If you want to play high, you first need the potential to play high. The Trumpet Prof shares three essential tips for successful high note development.
I often hear "there's more to life than high notes". I totally agree. So why do I dedicate most of my time to them? Well 70k views in 7 months would suggest it's not a bad place to start! But if you think it's because I want everyone to play double C's you have missed the point. Play high effortlessly and you'll do everything else the same way. You'll rarely worry about stamina or hitting the highest note in whatever piece you are playing. You'll have more confidence in your ability and perform without fear. In case you missed that section take a look 1:42 - 2:20. It's not about the high note; it's about what comes with it. TP
The Trumpet Prof hey, thanks for the great video it really helped me out. Also I noticed that when you play, your neck puffs out. Mine does the same thing but no one else at my school does. Do you know why this happens and if it affects anything? Thanks!
As one of my voice teachers said, high notes reveal bad technique. It's like walking a high wire vs. a low wire. The technique is the same for both, but the consequences of faltering on the former are much more obvious!
Larnell Lewis once said something similar in about drumming. You sound the best when you are not overtaxing your brain, so the only way to play difficult things WELL (or reliably) is to learn how to play something even more difficult (i.e. increasing the upper bound of your ability)
It's not about playing high. It's what comes with it which is important. I will play that high because I'm pushing the boundaries of what is possible and so far achieving. I'm discovering new things both for myself and others. Composers are doing the same with the music they write and the sounds they create. Technical advancement is necessary for all. Forgive me for not responding to your second point but I have no idea what it means. TP
I am an ex trumpet player now 89 years old and I am finding your lessons and explanations fantastic , I have been practicing without the trumpet for 3 weeks by just buzzzing and I am already going from bottom C to top C by just breathing the sound, wonderful keep the lessons coming ! Regards Alan Clarke.
Paul, you are nothing short of a legend! I had been stuck on hi A for ever, occasionally squeezing out the squeaky B. I watched your video a week ago and started digesting your own concept of pressure, flow and where the resistance might come from... a week later it finally came to me, putting together what other great trumpet players fail to understand and hence fail to explain about what it takes to play high notes, your concept was they key to make sense of it all. This morning I picked up the cold trumpet, no warm up whatsoever and I hit, sustained and replicated double hi C going up and down the scale ... YOU ARE A LEGEND!
So refreshing to see a pedagogically-sound trumpet video on youtube. An interesting set of opinions and approaches. I have not heard your thoughts many times before, but it is nice to see someone who is successful in using them. The pressure bit is likely, as you pointed out, the most controversial. Thank you for putting out content for people to see and use. I'll be checking out the rest of your channel.
I just came across this channel and I have to admit to not really playing much of late and just needed a little inspiration and some direction. Watching and practicing along with this video has enabled me to quickly get the lips responding and those simple 3 principles of SIGH/ RELAXED TOP LIP/AIR PRESSURE are very useful starting points to building up confidence again and revisiting some pertinent points to get back into the trumpet playing saddle after a period of digression. Much appreciated.
Thank you, Professor, I've been struggling for so many years to develope a higher register. All I end up doing is pressing the mouthpiece into my lips and "chopping out" in minutes. I don't know how to keep my top lip relaxed. I'll work on your exercises from this video and see if I can accomplish this. Thanks again Aaron Malberg
The way that high G came out reminded me instantly of Malcolm McNab who can also play super high but without losing any beauty of tone. That's rare, most often you hear people scream out top high notes on very shallow mouthpieces. I once met a old trumpet player travelling around who had adapted his trumpet so he could play micro intervals accurately. He could whisper out very clear but not screaming super high notes without any effort at all.
Thanks. It requires a very specific way of playing. The biggest challenge is actually to develop the lower register sound to match the upper! That's what took me the time. TP
Thanks Paul. Great video. I'm a comeback player and absolutely struggle with the A to high C range. I've been doing the James Stamp exercises which involves going from pedal tones to the upper register. I was primarily focusing on not manipulating the embouchure and maintaining a solid airstream to achieve the expanse of the range. Thanks to your video, I never considered maintaining resistance in the low register. I simply just relaxed the entire embouchure to play below middle G. I also noticed any note below middle C was always flat and with poor tone. Since your video I've been holding the embouchure in shape and trying to focus the low tones (increasing resistance) and it's actually been helping the upper register. Thanks for the insight.
Good to hear and thanks very much.. Throw away the "rule" book! It's not easy to let go of conventional ideas and techniques but if we knew the true source of them we'd probably never have wasted so much time with them in the first place! Experiment with ideas that make sense and can be explained. Keep me posted. TP
I played the trumpet from 5th to 12th grade and I graduated 20 yeas ago in 1999. Not once was I ever taught any of this from our music teachers or directors. I truly learned something new but I haven't played in years. Maybe I'll start to pick my trumpet back up again. I was able to hit a high A with no problem but the high C would sometimes give me trouble and now I finally understand why. Thank your for this valuable information!
