double A by may

RMCullan · Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2002 3:49 am Post subject:

right now the top of my concert range is a high E, but i want to improve it to a double A in the nest 5 months

can someone instruct me in the best way to go about doing this?

Thanks,
Ryan Cullan

Jeff Lambardino · Regular Member Joined: 05 Dec 2001 Posts: 81

rmcullan
Im not sure about the time frame being acheivable with full control and power to a double A. Some detrimental short cuts might get you there in time but the notes may not be solid, full or reliable. I do suggest this though.
Lee Adams has an exercise drawn out in the SuperChops Forum under the thread Super Chops Exercises. No you don't have to be doing the SC embouchure it applies with others with good results.
The one in particular that is so good is the one that he describes as playing scales up,down,backup again and sustaining the top note until you run out of air making two or three articulations while sustaining the top note. Then continue to climb to higher scales in half steps until you run out of chops to control the sustained top note before stoping. Always paying attention to keep mouthpiece pressure as minimal as possible and allowing the lips to learn to grip the air while ascending. Lee can expalin his logic concerning these better than I can. But one thing is for sure. I have used it with my students for nearly two years and the results are fantastic.
No it should not be considered as a short cut but a rock solid and useable range is developed with it. My students who were using those wide interval slurs to build their range by just pecking out the top note were learning lots of bad habits in trying to squeeze out the next highest note.
My advice is to build as much of a solid range as possible without pushing farther than you have good control of.

Jeff Lambardino
Lead Tpt Buddy Rich Orchestra
Lead Tpt Max Gregor Orchestra
Lead Tpt Slide Hampton (Germany)
Lead Tpt Jiggs Whigam (Germany)
Las Vegas show bands

[ This Message was edited by: Jeff Lambardino on 2002-04-28 08:01 ]

Emb_Enh · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 455

Take a simple tune about a fifth lower than your top note.

And play it with ease over and over with much rest.

Space out going up in semitones over the coming weeks.

more explanations are available on my website.

http://members.aol.com/RoddyTpt/

Rgds. Roddy

(ex) West end Lead player London
_________________
Regards, Roddy o-iii RoddyTpt@aol.com

"E M B O U C H U R E___E N H A N C E M E N T"
BOOK 1 also... BOOK 2 + demo CD

[Self Analysis and Diagnostic Trumpet Method]

Quadruple C · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Nov 2001 Posts: 1448

[ This Message was edited by: Quadruple C on 2003-10-01 15:13 ]

rch-tech · Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2002 10:16 am Post subject:

Take two D's and call me in the morning....

(coudn't resist)

screamertrumpet · Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2002 6:36 pm Post subject:

Ryan,
I don't have advice on how you can improve. But, I do know some advice to help save your playing. DON'T RUSH IT! I don't think it's possible to increase your range that fast. All I'm saying is that if you put a timeline on your range, you could develop extremely bad habits in order to obtain it.
Good luck.
Trevor

Redhothorn · Heavyweight Member Joined: 08 Dec 2001 Posts: 1173

Assuming you are set with an enjoyable horn and mouthpiece ... The Maggio System For Brass has done wonders for me. I went from a high D to a high F# in eight weeks one summer back in highschool. You must practice and practice in the right manner to push your range up.

Rusty

tom turner · Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2002 8:52 pm Post subject:

Hi Ryan,

We haven't talked for a while. Its great to see that you are still coming along and are now making good practice.

That A will come in time. It's probably the toughest note on the horn to play though, so I'd shoot for either playing the G below it or the Bb above it.

Most horns don't want to play that A. If your horn will play it you have a gem . . . and if it won't . . . you won't!

Best wishes,

Tom Turner

scream? · New Member Joined: 15 Jan 2002 Posts: 3

waht gave me the double a in one summer was playing clarke exercises ppp for 3 months straight.....and a lot of it....

screamertrumpet · Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2002 4:07 pm Post subject:

scream?,
I guess that makes sense. What you're doing is learning to close that aperture (the little hole in which air comes out) in the chops. I guess if you get used to that closed aperture thing, then high notes could come out easier. But, by doing those exercises and those exercise alone, you don't really get any experience playing way up there.
Incorporating soft playing is what I do at the beginning and ending of my practice session as it helps close my aperture for a long day of playing and for tomorrow's long day of playing.
Good idea, scream.
Trevor

Quadruple C · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Nov 2001 Posts: 1448

[ This Message was edited by: Quadruple C on 2003-10-01 15:14 ]

Emb_Enh · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 455

so how are ya getting on Mr.Cullan? : )_________________
Roddy o-iii<O website
http://www.R-o-d-d-y-T-r-u-m-p-e-t.cC

[ This Message was edited by: Roddyo-iii

mark936 · Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2002 1:45 am Post subject:

Good Luck..

I've been trying for years to get an A to come out of my horns.

Today at a clipper ship launching I played some big, full sounding F#s and some G's on the endings of "Get Ready" and "The Letter." but my horns just don't have A's.

Currently on C.G lesson 16. systematic approach.

Open aperture.

mm

Schilke 14 m/p.
ml Calicchio
1s with 5" bell

mark936 · Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2002 7:09 am Post subject:

http://www.trumpetstuff.com/images/Andrea/OSoleMio.ram

How I would like to sound.

[ This Message was edited by: mark936 on 2002-04-28 10:10 ]

[ This Message was edited by: mark936 on 2002-04-28 10:13 ]

SchilkeB1 · Regular Member Joined: 12 Nov 2001 Posts: 42

Hi,

This may sound kind of obvious, but it works for me. Take the highest note you can hit dependably, and play a LOT of it! Go to the next note, and work on it the same way, paying attention to lip position, air speed, etc. that you use to hit the note with a nice good tone, and each time, try and reproduce exactly what you just did. I even play stuff like the tartini and leopold mozart concertos on b flat sometimes to work on my range.

Don't forget to not blow your lip out, only work on your range as much as you can feel comfortable with.

Eventually I figured out that sometimes I was backing away from the note and not focusing my embouchure inward enough. Now that I make a conscious effort to do this, my range has gone from a high D to a double A since about 5 months ago, same period of time you have to work with.

In order to improve your range, I think the best way is to spend some time workingup there, and eventually your chops will get more used to the extreme notes.

Hope this makes some sense.

Matt

[ This Message was edited by: SchilkeB1 on 2002-04-30 01:52 ]