Never ending Endurance Difficulties

[CJceltics33]

I’m only 16, but I’ve been practicing regularly for over a year. 2ish hours a day for the better part of that year. I’ve always been incredibly careful not to overtrain my chops, and stop playing before fatigue. I break up my practice sessions into small segments. I participate in regular rehearsals and concerts.

But my endurance is on par with peers who never even bring their trumpet home from school. When playing a slow song/etude, I make it about 10 bars before I become fatigued and have a thin, airy sound while making continued mistakes. The problem appears when playing fast, technical passages too but it isn’t as noticeable.

Being a patient person, I continue to practice and try idea after idea. Isometrics are some refularly. I’ve tried the whisper G, shorter practice segments, longer practice segments, ending practice fresh, ending practice beaten, long times, some lip slurs, different mouthpieces, different embouchures, etc. I’ve pretty much tried every piece of advice that has “improves endurance” attactched.

Yes I’m patient, but I’m also ambitious, and it’s frustrating to watch peers nail high C’s while I am forced to play down an octave, despite continued and thorough practice.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

PS I also take weekly private lessons.

[Andy Del]

This is an interesting post. The very first question anyone will ask is: what does your teacher say? Then, have you followed this advice to their satisfaction? What other suggestions have they made?

Following these answers, one can usually work out if A) the student just needs to work a little harder and follow advice, or B) thy need a new teacher.


From what you have described, it appears you have tried quite a few different things in only 12 months. This is a very short period of time; patience seems to be mutually incompatible with this. That said, avoiding 'overtraining' at all costs means you are going to also avoid building your stamina. If things are going pear shaped after 10 bars, then this is not endurance, but your production setup, it isn't being maintained so you can continue on playing. If this is not the case, and you have things setup properly, then there is only one thing. Patience.

Just like you will grow taller, your playing will improve if you continue to put in consistent effort. Shouting at yourself won't make it happen faster, just like shouting won't make you grow faster!

Hope that helps a bit.

cheers

Andy
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[adam.arredondo]

Things that it took me a while to figure out even while taking lessons from excellent instructors and practicing well-prescribed exercises (Arban, Schlossberg, Clarke, etc.)

(1) I was playing on a mouthpiece that was too big for me (Schilke 17) to play several hours a day, which is necessary as a working professional or a college music major.

(2) The muscles around my aperture were too tight.

(3) Playing in ensembles that are way out of tune is the most taxing on the chops.

Basically endurance is dependent on a little muscle strength and a highly efficient use of those muscles. Lip slurs and long tones are great for building strength. Clarke Technical Studies are great for building efficiency.
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Adam Arredondo
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[brassmusician]

One of the darndest things about playing the trumpet is that it can be easier for some and harder for others depending on their physical attributes, lips, teeth, jaw and how they go about using them. It sounds like you have tried a lot to build your strength without success. I recommend getting a few lessons with a trumpet teacher that has a reputation as a 'chop doc.' I can think of Jeanne G Pocius, Clint McGlaughlin (or Pops) who probably can help you via skype. There more which others might recommend. Doesn't have to be someone in your town in these days of the internet.
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[LSOfanboy]

[zaferis]

Yes, the trumpet can be frustrating and we are all not equal. Certain aspects come at various rates.

Along with many of the prior comments .. are you practicing range in your routine? Extending scales, lip slur exercises (flow studies, overtone patterens), etudes that include range challenges?

We all are not screamers!.. Play musically, with good tone and work on everything.
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[CJceltics33]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I guess I do need to have consistency and patience with each thing I try...I believe I need to do a solid lip slur routine daily.

Something I did not mention: Previously I had an embouchure that rested too low on the lips. Almost 3/4 lower and 1/4 upper. About 2 months ago, my teacher guided me through an embouchure change to make it half and half. This was done in hopes of providing me with more endurance and a fuller sound.

To answer LsO’s questions: 1) The range is a factor. The higher it is, the more tired I’ll become. Even notes at the top of the staff become taxing. Low stuff is definitely easier but I still can’t last an etude.

2) Louder is much harder. Marching band is particularly difficult. My dynamic range decreases faster than my range. Recently I figured out that by practicing piano, I can have a more efficient practice session, so I have implemented that.