Hello Paul, great job with you videos! Thanks for sharing all the trumpet technique goodies! I wonder if you can and would want to make a video that is focused on the physical aspects of trumpet playing and practising. And maybe share your take on how your playing techniques affect body posture, and how to practise this to avoid pain and problems.
Very interesting tips indeed! I would appreciate to see them discussed deeply and I expecially look forward to your remarks on the point of resistance. About some years ago, as an outcome of a lengthy crisis I found out about buzzing techniques as has been taught by Reinhold Friedrich and Kristian Steenstrup. This changed everything and brought me back to playing with confidence. Finally I happened to get a Yamaha 8335LA which instantly proofed to be the right trumpet for me. I am playing it with a Monette B3FS7 mouthpiece, so my setup can be described as "very free blowing".
Thanks for your comment. My first impression is that you do pretty much the opposite of what I teach! Important therefore for me to say that I'm not against any method or system because they all pretty much work for somebody. What I'm more concerned with is the level of potential each method / approach will set for an in individual. My views and beliefs are polar opposites to Steenstrup (that's for another time) and Friedrich approach I don't really know. If you're happy with your engine and it does what you want, then there's really no point changing it! TP
This is, for sure, one of the most useful trumpet thoughts video I have watched. I feel fortunate that i have find this. Thanks Paul, thanks for share all for free. You are inspiring me to caption all this kind of things that we should feel when we play and wich I was discovering in the lasts months. And, as well, how to practice to get those sensations. Thanks for these wise tips!!!!
Great video. I struggle greatly trying to play even tough i practice every day for 20 years. I feel people should not be encouraged to play trumpet alone. It should be in tandem with another family of instrument. I strongly believe it is anatomy and how calm a person is that is the underlying factor to playing successfully. Not to a virtuoso level but to a degree where you can enjoy playing music with others.
Even as a tuba player, this was some helpful :) I'll be trying some of this. Sometimes I have inaccuracies in my extreme high range. Of course tuba players use that top octave all the time in performance, so I'm always looking for different perspectives. I buzz every day almost so I will be trying this on the mouthpiece first.
Thank you so much!! I'm a student in Middle School and I've been struggling to play a high E in my Scale Test, I've only managed to play it a few times and now that I've watched this video, I managed to play a high E more often!
After watching and trying along with the video just once, I could play way higher than before :D this was so helpful. Sighing really makes a difference
I have been teaching Brass instruments for 38 years and have watched many videos on brass pedagogy. This is absolutely the most compelling information on you tube. I was a long time student of carmine caruso
@@pasqualegallo8234 I studied with Joe Marcinkiewicz (excellent player, trumpet manufacturer, and teacher). He spoke very highly and based his own teaching methods on those of Carmine Caruso.
Hi Paul. Very thought provoking videos. The concepts you develop here are very well explained, though one needs some experimentation I guess to prove these working. The sigh is very common amongst brass player's talk. The thing you do with the mouthpiece is new to me, and I cant quite grasp the concept (yet) and the air pressure is a great tool indeed ! Cant wait for the other videos to come out. Thanks for sharing.
That sigh thing actually came from trumpet players who regretted not trading the horn in for a guitar or a keyboard so long ago. The high range would be no problem and the chicks wouldn't think of your playing as being as obnoxious...sighhhhh....
When say keep a relaxed upper lip are you referring to not putting too much pressure on the top lip with the mouthpiece so as to not stopping it from vibrating?
That's probably why the oboe is felt as such a "difficult" instrument: requires quite little air, but very high pressure, something which is very counterintuitive. The trumpet and the horn (the latter expecially in the higher register) seem to be quite similar to the oboe in regard.
Just finished watching this and I feel enlightened :) Your way of teaching is top notch! Can you also make a video about embouchure? Buzzing vs Free-Buzzing approaches? I'm so glad that I have found your channel!!!
Hi. Yes I'll do that at some point. I see very few advantages in lip buzzing if you want to set your potential at the highest possible level. The air inside the instrument can move your lips sympathetically when it is excited, therefore any tension or obstruction of free movement will only upset this process. There are some benefits to free lip buzzing but for me they are more to condition muscle strength. TP
I'm enjoying your videos and practicing your techniques. Here's my problem. I find that high and soft is much easier than high and loud. I can play up to high C when playing softly. But when I have to play high and fortissimo, for example the last part of 1812 Overture, everything blows up on me. My chops are gone and there is not enough chop strength or air support to overcome the fatigue. Please address the issue of high and loud and talk about a path to get there.
