What is the best method for increasing one's range?

[spyke]

I know it may not be the thing I need to focus on most, but I just wanted to hear some recommendations as to what I should be doing to developing my high range. I have a deep-seated wish to be able to play double high Cs. Thanks!

[TMPTChewie]

Listen to trumpet music and get a good concept of sound, something good to emulate especially in the upper register, mine was Arturo Sandoval. It doesn't do any good to emulate friends or the nonpros who sound like you stepped on a duck...

It also be in your best interest to read other topics in this forum and research other embouchure techniques such as TCE, POPS, Balanced Embouchure, Maggio, etc. Don't buy anything without the research especially when it comes to mouthpieces. I particulary had a solid double G on a Bach 1 1/2 C before I started to buy smaller(than the 1.5C) diameter mouthpieces which is what really helped me as a trumpeter all around.

Enjoy.
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[Craig Swartz]

One thing that would help is obvious- start playing a little higher a little more often every time you play. Take simple tunes up a 4th, 5th or octave. Play all the major and minor scales 2 or 3 octaves, lots of easy ways to push yourself without subscribing to one camp or the other. If you can find a decent mentor/teacher in one school or another, try it. There are a lot of different concepts as to what works, and the proponents of one over the rest will all say theirs is best if followed properly. They'll all work. The one thing that is basically the same, however, is that you will have to play higher, and longer. There seem to be a lot of kids and others hanging around here that think they can maintain a 30 min per day playing schedule and be able to play lead for 4 hours. Really, does that sound reasonable? Good luck.

[tipo mastr]

Personally, I recommend you read up on Claude Gordon. His method WILL work, but only if AND ONLY IF you do it EXACTLY as it is prescribed. This entails years of building up fundamentals and will most likely elicit improvement in nearly every other area of your playing. You may not see tremendous improvement in your high range right away, but as long as you are careful to do it correctly, it will work.

There are methods that may potentially have you playing a double high C (albiet small, but who cares? ) after a few weeks. However, this does NOT entail less work than a method such as Claude Gordon's. You most likely will have to make up for the "lost" time by working out consistency, flexibility, articulation, etc anyway.

In other words, if you simply want to be a guy who can play a double high C, look into Callet, Walt Johnson (I've acheived some success with his ideas in the past), etc. I have heard good things about jeff smiley's approach (balanced emb.) but I haven't read into it at all.

However, if you want to OWN a double high C, and every note in between, along with the power, flexibility, and accuracy that' demanded of in professional playing, you WILL have to put your hours in. The reason why I recommend a system like Claude's is because it is focused around a routine that will work if you follow it.

better safe than sorry.
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[crzytptman]

The things you practice that make you a better trumpet player will also increase your range.
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[butxifxnot]

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[brandonstewart]

[razeontherock]

Nobody's mentioned BALANCE. Yes, playing quietly, esp developing the control to be able to do that up high w/o strain is one exquisitely useful tool for developing upper register. But I find if I play so quietly that I'm at less than my ideal tone, it does me less good unless it's short and sweet, as in part of a very specific exercise and I really know what I'm doing with it.

OTOH, quiet playing is most useful when it's adding BALANCE to your playing, meaning you've been doing lots of loud playing. We probably all go through a stage where to ascend you're going to crescendo; nuttin wrong with that! Many will argue that's the way the instrument's designed, and there's no sense trying to fight it. There's certainly a place for that in daily playing, and the only time not to practice like that at all is if you've been beating your chops w/ the high / loud thing excessively.

High / low, loud / soft, tongued / slurred, quick flexibilities / long tones - it all needs to be BALANCED.

And playing musically within your range w/o strain, but including your upper reaches of that is necessary.

I offer a counterpoint to the "pick one method and stick with it dogmatically" idea. Using Claude Gordon as an example, he has great ways of developing windpower. Everybody can benefit from that, even if you aren't dogmatic about everything he says forever. Exposing yourself to a broad base of knowledge to find out what works for you seems sensible to many of us.

[LeeC]

Best bet is: Get a gig that forces you to maintain a steady, healthy system.

What good is a High G if you typically burn out by the end of the week?

We hear an awful lot about ways to improve the upper register. These efforts usually involve what I call "clinical support". Where you develop and maintain an elementary level of expertise in the upper register. Like a High F/G maybe even Double C.

While these technical books are sometimes (not always) useful at first a real gig or at least a series of weekly commitments prepares the trumpet player for a working range. It is the high note available at the end of the gig that is all important. Every thing else are largely just theoretical notes.

Couple years ago i took one of my current jobs away from a trumpet player who had a few more notes up top than me. Not many but his High A (top of fourth ledger line) seemed a lot more controlled and easier than my own. However he was INCONSISTENT from one night to the next!

