High Note Routines

[rayhandri6859]

I am a high school trumpet player, and I am considering taking trumpet into college and potentially beyond there. I am more interested in jazz/improvisation than classical though. Unfortunately, right now, I seem to have hit a barrier at a high Bb to a high C (I can play the Bb comfortably while the C starts to stretch things). I've been in this spot for many months now and I really want to extend my range. Do any of you have good high-range routines for me to follow over my winter break? I have a complete lull in trumpet playing for the next 3 weeks, and I'd like to use this break to my advantage.

[JRoyal]

Problems at those notes are common and almost always caused by the production and/or flexibility of the notes below it not being good enough.

Instead of trying to go higher, work lower. something like playing a 1 or 2 octave G scale with a tuner and get that starting and top of the staff G in tune, easy, and where you can come back down the octave. If that top G is really quality the C will be there, after that go learn all the Clarke book. then you can worry about higher notes.

[kehaulani]

"Overcome by events."
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[omelet]

I doubt anyone can give you something to do in a 3 week time frame to expand your range.
It is a difficult situation being in high school, where you can't really take breaks, and you don't want setbacks. However, if you are serious about it, you should do whatever is needed to get progress, and put your trust in a teacher.

[mafields627]

Start with this, preferably in the morning before you leave for school, or maybe right when you get to school if you have time to get in the band room before your first class: https://www.gregwingtrumpet.com/uploads/2/1/4/0/21407028/20_minute_routine_revised_june_2013.pdf

There is nothing magical about that material -- it's just a good, solid fundamental routine. Once you have that solid and do it daily move on to some of the other material Mr. Wing has posted:

Long Tones
Clarke #1
Schlossberg (In order posted on his site)
Expanding Scales

Also, go back to your beginner method - Essential Elements, Traditions of Excellence, etc - and start with #1 playing everything an octave up.

This is NOT a quick thing. You are in this for the long haul. The goal is NOT to develop high notes, but to become a solid, all-around player. The high notes are a byproduct of that.
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No representation is made that the quality of this post is greater than the quality of that of any other poster. Oh, and get a teacher!

[stuartissimo]

The above advice seems solid. What helped me is playing scales over 2 octaves, starting at F below the staff and working your way up 1 note at a time. But like mafields said, it's something to work on and expand on over time.

[GeorgeB]

I'm with Matt. I made a comeback in 2016 after a 50 year hiatus and the Greg Wing 20 minute routine has been a daily part of my morning ever since. It works, but only if you do it every day.
Along with this I expand my morning practice with alternating exercises such as long tones, 2 octave key scales, 2 octave intervals, etc. All told my morning routines runs about 45 minutes.

In the afternoons I play a dozen or more ballads and what not daily for about an hour.

George
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[zaferis]

What Matt wrote.

Within your routine, your daily practice, include work on reinforcing tone & technique, with work on improving all aspects of playing-including range.

Range won't hold you back as much as lack of control over what notes you have.
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[Billy B]

You need to find a teacher who can give you some direction. If you are serious about playing the trumpet, this is not the place.

PM me with your location and I'll find a good teacher for you.
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[JayKosta]

[kalijah]

Forget the "daily routine " approach.

If you want to make a 3 week transition you neet ro take the engine apart and rebuild it. Running around the track dally with what habits you have likely will accomplish nothing related to your goals. You will come out of your 3 weeks with no change or worse.

Take a few days off FIRST. Contact me an I will show you how to proceed. This 3 weeks could be a great opportunity IF you proceed in a particular way.

[gwood66]

I will summarize what others have said and try to give my 2 cents.

Playing more efficiently in the middle register will help you access the upper register. You can achieve this efficiency by first ensuring you have a balanced daily routine. The Greg Wing 20 min routine is a good start. You can use this as a template to build on. You should also be employing the rest as much as you play concept.

The second thing you probably need to do is examine how you are trying to play those notes above the staff. Are you tensing up, clamping down with you lips, overblowing or using too much pressure? No of us has seen or heard you play. You probably need some lessons with someone to help you out figure that out.

As for exercises/methods that can help:

Clarke Technical Studies has exercises that go up to at least F above high C. Check out exercise number 5. You can also use chromatic exercise number 1. Although it tops out at high C, you can use the concept and take it higher. The key for these and other range related exercises is to not force the notes. And stop after 2 or 3 tries to reach the note.

Pops Mclaughlin has an Arban that also has exercises written above high C. He gives it away for free. Do an internes search and you can find his website.

Some methods to check out:

Augie Hass - Build you Range (this one is cool because it has backing tracks)

David Hickman - Trumpet Lessons With David Hickman, Vol. III: Embouchure Development -- Power, Endurance, Upper Register Register

David Hickman - Beyond the C

Alan Vizzutti - High Notes
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[RussellDDixon]

There's a lot of information compiled here:

https://www.trumpetperformancetips.com/trumpethighrange.html
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[Voltrane]

@RusselDixon
Thanks, very interesting and a kind of vaccination against dogmatism!
I like this picture :
https://www.trumpetperformancetips.com/ScottEnglebrightHighRangeTrumpetTips.html
If you add Maurice Andre to the picture with Maynard, it seems you don’t need to be a marathon runner to play the trumpet and use the abdos!
Regards
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[Robert P]

As someone who struggled with higher notes for a very long time - i.e. didn't feel like I reliably owned any note over the staff, for myself it was more about finding the "trick", being keenly aware of the specifics of what's going on when I play than doing endless range-building exercises.

I suggest posting video of yourself playing to the top of your range to give some idea of what you're doing.
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[JayKosta]

Like many others before, the OP has not been back for a while -- maybe he has already received all the help he needs!

But it would be interesting to hear back about situations such as this - just for us to learn whether anything positive has happened, and what it was.
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KNOW (see) what the next note is BEFORE you have to play it.
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Oh ya, watch the conductor - they set what is 'on time'.

[kalijah]

[Voltrane]

The dogmatism from people that think there is only one way to go to Rome…
Happy new year.
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