Trumpet prof. This is very inspiring. Especially when I have been trying to do the same thing-not just playing high, but doing it with comfort, control and clearity. Thank you for boosting my confidence. Please, I want to learn to play lower notes like the lower C up to the next Cs. Please I need your help with something that can help me learn it. Thank you so much.
Don't try to make your low notes feel easy. Resistance is important in all registers of the trumpet and although it is possible to play low notes with very little effort it will not give you efficiency across your range and will limit your potential. Blow a narrow air stream into the mouthpiece which does not vibrate or buzz. The lips alone should not make a sound. The mouthpiece alone should not make a sound. When the trumpet is attached it will turn the air into sound so be patient and let the process happen naturally. Your lips will be drawn together you do not need to blow them apart. TP
I was a high school trumpet player in the early 70's - the days of Maynard Ferguson and Bill Chase (and other jazz and rock brass men). I had a fairly good set of "chops" for a high school player of that time and played lead in our stage band. But, in the summer between 11th and 12th grade, I went to a music camp. I was first trumpet in the orchestra and was introduced to classical orchestral music and the demands made on those trumpet players. We played the overture to Handel's music for "The Royal Fireworks Display." I found out that jazz trumpet players were not the only ones required to play high notes. Furthermore, orchestral players cannot "scream" the high notes but must play them with the same accuracy, tonal quality, and articulation as they would an octave lower. I was able to play the high "e" but never with the ease and accuracy of a professional. I did not go on to a career in music. But over the years, I listened carefully to orchestral players and gained a great appreciation their phenomenal talent. Actually, it was a realization of the amount of discipline, time, and practice required to become even a moderate professional - and discipline was never my strong suit. LOL. I continued playing as a hobby in community bands and even played some in the pep band of the local High School into my 40's. I simply relied on my JetTone Bill Chase model mouthpiece for high notes. Then for many years, I hardly played my trumpet at all. Needless to say, high notes of any sort are are no longer in my repertoire! LOL.
This is fantastic information Paul - looking forward to the next video already. Regarding relaxation of the top lip as we ascend - are there specific exercises one can do to achieve this?
Hi. Yes there are a few so I'll include them in a video soon. I'm also starting a Tpt Prof Facebook page which will be a great place to expand a bit on the videos. Should be up in a week or so. TP
Great video Paul. I like it! The tips are amazing too. Would it be fair to say that the lip can still form a “shape” but maintain a relaxed feel? I tend to follow what you say but with a “non tense” whistle mouth-shape, which for me maintains accuracy and control.
Hi Jon. Thanks! Yes you are absolutely right. The lip can be shaped in almost any way but still remain relaxed. Retaining a shape is vital because we still need "form". Hope all is well and hope to catch up soon. All best, P
I'm guilty of all of the negatives you mentioned. Wow, I've got lots of work to do. My range is a consistent high C and I bump D occasionally. But I can't seem to increase range. I will be practicing your method, although I'm not real clear on "resistance ".
I see lots of trumpets and a trombone how do u split your practice time, does it depend on your preferred instrument receiving more attention to maintain competence?
Paul, I love your videos--they are very helpful and you're an amazing player an enviable tone quality / control in the upper register. I'm an amateur comeback player who has been playing consistently for about a year and a half. I could never get above the staff much back in high school and a little college despite a lot of practice and lessons. I stumbled across some other RUclips videos and have had success playing more relaxed and open and now high C isn't very difficult and can consistently play F above High C now, although I'm still working on my dynamic control, articulation and usefulness of the top of my range, etc. My question is about the section in which you pull the mouthpiece off and there's a pitch on the mouthpiece. When I pull the mouthpiece off, especially in the low to mid register (i.e. up to E on the staff), there's no pitch--just air. I thought that was a good thing, showing that my aperture was open and I was playing relaxed. Is that incorrect? Should I be playing in such a way that a pitch comes out? I thought only beginning students buzz on the MP to make a sound on the instrument in the low to middle registers and when they do that the sound isn't very good, it's tight and nasally, etc. Can you please clarify / help me understand? Thanks again for all the great videos you're posting; they've been a big help!
Hi John thanks for your comments much appreciated. Yes I see how this may seem to be a contradiction but the key is to "play it at a good dynamic. Play it at a good healthy forte." That's the most important part. If you play it around mp-mf ideally you shouldn't hear anything except silent air as this indicates the lips are relaxed and have good spacing. If you play it louder and you still get no sound your lips are probably too open OR you don't have enough resistance. This question has come up a few times actually but I always encourage players to listen to every word! The answers to most of the questions I get are actually already in the videos! It doesn't matter how high the pitch ascends but experiment with your set up until it goes up. Hope that helps. Keep in touch. TP
@@TheTrumpetProf Thanks Paul! I'm so glad I asked this, I'm going to give it a try. Thank you. I forgot that you did mention playing it forte--makes sense!
