I can't seem to expand my range

[oliver king]

I am using the Getchell book to work on range and tranposition. I will play a lesson as written then play it through the cycle of 5ths. I am finding that it gives my ear a work out, flexes the brain a bit and gives me a common sense method to work on range. Overall the results have been good. I think (maybe wishfully) that I am gaining a degree of lyricism as well as range. More wishful thinking ..... because I am playing a series of patterns across all of the available keys I will get a few added points for improvisational technique.
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Holton B47
Frankenhorn projects 1-5
Adams F1
Olds Super Tenor Trombone
Alesis QS8
B2MS3, B2GS3,

[sdhinote]

Hey skidawall! HERMOKIWI is absolutely correct in his post. Your equipment and mouthpiece are probably fine (although, personally, I'd use the 37 for everything... a much better horn).
Developing a good, strong upper register is a matter of finding a well-written upper register method and actually making the commitment to practice it! I was a student of Cat Anderson's for many years and started with him when I was in high school. I know a lot of people dismiss his method because of his book, which is barely understandable. I am going to toot my own horn here (so to speak) to say that I have just finished re-writing and re-organizing his method as The Real Way to Play the Cat Anderson Trumpet Method and it is available as a downloadable eBook. If you (or anyone else) is interested, visit my site at www.therealcatandersonmethod.com. If you decide to buy it, great! If not, find someone else's book, but stick with it! You'll get there!
_________________
Geoff Winstead
Author of "The Real Way to Play the Cat Anderson Trumpet Method"
www.therealcatandersonmethod.com


CarolBrass Artist (model CTR-4440L-YST-SL custom bronze)
Solista Flugel
FoKus L.A., Artist & Flugel mouthpieces

[gtromble]

This suggestion is based on personal experience. While your problem might be because of something like 'stretching' vs 'compression' in your chops, I would focus first on it being an air delivery problem. I learned that in the way I was playing as I was ascending, I was unintentionally choking off the air. Now, I didn't 'feel' like I was, and if people said "keep your throat open" I would say "I am," -- but I wasn't. For me, the epiphany didn't come from thinking about the throat or the back of the tongue. It came by learning about the vocal concept of the 'head voice.' Approaching the trumpet with that concept instantly changed my playing and opened up the top side. As soon as I did it I realized what an open throat really felt like. There's a brief mention of this by Carter Eggers, Eastern Michigan U
http://www.emich.edu/music/wpnew/trumpettune.html
“Sing the vowel "OO" with your head voice rather than your real voice. You will learn to get "over-the-break" from your lower/mid register to your upper register by switching from your regular voice to your head voice. As you progress, keep projecting your head voice down into your chest and your throat will open more and more as will your upper register sound.”

I hope he doesn't mind me posting it. Anyway, investigate the 'head voice' - perhaps talk to one of the vocal teachers at your school and they can quickly turn you on to it.
_________________
Galen Tromble
Silver Spring, Maryland

[Craig Swartz]

Are you really trying to expand your range or just play higher? Gordon's Systematic Approach might do you some good, even if you don't delve into the pedals. I've always had a good "low F#" as well as a decent upper register. I think there's a correlation there, not going to take pages to explain, but getting things "lined up", high, low or middle are important. Unless you're a real, serious lead-only player, it's pretty hard to have a full tone up high if it doesn't happen easily in the lower register as well, at least in my personal experience. Good luck.

[jhatpro]

Everyone should re-read Hermowiki's posts. He is absolutely right in every respect. I would add only:

1) Range improves when your rhythm is rock solid, too.

2) Frequent, short practice sessions will do way more for you than one marathon sitting.
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.� Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

[Yamahaguy]

Without a good teacher to help you, I think you are wasting your time.
More specifically- if you want to play well in the upper register, then
take lessons from a high note specialist. I could always "hit" high notes,
but now I can "play" them because I took lessons from Tony Kadleck and
Roger Ingram.
JMHO-
Peace,
-Dennis

[textr]

Well, one good way to get above your cut off point ("high D") is to practice long tones very very softly. The long note drills in the Schlossberg(first 4 or 5 pages) book are a good place to start. VERY VERY SOFTLY !
You can also practice the first study in the Clarke Tech. Studies in this same manner (very very softly) and just expand the drills up past where they are written. Practicing these studies very softly helps your playing in many ways, but one thing that it does is to help define and refine the aperture, thus helping to develop control. Also start on p.42 in the Arban book and practice through p. 56 softly , this will help you to gain embouchure strength. Work with a metronome and work them as indicated.
BUT Yamahaguy gave the best advice of all when he suggested that you find a good private teacher, a teacher that understands the upper register can offer you real guidance in this area of playing.

