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Mouthpiece slippage at high register



 
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MrWineGum
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Joined: 02 Jul 2019
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 8:08 am    Post subject: Mouthpiece slippage at high register Reply with quote

Hello everyone, slightly new here!

Been having some trouble lately with high register development. At the moment I can hit a c above the stave with relative ease, the d after that will come on a good day, any higher than that is a bit of an ask for me at present!
I'll be taking up lead position in my university jazz band in September, so obviously do need that kind of range for day to day playing.

The big issue I'm having is that after about half an hour of playing (gigs we do are generally two 45 minute sets, so that's not a great amount of time for me), I find that as I climb higher in the register, the mouthpiece will gradually slip off my lips - think top lip positioned too high above the mouthpiece cup. This is really strange because I'm holding a pretty solid grip. The movement appears to be entirely facial.

I have just switched mouthpieces, moving from a Denis Wick 4X (didn't feel a connection with this mouthpiece) to a Yamaha Bobby Shew 'lead' (so far feeling much better and has made 'high' d attainable). If the slippage is a symptom of this and will disappear with time then I'm happy, but ideally I'd like to learn to practice it out of my playing.

Any other tips for high register development are definitely appreciated.
I look forward to your insight!
Oliver
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Lionel
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Joined: 25 Jul 2016
Posts: 783

PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2019 11:00 am    Post subject: Re: Mouthpiece slippage at high register Reply with quote

MrWineGum wrote:
Hello everyone, slightly new here!

Been having some trouble lately with high register development. At the moment I can hit a c above the stave with relative ease, the d after that will come on a good day, any higher than that is a bit of an ask for me at present!
I'll be taking up lead position in my university jazz band in September, so obviously do need that kind of range for day to day playing.

The big issue I'm having is that after about half an hour of playing (gigs we do are generally two 45 minute sets, so that's not a great amount of time for me), I find that as I climb higher in the register, the mouthpiece will gradually slip off my lips - think top lip positioned too high above the mouthpiece cup. This is really strange because I'm holding a pretty solid grip. The movement appears to be entirely facial.

I have just switched mouthpieces, moving from a Denis Wick 4X (didn't feel a connection with this mouthpiece) to a Yamaha Bobby Shew 'lead' (so far feeling much better and has made 'high' d attainable). If the slippage is a symptom of this and will disappear with time then I'm happy, but ideally I'd like to learn to practice it out of my playing.

Any other tips for high register development are definitely appreciated.
I look forward to your insight!
Oliver


I like your new mouthpiece. However isnt it a near radical change from your Dennis Wick piece? Granted my experience with Wick equipment is limited to just observing other very good classical trumpet players. My eyes detected that the Wick pieces were very large. As such I am speculating that your move from Wick to Yamaha Shew was a major change. I'm not dissing either piece at present. Just encouraging a more moderate decrease in cup volume snd inner rim dimension. Copy?

I have found that even the most mildest of cup size changes can still take me a couple of months to iron out all the kinks in it.. Hey here's an idea I came up with about mouthpiece size selection from five years ago. Esp good when going from large to smaller.

Warm up and begin the gig with your larger mouthpiece.

A. Choose smaller graduated changes of mouthpieces. This is especially applicable if you're changing to a smaller piece.

B. As you start to get fatigued in the upper register? Then switch over to the smaller piece.

C. As the days and weeks pass switch over to the shallower piece earlier and earlier during your performance. Until you can rely confidently upon your new piece right from the start of the whole gig or rehearsal.

Your change over tp the new mouthpiece is now largely complete. However do keep the old piece around. In case your chops swell.
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Andy Cooper
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Joined: 15 Nov 2001
Posts: 1804
Location: Terre Haute, IN USA

PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2019 2:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is there any possiblity your problem is simply increaced persperation as you play longer? If so, try a plastic mouthpiece or polish your mouthpiece rim with Hagerty silver polish.

Hagerty's has some sort of wax in it to protect the silver. It also makes the surface a little "tacky". I absolutely hate that feel and spend a day or two getting it off of new mouthpieces. Still - just the thing if you want a "dry" feeling mouthpiece.
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scottfsmith
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Joined: 27 Jun 2015
Posts: 472
Location: Maryland

PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2019 4:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My perspiration is very oily, and I have slippage problems if I don't keep my lips free of oil. The simple cure is to wipe them off every now and then - I just lick an inch around the mouth, then pat dry with a cloth. The more hot the playing area the more that is needed. The lips don't need to be completely dry, they just need to be free of oil. Don't do too often or the skin will suffer.

One thing I like about this is I have removed one variable from playing, my lips always have a similar level of grip which doesn't change over time. I also wipe off the mouthpiece rim when I wipe off my lips as oils from the lips collect there as well. Some rims are also simply more slippery than others due to materials and surface polish; I wipe off the slippery ones more than the less slippery ones to help equalize things.
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JeffM729
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Joined: 27 Dec 2004
Posts: 441
Location: Parrish, FL

PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perhaps your mouthpiece is slipping after half an hour because you begin to use more pressure to compensate as you fatigue. The pressure then causes the mouthpiece to ride down on your chops as you strain to play above the staff. Probably your best bet is to get a teacher to address this.

No matter what the reason, building strength in your chops is the answer to gaining facility in the upper register. There is lots of great advice here from players far more skilled.
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