Hi Paul, this video is great! Can you explain a little bit about the embouchure setting? That will be very helpful . Greetings from the Dominican Republic
Returning to the trumpet after 50 years, I find myself falling into the old habits of straining in the upper range. I comprehend the 'sigh' and relax the top lip. I would like to ask for a bit more on air pressure. I'm not getting the mechanics of increasing air pressure when coupled with the sigh. Thanks, your videos are great!
Hi Robert, apologies for my late response. There's sighing and trying to sigh. The sigh creates a strong feeling of moving air at low air pressure (the feeling in your lungs). If you sigh and quickly close your lips the sigh is on "hold" and you have a feeling of high air pressure; these are the two extremes. What I am talking about creating is everything in-between. So if you have the sigh on hold and then open your lips a tiny amount you have engaged the sigh again but at high air pressure. The more you open your lips the lower the feeling of pressure in your lungs. So TO BEGIN WITH when you play; try to create the high air pressure feeling for high notes AND for low notes. If you experiment this way anything you discover will be positive. I'll address this again soon now I'm back up and at em! TP
interesting side note would be that the whistle pitch of the mouthpiece changes if you cover the cup, (as it is with your lips there. It changes again if you put your finger in the cup to cover the entrance to the throat, You can play it a bit like a swanee whistle!
The top lip always tenses up for me, which messes me up and it’s sad I’m doing band and I can’t hit a F and sometimes even a normal high c.. the Sighing technique helps a lot though
Your instruction is great, and it ties a lot of ideas I have heard before together in a much more cohesive way. I have a question--when I do the "sigh" exercise and go higher, around E above staff, I start to feel that my diaphragm is contracting to "push" the air --in other words, instead of feeling relaxed, as in a sigh, it is more effort to move the air past the resistance of my embouchure. I can "hit" the E above the first one above staff--and I can play C above staff well--but, my endurance above A above staff is not good--in a session if I hit C above staff a bunch of times, it really exhausts me (and I can't hit that C more than a few times in a session), so I am wondering if that is a sign I am not breathing right, and should be able to get the lips vibrating at high notes, without pushing the air with my diaphram?
Hi, thanks for your question. To play high you need to use a lot of effort! But we must try to transfer the energy/effort to the stronger muscles and at the same time keep the throat area relaxed and natural. That is the role of the sigh. You will feel contraction in lots of places but as long as you focus on pushing/delivering your air from the chest (sigh) you will find the engine begins to function more freely and efficiently. Embrace air pressure! Hope that helps. TP
Very interesting video! I came on it very much on purpose... I generally agree with your explanation. You are a fantastic teacher! But, one thing you were saying about the lips to be open can course a problem to the attack of a note. If this attack has to be clear, you need to start with closed and relax lips inside the embouchure... A high blower in a big band does not have tot care about this, but a classical trumpet player needs precision in his attack... I wanted to share this with you... Rik Ghesquière, trumpet player Brussels Philharmonic
Thank you for your comments and kind words. I don't disagree with your approach to achieving a clean "classical" articulation but it can be done successfully both ways. I prefer to generally advise lips open and then allow the player to experiment with a couple of exercises until a more focussed personal position or placement is found. The whisper tone exercise and also removing the instrument while playing are effective ways to allow the player to find the correct position, feel and positive signals. I agree that having the lips too far apart can cause articulation issues but coupled with the right exercises and understood outcomes it gives a less general and more personal approach. I hope my viewers will read your comment and experiment with both approaches but although It's a subtle difference I personally think the "space" sets a higher level of potential. It's a privilege to also get the opinions and thoughts of professional players challenging all aspects of trumpet technique and thinking so many thanks for taking the time. TP
What if I can achieve a high note(double c), but when i do it sounds strained and forced. Even though I'm relaxed and not pressing on my face with the mouth piece. Even though im taking all the steps necessary it sounds like I'm not getting enough air, or I am but it sounds slowed down.
Hi Trumpet Prof, I am enjoying the challenges your videos provide. Will do be doing a video on strength building in terms of playing in the upper register?