3) Prior to the embouchure change, it was a high c. The end of a tune I could probably hit a C/B as long as I had some rest prior to it. But a high C at the end of a phrase? No way. Now, my range is about an A flat. Playing Clarke one pianissimo I can hit the high B, though. At the end of a tune? A G above the staff, if I play it piano. I typically have my full range even at the end of my practice.

4) A Bach trumpet with a Curry 3C.

5) Interesting question. I can only answer based on similar exercises. I did Clarke’s minute drill and that wasn’t an issue. Caruso’s 6 notes killed me, though. Cat Anderson’s whisper G was somewhere in between. To answer your question, I think I could go a fairly long time if at a soft volume.

6) Closer to fresh than beaten. The muscles feel worked, but not bruised or uncomfortable Or beaten.

Other questions:

My range practice these days is just Arban exercises. (Remember I only have an A above the staff). I have always hated practicing range, because it just makes me tired, and I am unable to practice fresh the rest of the day. Oh, and I’ve jut begun trying to do more Colin and Schlossberg lip slurs.

Hope I remembered all the questions. Thanks!

[adam.arredondo]

I played in large marching bands (250–375 people) for 8 years. Only in the last couple years of college did I figure out just how diligently I had to dial back my volume to prevent over-use. The problem mostly arises from how hard it is to hear yourself, which makes you play louder, spreading your aperture unnecessarily wide and tiring you out. The best fix is to use one or two earplugs so you can hear your buzz.
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Adam Arredondo
New Orleans
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[jhatpro]

Try thinking about trumpet playing as an athletic event because it truly is. That means nutrition, hydration and sleep all affect your endurance - probably more than you realize.
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Jim Hatfield

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[LSOfanboy]

[wohlrab]

[CJceltics33]

LSO, thanks very much for your thoughtful response. I will work more on breathing exercises, and also think about nutrition and sleep. Also I believe you nailed it with saying a practice soft but not resonant. That has crossed my mind but I always put it off and say “pianissimo is good for my chops.” So thabks again.

Wolrab, I had endurance issues before the change as well. I’m currently on month 2.

[Bill Ortiz]

What helps me more than anything in regards to improving endurance is playing lyrical etudes, softly and slowly-resting as much as I play between exercises. Approaching Clarke tech. exercises help in the same way-good luck :)
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[jerryv914]

I would say breathing has something to do with this, it explains 90% of playing problems. Plus soft playing focuses the embouchure. Als would recommend focusing on fundamentals, ie the first 6 pages of Schlossberg and the first 20 or 30 pages of Arban. Plus Clarke.

Never play tired, rest as long as you play. Divide your practice into segments

[jscahoy]

[scottfsmith]

I am in a similar point in my playing in that I don't have the greatest endurance or range. Recently I've made a bump up thanks to a little exercise, maybe it will help you as well.

Along with breath, lips, mouthpiece position, etc, the tongue is a key to endurance and high notes. You want that tongue funneling a strong narrow stream to play easy and play high. One big problem is teachers can't see your tongue and so its really hard to advise students on how to correct tongue position problems.

My teacher gave me a little exercise in the last lesson which has helped me become more conscious of good tongue position. Play a loud low note like middle C, then slur to the highest squeaker you can hit and at the exact same time play it as softly as possible. You will need strong breath support but a tight airstream. After doing this for awhile observe what your tongue is doing -- its getting way up there in the back and it may be moving back overall. Transfer this to all of the notes around the top of staff and higher by doing the same thing for them - one way is to play all your warm ups loud low and soft high.

I would second the opinion above to take a Skype lesson or two with a real chops expert, they have years and years of experience just with embouchures and can help you in ways beyond most teachers.
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[John Mohan]

[jerryv914]

Hi John,

I think by Clarke’s minute drill he means the tonguing at the very end of the Setting Up Drills

[CJceltics33]

Hey John,

I believe Clarke’s minute drill is single tonguing sixteenth notes for a minute straight. The theory is you do it at 80bpm for two weeks, then 84 for two weeks, etc. I got it from Trent Austin’s YouTube channel.

[Billy B]

<Being a patient person, I continue to practice and try idea after idea.>

Where are you getting these ideas?
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