosburgh explained here, on how Adolph Herseth did it - starts at about 13:45
https://vimeo.com/253800020
_________________
Michael Greenberg

Giv'at Shmuel
Israel

Trumpet: Schilke B1 (2005)
Mouthpiece: Schilke Soloiste MG1
(Marc Geujon) gold plated
----------------

Keep a sense of humor.

[Pete]

Pass some lead parts to other players. That helps too.

Pete

[TKSop]

Don't play louder than you have to - it WILL carry and as much as it's fun to play loud up there, it's better to keep enough in the tank to blaze the final couple of numbers (if you must totally exhaust yourself) than to be playing on empty by the end

Be aware of your tuning tendencies - a lot of people go sharp up high when tiring, some go flat... Whichever you are, be aware of it and move the slide to compensate when necessary - if nothing else, you'll strain less and that last bit of endurance will last longer.