Hi Caleb. Already have! Test & Build Your Air Power is the most important "building" exercise you can do. Playing high is as much, if not more, about relaxation as it is strength. Most successful high note players don't use great strength in their face. Just watch Maynard, Sandoval, Morrison, Andre . . . . They're not controlling their face to move around the upper register. It's the way their facial components are assembled that gives them their ability. Their engine! Of course, you can build facial strength and increase your range (James Stamp) but it's less efficient and has limited potential. I used Stamp years ago as I struggled to play in the upper register and my stamina was poor. A fantastic crossover player I was working with at the time, John Barclay, told me to back off in the upper register. Relax more. It was the opposite advice to what I'd always been taught. It put me on a completely new and different path which proved to be the right one! TP
@@TheTrumpetProf ... Many thanks for your reply. We discussed building, and we discussed relaxation. Do you have any advice on relaxing the lips? I have been playing for years, and I may have the air pressure required. Hard to know. I seem to do well with the straw test, although honestly I find it hard to compare currencies as I am Canadian. How do I keep the lips relaxed enough to vibrate throughout the upper register? I feel as if no matter what I try they eventually seize to vibrate. The only time that I can achieve a smooth run of harmonics up to a E or F is when I have removed myself from the horn for a couple of days.
@@caliban542 Have you seen my latest video on developing the three essential tips? Some advice and tips on keeping top lip relaxed there. Important to remember though; my videos so far are more about preparing for high notes. TP
Just forgot something. I play for fun and live in France. Do you make some “masterclass” for beginners? And if it is the case have you some dates? Thanks a lot for sharing these videos!
Thanks so much for this. I’m a music teacher and have been struggling to help a pupil with high notes through Zoom lessons (I find it hard not being in the room to watch how he’s using his body when he plays) but this video has been really helpful. Any tips on what to suggest when top space E and top line F just aren’t sounding cleanly even if the G then comes out fine?! Thank you :)
Hi Deborah. Thank you, I'm so glad this helped. The E/F problem when a G is good is often quite common in students with braces. When you are one-on-one with your student again, have him play the G holding the trumpet up LH only (RH by his side) and you press the valves so he slurs down F# - F - E. He should "hold" the G at all times. If that doesn't work try him on a different mouthpiece. If that doesn't work get him to place his mouthpiece slightly: Higher/Lower/Left/Right, BUT ONLY BY A VERY VERY SLIGHT AMOUNT, so he hardly feels it. Let me know how that goes. TP
Hi, Paul! I'm a woodwind multi-instrumentalist who is also in love with the trumpet. I played when I was 9.. I was lousy, but I just loved it. Now, in my later years, I have decided to get back into the horn. Your videos help me a lot. Thanks. John. (youtube: "songs featuring John Phillips on woodwinds")
@The Trumpet Prof, Thank you for a great tutorial. I am currently working on a song that starts at A3 and hits A6 towards the end (Gustav Holst's Jupiter (the Eb section normally played by strings)). I currently confidently hit a C6 and sometimes get the D. Is it possible to use your techniques to increase my range to the A? Am I better off practicing the top range on a piccolo trumpet? Thanks again.
Hi Richard sorry for delay in getting back. The techniques will help to A6 but that's a difficult note on the trumpet because it doesn't truly exist. I would always continue to develop range on the Bb trumpet which can only help your picc playing. Always maintain the 3 golden rules when extending range but experiment too. I'll do a video on helping you to experiment soon. TP
Please explain what you mean when you say, ”its very important to know where the resistance is coming from” I've been doing this exercise now for two weeks and like you say, the sound just gets louder. Is this something that one have to figure out on your own? What are the feelings like when you start to notice the resistance? The problem is that when i introduce more air, the lips collapse. The note only goes up, for me, when I use more lip pressure. So again, what's the feeling when you start to notice the resistance? What's gonna key me in to this feeling? This is not as easy as it sounds Paul. Thanks so much.
What are your thoughts about playing soft (dynamics) in the high register? Increasing air speed/pressure is one factor of course, but it also increases tone volume. I agree about "keeping the top lip relaxed" to some degree, but the word " relaxed" can be confusing to many.
