Phantom Double C

[Garroid]

Got a problem. Been playing for 16 years, play lead in an Army stage band, and can shear the wings off a moving mosqito @ 50 yards with a high g. That note is automatic, it's on command after 3 sets. Anything above that is all air, no notes. Wierd thing is, the air has 'pitch' to it, I can hear notes up to a Double c and beyond in my 'air'.....any thoughts???
_________________
Gary A. Wilder

[Quadruple C]

[ This Message was edited by: Quadruple C on 2003-10-02 20:26 ]

[Garroid]

Thanx, Quad - makes sense. Never linked quiet apeture to the high one....
_________________
Gary A. Wilder

[trickg]

Hey Garroid, no real advice for getting past the G, but I was wondering if your quote, the one from G. Kippola is one and the same Gordon Kippola, or Gordy as he's also known.

I've found over the years that they Army band program tends to be a pretty small world and instead of 7 steps to someone, it's like 2!
_________________
Patrick Gleason
- Jupiter 1600i, ACB 3C, Warburton 4SVW/Titmus RT2
- Brasspire Unicorn C
- ACB Doubler

"95% of the average 'weekend warrior's' problems will be solved by an additional 30 minutes of insightful practice." - PLP

[_bugleboy]

Garroid,

Consider yourself lucky that the air is moving above G4. A lot of players can't get that to happen. Notwithstanding and to the contrary of the standing wave position, I believe when you are getting just air it is because your lips are not touching. I've always affectionately referred to these as air balls, or wind balls (if your from Chicago.....joke ). Getting the lips to just touch, not pinch, is the whole trick to sound production. For some reason (acoustics of the horn I think), making a smooth connection above the G4 is tough. A lot of players, as you testify, can zing G4s all night and get nothing above that. Others can play loud to double C and beyond, but STILL cannot play a smooth scale from high C to double C and be able to move around in that register musically. There always seems to be a speed bump at the G4/G#4 area. So when you figure it out, let us all know!

1.) Very soft low practice is good for getting the lips to come together gently.
2.) Pedal exercises will also help remove pressure and other manipulations which can be preventing the lips from functioning properly in the extreme upper register.
3.) The Caruso interval exercises address this issue head on.

CR

[Garroid]

Thanx, everyone for all the help!
I suspect that the lips are either blown apart, or there is excess pressure.....duh. Another observation made this past week in my endeavor to begin the superchops method, is that I've been using a 'spitz-buzz' for quite a while by accident, quite possibly for as long as I've been playing. I'm also thinking that such a harsh, rather 'foreward' strike can stop the lips from buzzing and all the other factors prevent them from starting again......but why then can't I gliss higher?
I'll be using all of the advice in the woodshed....I'll figure it out sooner or later.
Yes Pat, that is Gordon Kippola, our CO. You could probably tell by his sense of humor...!

_________________
"If you can't scream, or have no desire to scream, what the h*** are you doing with a trumpet? If you want to play a concerto, play violin." - G Kippola

[ This Message was edited by: Garroid on 2002-05-02 18:05 ]

[tcutrpt]

Take QuadC's advice about softer practice. I have been taking that approach for about the last month and my range is getting better almost every day. It still is not great, but I'm playing centered high D's and Eb's every day now with little effort. If you take away the volume of air and focus more on your embouchure center, you'll find it takes much less energy to produce the higher notes. You might be suprised at how quickly the range comes along too! Good luck.

Matt

[mark936]

If you haven't, I suggest checking out rec.music.makers.trumpet on usenet.

"Upper range" post has alot of input along with "Pops"

I'min almost the same boat. Usable G and a real G flat but nothing else. My G isn't on command, sometimes it's on a break.

This doesn't apply to you but something Pops said was spend time each day playing high passages hitting those high notes. He said he would hit the highest note fifty times a day.

Then work on a higher note.

mm
Schilke 14 m/p

[Castle Bravo]

I used to be garroid, and had to switch to a different username due to an incident involving an email change.....

Having said that, I would like to do a follow up on a very old post. The advice I recieved on this topic is still relavent to me today, and the good people on the TH that took the time to respond to my post(s) helped me gain a solid fifth to my range, with squeaks an octave above that. No lessons, I can safely say that I learned how to scream on the internet! Thank you all very much!

[marktrumpet]

Dear Castle Bravo/Garroid
Looking at the posts about a year and two months went by, can you tell the rest of us exactly what worked for you? Not that what you did is going to work for everyone, but it might help some of us who are really struggling. Please.

[Castle Bravo]

In a nutshell, the BE, soft practice (roar softly) low and high with a good 'blow', and play as high as you can with a good sound - full and 'real' sounding.

_________________
Gary A Wilder
ECLIPSE MED CLASSIC GR64Z* GR64MS
www.garyawilder.com/d.mp3
I asked God for a dubba; he gave it. Now for the other notes...

[ This Message was edited by: Castle Bravo on 2003-07-20 04:33 ]

[marktrumpet]

Thanks!