Upper Range development on Eb Cornet

[Dieter Z]

I've been playing Bb cornet and trumpet for 50 years now. About half a year ago I was asked to play the Eb soprano cornet in a Brass Band.

However, no matter what I practice, my range usually does not get higher then a upper G or A.

What exercises have helped you to play all the way up to the Upper C?

On Bb I usually can play up to the Upper D or Eb. Occasionally I can squeak out a F while practicing. But everything above the Upper D does not sound good
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B & H Sovereign 928
Conn 80A
F. Besson Brevette Kanstul made
B&S Challenger II 3137 rl
Buescher 400 - 225 (WWII)
Benge 90C
Eastman 540 D/Eb
ACB Fluegelhorn
Selmer Picc
ACB mouthpieces for most of my playing

[Mike Lockman]

My experience is Eb cornet parts in the British Style brass rarely if ever go above your A. No worries.
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All Bach Strad
AFM 60-471
Phi Mu Alpha

[Dieter Z]

Unfortunatelly we music we are playing has several Upper C's
_________________
B & H Sovereign 928
Conn 80A
F. Besson Brevette Kanstul made
B&S Challenger II 3137 rl
Buescher 400 - 225 (WWII)
Benge 90C
Eastman 540 D/Eb
ACB Fluegelhorn
Selmer Picc
ACB mouthpieces for most of my playing

[bagmangood]

Do you own a high F (or least high Eb) on Bb? because that's the same note (sounding wise) and while it will slot easier, you still need to be able to play that note.

I'd also recommend a smaller mouthpiece than you usually play (if you haven't switched already) for Eb solo parts.
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More than one trumpet
A "few" mouthpieces

[huntman10]

[patdublc]

This comment could be considered a little controversial in the brass band world, but it is an approach that Jens Lindemann discussed with me when I asked him for some direction on Eb cornet.
I'm paraphrasing but it went something like this - he said that he approaches the sop more like he approaches piccolo trumpet than he would a Bb cornet. That includes a fairly small shallow-ish mouthpiece and a floating style of playing. So, he doesn't try to play sop on a deep British style cup. I think he said a Pickett 9D or so.
I believe Peter Robert played on Bach 17C.

This approach helped me.
_________________
Pat Shaner
Play Wedge Mouthpieces by Dr. Dave exclusively.
Experiment with LOTS of horn makes and models.

[Dieter Z]

[Dieter Z]

[bagmangood]

I think you're going to have to work on range and figuring out when you can not play - some of those parts are just color and are doubling the 1st cornet an octave lower (so you can either play it down 8ve or lay off it depending on the orchestration).

You may want to consider something like a ACB 3D top or an ACB 3PT - might give a tiny bit more security up top.

FWIW I typically an older ACB 1.5C, but for stuff like this (and piccolo) I play an ACB 7PT.
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More than one trumpet
A "few" mouthpieces

[HaveTrumpetWillTravel]

The main options seems to be (1) try different gear, (2) do typical high range exercises (slurred and articulated rising chromatics, slurs, practice more in the high range, etc.), or (3) look for a teacher.

Can you find a teacher? Are there any folk who teach soprano cornet online? I could see getting some help making a big difference on adjusting to the instrument. I just bought a cheap soprano and I find it's a lot less strenuous than piccolo, which gave me hope, but it's still quite different from Bb/C. I actually would love to find a good eb player that teaches online lessons, if one exists. A secondary challenge I've found with it is that the literature is not as easy to find/identify.

[Christian K. Peters]

Hello all,
Our sop player took a few months off last year. I filled in for rehearsals for those months, but really did not get a performance out of the deal. My take on Eb playing, echoes the sentiment of approaching it like a piccolo trumpet. Light and fluid. Also, having some discretion when to take the part down an octave so you don't sound like lead in a big band. Totally wrong for the style. Our band has many songs that takes the sop part to C's above the staff. I am good to Bb with the right character. But I do use a narrower/shallower mouthpiece just for endurance sake, when I do play that part.
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Christian K. Peters
Schilke Loyalist since 1976

[zaferis]

I've been playing Eb Soprano in a Brass Band for about 10 years .. And have had some success, and some struggles.
I find most of the selections top out with G's and A's (written) atop the staff. But there is definitely a trend, if you will, of extending that up to the C and D (written) above the staff.
I put it down to some incredibly good players, the masters, around the world that sit in that chair and can play up there consistently and with an "easy" sound - then the rest of us schmoes have to work at it.

Having good equipment helps, and then a controllable approach. Like, Jens Lindemann, suggests, play it like a piccolo, riding gently on top of the ensemble. Far different than lead in a Big Band or even principal in an Orchestra.
I started with a Schilke Soprano that the Band owns, had a Blackburn leadpipe made, which helped a ton, but found the top end to be stuffy - I could get it to work but was inconsistent.
I picked up a CarolBrass Soprano on a whim, and find the tone much more cornet like (the Cornet players infront of me in the band like the tone better) and the upper register is far more accessible. Pitch/tuning however, especially in the lower register is challenging at times - a work in progress.
If I had deep pockets, I know there are some fabulous Sopranos out there, but it's hard for me to justify spending 3 to 5 K on one at this point.

I've settled into a "C"-ish cup, sometimes Curry's 3P (a piccolo cornet shanked mouthpiece). A lighter sound than I might like if I were player a solo, but as a color in the Brass Band it works well.

Of course, working at controlling your range on a big horn regularly is the starting point. Playing up to an F/G, an octave above the staff, is equivalent to the high C/D on the Soprano cornet. SOFT practice of fundamentals: range, agility, articulation, etc. are key.
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Freelance Performer/Educator
Adjunct Professor
Bach Trumpet Endorsing Artist
Retired Air Force Bandsman

[Dieter Z]

Thanks Zaferis. Good to hear from a seasoned Soprano player. Good info.
_________________
B & H Sovereign 928
Conn 80A
F. Besson Brevette Kanstul made
B&S Challenger II 3137 rl
Buescher 400 - 225 (WWII)
Benge 90C
Eastman 540 D/Eb
ACB Fluegelhorn
Selmer Picc
ACB mouthpieces for most of my playing

[huntman10]

Overall, I agree with selectively sitting out parts that just play along with the Solo cornet, or even Repiano, and hadn’t thought of the advice to play more like a piccolo trumpet, which unconsciously had been the reason for my choice to dig out the old Getzen 300 Eb, which has a relatively small bore and downright tiny bell. So, yeah, if my arrangement and director agree, I do my best to channel Maurice Andre’!

But there were several scores we played, most notably, that included the instruction to play lead style, and the director really worked on that. I suppose that is the fraction of our playbook that I mentioned not being strictly traditional BBB style arrangements. We have an upcoming concert with pop selections that I wind up doing arm trills on high Bb, for example.

Not sure if these types of performances are germaneto the dignified BBB soprano cornet catalogue, but it is my experience for 9 years in the trench! And sometimes it is fun to play nasty styles and run off from the front row elites!!
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huntman10 (TH and eBay)
Collector/Player of Fine (and not so fine) Brass Instruments including
Various Strads, Al Hirt Courtois, Schilkes,
Selmer 25, Getzen Eternas, Stomvi Pic, Lots of Eb Trumpets and Cornets Lots Olds!, Conns, etc.