Hello Eric, appreciate you taking the time. Playing softly in the upper register is complex and the precise mechanics of it will vary from player to player depending on the way they play. Trying to generalize this aspect of technique is almost impossible but there are a few things worth mentioning. Air speed and air pressure have to be separated and balanced in different ways. When I ascend at 1:33 I'm not playing loud and could certainly get much softer. As I sigh a little faster, air is being compressed naturally because my resistance is high while small sympathetic adjustments happen at my aperture. I'm not actively trying to compress or squeeze the air. If I want to play louder I'll actively get involved with the compression process, sigh with greater force and balance resistance at my aperture. I'm keeping my top lip very relaxed and my aperture is closing down a very specific way (not helpful to share right now). Not allowing the oral cavity to continually close down toward the front of the mouth will also help. Maximum space directly behind the front teeth is vital for playing softly in the upper register and especially for maintaining quality of sound. For me maximum efficiency will happen when the top lip is totally relaxed. It just isn't possible for everyone to go fully "total" but it is possible for those players to get very close to it. It should always be a very long term goal though, as so much of the system has to be rebalanced and synchronized before it is realistic to expect this to happen. You'll notice I almost always say "as much as you can, as often as you can". Of course for some styles of playing it is necessary to apply top lip tension in order to get a desired sound and effect. But I'm striving for a default approach to playing which can be adapted to cross all styles and technical demands. All best, Paul
@@TheTrumpetProf Hi Paul, thanks for your reply. For me, my top lip can not be "relaxed" (as you described) in the upper register. (it's almost like trying play high notes on a violin without getting the string tension increased.) In my years of teaching and playing alongside many top players, mechanical part of playing high notes varies so much...... Often times, they may say totally different and contradicting ways to explain their techniques. I think this is because the physical diversity, along with our musical personality difference and given musical performance needs, one's playing technique can't be generalized in one way. This is why I never offer playing tips on internet. I have to be with the person on a "one on one" situation to be able to offer proper advice the will fit his or her needs. All these internal part of our playing: Breathing, tongue positions, air pressure, wedge breathing, "relaxed" backing off etc. These things are difficult to explain through one sided communication like the SNS youtube, and also written articles. The most dangerous word in trying to teach brass playing may be "relax" We need to realize the resistance and tension, (from our lips, tongue position, mouthpiece, or the horn) in parts of our playing, so this word needs to be carefully guided in person, thorough communicative on site lessons. Well, this is just my two cents! Sorry for the long ass reply..... I am still trying to learn how to be a better player and better teacher, so I am thankful for your insights. Eric
now i'm confused, you're saying to blow at a higher air pressure by what it seems to me, forcing it, whereas I was told and have experienced just an increase in volume whenever I used that technique. but have since learned to arch the tongue upward to the pallet of the mouth and contract the lip muscles slightly so even at a constant air flow, I can seemlessly change between notes
TProf, I'm wondering, in your long endeavor for improved efficiency, if changes in equipment were part of that. Also, are there techniques you can recommend for developing compression within the oral cavity?
Hi James. Changes in equipment played a big part in my progress. But those changes were made AFTER making physical changes. For instance, If physically you start playing with a higher level of resistance, you can then lower it somewhere else. My mouthpiece is a Monette Prana B4S S2.. It has a huge throat. Most would think that helps in the low register (which it does) but it helps more in the upper! Another very important point here: It took about a month before it really started to work for me. Most would have given up after a few days but I knew in theory it should work so I gave it the time. My teaching is the same. It is based on fact, knowledge and experience. Compression in the oral cavity all comes under the umbrella of air pressure which is controlled by the sigh. Maybe what you mean is simply developing the use of the oral cavity and yes there are plenty of ways to do that. When we talk about the oral cavity and using the back of the tongue everything seems so simplistic. It isn't. There are so many ways you can set and use the oral cavity and it plays such an important role in developing your engine. I'm literally about to make my next video on developing the three essential tips and I briefly touch on this aspect then. Thanks for writing. TP
Nice job of balancing your voice against the trumpet. Many RUclipsrs can't do that; they mumble so you have to turn the volume up, then when they play they don't bother reducing that and it blows your ears inside out.
Very interesting video. What do you mean when you talk about playing with high resistance? I didn't really understand your explanation of why you jumped up to the next harmonic rather than getting louder.
Hi Robin. Take a look at my Test and Build Your Air Power video. From 1:07 should explain. I didn't really expand on why the harmonic jumped up other than to say I play at much higher resistance. The specific reason I'll explain another time, simply because it is unusual, will require greater explanation and is sure to create interest.
@@TheTrumpetProf Thanks very much. The other video is really good too. The note kicks up with me too when I blow harder. When I tried the other test of pulling the mouthpiece out while playing, most of the time I just get air. Sometimes a (higher) note sounds, though nowhere near as loud and clear as yours.
Hello PAUL, when I try going high I think my lips close down and suffocate my ability to go higher and everything. What is a method to maintain the opening off my lips and keep the lips vibrating and air stream flowing? Thanks for your excellent videos Michael Morris
Hi sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. That isn't easily solved with one short comment! Play a middle C and really kick the air fast. Does it kick up to the next harmonic? If not experiment until it does. Then kick to the next and the next. Most players close down the aperture to raise pitch but eventually there's no where to go. You need to rebalance and that should get you started.
thank you professor. practice number 2 - relax top lip is not easy to me. I tried to be conscious that but almost always automatically my top lip was hardened. is there any other practice or training to make top lip relaxed?