[Jerryardo]

[cheiden]

In my limited experience only a small percentage of players play much higher well. And I seriously doubt a book, method or internet post will improve your chances of being one. From what I can tell your best hope is to find a pro teacher who plays like you want and hope they can can show you how.
_________________
"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart

[JayKosta]

[falado]

Hi, I see you say you studied classical, but here is what I don't know and haven't really seen covered.
How are your fundamentals?
Have you played through each part of the Arban's Book?
Can you play through all the scale (major and minor), arpeggios (major, minor, diminished, augmented), and tonguing exercises (single, double, and triple) with little to no mistakes?
Have you started the Characteristic and solo exercises in the back of the Arban's?
Have you done Clark I and II with Etudes in the Clark Technical Studies?
Have you done any Colin, Irons, Williams, or Schlossberg lip flexibility exercises?
Has your teacher covered these fundamentals? If not, you may need a new teacher. I discovered years ago, and by accident, if you do lip flexibility exercises correctly, range is a biproduct. It trains the tongue and use of AIR. Read the following, if you can:
The intro/preface to the Charles Colin Lip Flexibility book, Brass Playing Is No Harder Than Deep Breathing by Claude Gordon, Clinical Notes on Trumpet Playing by Roger Ingram, Don't Nobody Miss by Bill Knivitt or any of the Knivitt books. Go to Jeff Purtle's website and read and watch/listen to the videos and recordings. Book some lessons with Jeff or other reputable trumpet teacher.

I teach high and middle school band and most freshman have trouble with playing G on top of the staff if they haven't practiced, haven't done fundamentals, developed bad habits, or had private lessons and CONSISTENTLY practiced the right stuff. Consistency, playing the right material and smart playing (rest as much as you play) are key to getting range. However, it's a slow process and you should be more focused on playing correctly. Patients and practice (proper prior preparation, perfect practice= perfect performance, etc.) are key. You pay a private teacher to listen, watch, correct bad habits, and give direction.

I know I put some fuel on the fire (here comes the flaming), but this is what I see through my experience and observation.
Hope this helps,
Dave
_________________
FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
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Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet

[Rod Haney]

My issues with GOOD hi notes was an increasing thinness in tone starting at hi c, the note didn’t have fullness as notes below. I took lesson with Bobby Shew and he recommended that I increase spacing between teeth in the mid register until I achieved the best tone, then work with that spacing until I could play up to hi e with full tone. I have been working this for 3 months and have taken it to hi d with amazing results. Many more suggestions helped but I simply wasn’t getting enough air to my lips. After getting the e we will begin to use the jaw forward to get higher notes and start work to hit the really high pivot points. This turned the light on for me and taught me what I need to get for a playable range to hi g and beyond.
Rod

[Shaft]

Re: Tongue articulation location.

Yes, I articulate about a centimeter back from the
tip of my tongue on the underside of my top teeth.

Since the tip is anchored behind my lower teeth
and the whole tongue is pushed forward to
compress the air.

You are correct on it feeling different.
It took me some time to get used to it.

I push the tongue forward above the staff.

Everything below that I normally articulate
in the more traditional Tu and ta style.

————————————————————

One thing worth mentioning though.
When I posted the prior post I was
thinking about the tongue arch being
used to help skip a slot when slurring.

It does help with extreme upper register
compression as well, hence the comment
for articulations.

[Lionel]

[JVL]

From 2009 to 2020 !

[Avan]

[Lionel]

Avan,

Correct. However I can't for the life of me understand why you would infer somehing else in my post. Read my words over carefully again. They do not dispute your understanding at all.
_________________
"Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but if I kill all the golfers they're gonna lock me up & throw away the key"!

Carl Spackler (aka Bill Murray, 1980).

[Avan]

[Lionel]

[ApgarChops]