And here on trumpetherald you can probably subtract at least a perfect fourth or more from what the average person claims is his "usable range". A strong reader with a mere good High C is a valuable player. And a lot more rare here and elsewhere than one might suppose.

[Matthew Anklan]

Arm curls.




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[76strad]

arch the tongue, blow, wedge breathing, etc

[76strad]

flexing abs, sit ups, running, etc

[John Holifield]

Lots of sleep.
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[Maxtpt]

The best way to improve the upper register is to listen to great trumpet sounds up high and try to match them! And patience and practice...

The high range will come when you develop a beautiful, easy, relaxed sound and set up in the low and middle registers then bring that up. Play peddle tones and try to bring that relaxation and column of air up through the horn and keep the sound wide and consistent as you go up high. Really great high playing is just a reflection of great overall playing. Work on using your air and making a beautiful sound all over the horn and the high notes will come!

Other than that, play high consistently! It's a trained reflex like everything else, so practice playing high softly and loudly, articulated and slurred... Challenge your range every day and work on all aspects of your playing up there(always with a beautiful, open, relaxed sound). Work on your trumpet playing and the high notes will come! I'd try Bai Lin and Laurie Frink's "Flexus" to develop flexibility, as well. Both GREAT books to work out of every day!

[John Mohan]

Very easy to answer question.

If you're just interested in developing an upper register, then buy "Double High C in 37 Weeks". I think you can find it on Amazon. It'll give you an upper register, and the amount of practice time per day won't be all that much. But it won't do much for you besides develop an upper register.

If you want to develop ALL aspects of your playing, including range, power, sound, technique and musicality, then get Claude Gordon's "Systematic Approach to Daily Practice for Trumpet" and the various other books it assigns material out of (this info is in the book).

I was a struggling High School trumpet player with a range only to High C when I discovered and bought "Systematic Approach". Within a short time after starting the routines in the book, my range which had been stagnant for 5 years started climbing. In addition to developing a practice register from Triple Pedal C to G above Double High C, the info I learned from Systematic Approach, and eventually from Claude Gordon personally, led me down the path to a wonderful career as a professional trumpet player.

Arturo Sandoval used a smuggled-in copy of "Systematic Approach" to develop his phenomenal upper register while still living in Cuba. And the reason I bought my copy of "Systematic Approach" was because Maynard Ferguson recommended it, as his lead trumpet player Stan Mark had been one of Claude's students. By the way, the next time you all happen to hear the theme song from the TV show CHiPs, as you listen to that screaming trumpet melody, know that the player is Bob O'Donnell - another Claude Gordon student.

How's that for a bunch of endorsements?

Sincerely,

John Mohan
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[Dale Proctor]

The Schlossberg book is also good for developing range, both high and low. Not too sure about a double C though...
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[garrett901]

There really is no "easy way". The best thing is to expand your middle register (in both directions), play every day and rest as much as you play. There are a number of books on the subject and one can spend a lot of money in the pursuit. Arbans is a great book. Take the exercises up a third, then a fifth etc... until your playing the book an octave higher is one easy (figurative speaking)way of doing it. Don't have an Arbans book? then use any similar book, or make up your own. I sometimes just use a book of scales. Play them two octaves up and down, make up some rhythms and play the scales that way. Be creative... Concentrate on producing the sound quality you want, and don't compromise that quality for the sake of range.... Be patient, it will happen, I promise...
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[kramergfy]

One way, that's been mentioned above and has worked wonders for me is moving the center of your range up.

G on the staff is the first note I play everyday, at a comfortable MF, and without any attack, just breath. Once it rings freely, I spiderweb my way down to middle C and up to High C with slurs, then tonguing. Then I'll usually tongue chromatically up to a High G, then do slurs up and down throughout my entire range still keeping the volume moderate. After this, I'll alternate articulations, volume and such to keep things fresh and challenging. And at all times, SOUND is the key. I improvise orchestral type solos or fanfares, or jazz lines and whatnot to keep it musical. For me, practicing needs to be about music. I take all the gems I've taken from various sources, and apply them all in different ways that help me. In a sense, I've come up with my own method that works for ME. You'd likely need to do the same. A good teacher (which is irreplaceable) will do this for you regardless of what method they might turn you on; everyone has their own specific needs.

My practice range has has improved greatly, and thus I feel more confident about things in rehearsal/performances. I'm currently working on the "wall" at A above High C. Was stuck at F sharp for a long time, but now have moved up to G Sharp, and have "accidentally" played above that a few times - and it was easy too! (just goes to show how psychological it all is). Just be patient. (FWIW, I do all of my playing on a middle of the road mouthpiece (3c-1.5C range), with a reasonably open backbore, and a standard weight ML bore horn.)
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[John Mohan]