Hi Michael. Yes, have a look at my other video "How to develop the three essential tips" and read through some comments below as this topic has come up a few times. TP
Paul - you say to focus on you resistance and where it’s coming from; you also say the resistance is not necessarily coming from the lips. This seems like a very key point. Please explain where else it can be coming from - maybe the tongue (arch)? Please clarify - and thanks for a VERY informative video. Chris
The Trumpet Prof Thanks I just watched that video you recommended. So it’s sounds like you recommend creating resistance using the tongue. So when you say in the first video, keep the same resistance for the low notes as you do as the high notes, Does that physically mean trying to keep the same high tongue level for low notes as high notes?
@@chrismartinez8414 I only recommend it using the tongue for the purposes of that video and because everyone uses the tongue to some degree anyway. Yes, for the exercise and sensation of resistance try to maintain the high tongue as you descend. I'm not saying you should always play like that but it is a good way to develop your playing. TP
I often hear "there's more to life than high notes".
I totally agree. So why do I dedicate most of my time to them? Well 70k views in 7 months would suggest it's not a bad place to start!
But if you think it's because I want everyone to play double C's you have missed the point. Play high effortlessly and you'll do everything else the same way. You'll rarely worry about stamina or hitting the highest note in whatever piece you are playing. You'll have more confidence in your ability and perform without fear. In case you missed that section take a look 1:42 - 2:20.
It's not about the high note; it's about what comes with it. TP
The Trumpet Prof hey, thanks for the great video it really helped me out. Also I noticed that when you play, your neck puffs out. Mine does the same thing but no one else at my school does. Do you know why this happens and if it affects anything? Thanks!
As one of my voice teachers said, high notes reveal bad technique. It's like walking a high wire vs. a low wire. The technique is the same for both, but the consequences of faltering on the former are much more obvious!
Thanks
Larnell Lewis once said something similar in about drumming. You sound the best when you are not overtaxing your brain, so the only way to play difficult things WELL (or reliably) is to learn how to play something even more difficult (i.e. increasing the upper bound of your ability)
Paul: You wont play that high anyway!
SCV 2019: hold my drink.
yuh
It's not about playing high. It's what comes with it which is important.
I will play that high because I'm pushing the boundaries of what is possible and so far achieving. I'm discovering new things both for myself and others. Composers are doing the same with the music they write and the sounds they create. Technical advancement is necessary for all.
Forgive me for not responding to your second point but I have no idea what it means. TP
The Trumpet Prof Santa Clara Vanguard is a Drum Corp (Elite marching band) that in their latest show, showcased some ridiculously high notes
@@TheOnlyWay2Go. but they sounded like someone put a microphone in a beehive
@@TheTrumpetProf hes saying that santa clara vanguard can play that high
I am an ex trumpet player now 89 years old and I am finding your lessons and explanations fantastic , I have been practicing without the trumpet for 3 weeks by just buzzzing and I am already going from bottom C to top C by just breathing the sound, wonderful keep the lessons coming ! Regards Alan Clarke.
Hello Alan thank you! Hope I'm still playing at your age! Best wishes, Paul
Thank you for your service Alan 🫡
Paul, you are nothing short of a legend! I had been stuck on hi A for ever, occasionally squeezing out the squeaky B. I watched your video a week ago and started digesting your own concept of pressure, flow and where the resistance might come from... a week later it finally came to me, putting together what other great trumpet players fail to understand and hence fail to explain about what it takes to play high notes, your concept was they key to make sense of it all. This morning I picked up the cold trumpet, no warm up whatsoever and I hit, sustained and replicated double hi C going up and down the scale ... YOU ARE A LEGEND!
Could you still hit the double high C after you warmed up?
You're full of shit. Post a video
gb79126 yeah that’s just stupid. Not saying it’s impossible, but pretty unlikely that you went from high A to above double C just by watching a video.
@@ColinMroczko I believe he thinks that a high C above the staff is a Double C. Sadly it is not...
Brady Halsey ahh that makes sense. Still another octave to go lol.
So refreshing to see a pedagogically-sound trumpet video on youtube. An interesting set of opinions and approaches. I have not heard your thoughts many times before, but it is nice to see someone who is successful in using them. The pressure bit is likely, as you pointed out, the most controversial. Thank you for putting out content for people to see and use. I'll be checking out the rest of your channel.
learned a lot from an Army Jazz Ambassidor and this demonstration fits in nicely.
Hi Paul, Your advice in this post made such a difference to playing high notes. Thank you.
Thanks for making a higher level channel. Great playing and awesome information. I think you should make one in depth about articulation
I just came across this channel and I have to admit to not really playing much of late and just needed a little inspiration and some direction. Watching and practicing along with this video has enabled me to quickly get the lips responding and those simple 3 principles of SIGH/ RELAXED TOP LIP/AIR PRESSURE are very useful starting points to building up confidence again and revisiting some pertinent points to get back into the trumpet playing saddle after a period of digression. Much appreciated.
