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Mr. Bubbles Regular Member
Joined: 04 Oct 2019 Posts: 25
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Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:30 am Post subject: High notes |
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SO I've been playing center for a while and it's really improved my playing. My band director and private lesson teacher both have commented at improvements in my tone, accuracy, and control while I play. The flip side is the upper register has become somewhat of a trouble. If I'm playing quite and keeping my corners and other cheek muscles tight and I'm raising the back of my tongue I can play a quiet, stuffy sounding high C. If I'm playing loud my cheeks start to puff out a bit which I don't think is necessarily a bad thing because most players I've watched, even my own lesson teacher, looks like they puff out a bit when they play, but I can't seem to have any developments in my upper register. I've been playing centered since the beginning of January and I really need my upper register back since I have CYSO and CYSO jazz auditions at the beginning of April. I'm not really sure what I need, stronger muscles, more/less air, more backpressure, etc. any suggestions welcome. |
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JayKosta Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Dec 2018 Posts: 3303 Location: Endwell NY USA
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Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 10:11 am Post subject: Re: High notes |
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Mr. Bubbles wrote: | ... the upper register has become somewhat of a trouble. If I'm playing quite and keeping my corners and other cheek muscles tight and I'm raising the back of my tongue I can play a quiet, stuffy sounding high C. If I'm playing loud my cheeks start to puff out a bit ... |
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Raising your tongue - talk with your instructors about what else needs to happen in coordination with tongue positioning. You might not have to consciously DO anything else, but perhaps you should let other associated embouchure movements happen on their own - meaning that you might be actively 'preventing' other movements (specifically of the lower jaw position) that would help produce the higher notes. And ask them about how mpc pressure is balanced between upper and lower teeth in the various playing ranges.
Puffing cheeks - yes some slight puffing might be noticeable, but having your cheeks balloon out is not usually a good thing.
Jay _________________ Most Important Note ? - the next one !
KNOW (see) what the next note is BEFORE you have to play it.
PLAY the next note 'on time' and 'in rhythm'.
Oh ya, watch the conductor - they set what is 'on time'. |
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