Thank you Alan. They will give you a firm foundation on which to experiment. TP
Thank-you. The sigh has benefited both my high brass and low brass playing.
thank you so much ,i was seen as just a trainee but after your video I'm now a core member of my orchestra
Your channel stands out really well! Thank you very much for your efforts!!!
Thank you, Professor,
I've been struggling for so many years to develope a higher register. All I end up doing is pressing the mouthpiece into my lips and "chopping out" in minutes. I don't know how to keep my top lip relaxed.
I'll work on your exercises from this video and see if I can accomplish this.
Thanks again
Aaron Malberg
how's your progress?
Thanks so much for the warm up tips I’m already noticing a difference in stamina, tone and higher register
Thx Paul I view your videos more than once and always come away with something new...these videos are important to me.
I’ve always felt like changing a mouth piece was high note “cheating” but I realize now it’s like trying to tighten a bolt with the wrong wrench
Life changing information!!! I have a ton of room for improvement based on the Sigh and using body resistance.
As do I !!!! Thanks Otto. TP
Interesting concepts, I like it. I have trouble with the trumpet when it comes to high notes. Thanks for making this video!
The way that high G came out reminded me instantly of Malcolm McNab who can also play super high but without losing any beauty of tone. That's rare, most often you hear people scream out top high notes on very shallow mouthpieces. I once met a old trumpet player travelling around who had adapted his trumpet so he could play micro intervals accurately. He could whisper out very clear but not screaming super high notes without any effort at all.
Thanks. It requires a very specific way of playing. The biggest challenge is actually to develop the lower register sound to match the upper! That's what took me the time. TP
Thanks Paul. Great video.
I'm a comeback player and absolutely struggle with the A to high C range. I've been doing the James Stamp exercises which involves going from pedal tones to the upper register. I was primarily focusing on not manipulating the embouchure and maintaining a solid airstream to achieve the expanse of the range.
Thanks to your video, I never considered maintaining resistance in the low register.
I simply just relaxed the entire embouchure to play below middle G. I also noticed any note below middle C was always flat and with poor tone. Since your video I've been holding the embouchure in shape and trying to focus the low tones (increasing resistance) and it's actually been helping the upper register.
Thanks for the insight.
Good to hear and thanks very much.. Throw away the "rule" book! It's not easy to let go of conventional ideas and techniques but if we knew the true source of them we'd probably never have wasted so much time with them in the first place! Experiment with ideas that make sense and can be explained. Keep me posted. TP
Thanks for those remarks. That was it what I first missed, listening to the video !
I played the trumpet from 5th to 12th grade and I graduated 20 yeas ago in 1999. Not once was I ever taught any of this from our music teachers or directors. I truly learned something new but I haven't played in years. Maybe I'll start to pick my trumpet back up again. I was able to hit a high A with no problem but the high C would sometimes give me trouble and now I finally understand why. Thank your for this valuable information!
high A is way above high C!
Hello Paul, great job with you videos! Thanks for sharing all the trumpet technique goodies! I wonder if you can and would want to make a video that is focused on the physical aspects of trumpet playing and practising. And maybe share your take on how your playing techniques affect body posture, and how to practise this to avoid pain and problems.
Very interesting tips indeed!
I would appreciate to see them discussed deeply and I expecially look forward to your remarks on the point of resistance. About some years ago, as an outcome of a lengthy crisis I found out about buzzing techniques as has been taught by Reinhold Friedrich and Kristian Steenstrup. This changed everything and brought me back to playing with confidence. Finally I happened to get a Yamaha 8335LA which instantly proofed to be the right trumpet for me. I am playing it with a Monette B3FS7 mouthpiece, so my setup can be described as "very free blowing".
Thanks for your comment. My first impression is that you do pretty much the opposite of what I teach! Important therefore for me to say that I'm not against any method or system because they all pretty much work for somebody. What I'm more concerned with is the level of potential each method / approach will set for an in individual.
My views and beliefs are polar opposites to Steenstrup (that's for another time) and Friedrich approach I don't really know. If you're happy with your engine and it does what you want, then there's really no point changing it! TP
This is, for sure, one of the most useful trumpet thoughts video I have watched. I feel fortunate that i have find this. Thanks Paul, thanks for share all for free. You are inspiring me to caption all this kind of things that we should feel when we play and wich I was discovering in the lasts months. And, as well, how to practice to get those sensations. Thanks for these wise tips!!!!
Thank you David. I hope your playing continues to improve.
Great video. I struggle greatly trying to play even tough i practice every day for 20 years. I feel people should not be encouraged to play trumpet alone. It should be in tandem with another family of instrument. I strongly believe it is anatomy and how calm a person is that is the underlying factor to playing successfully. Not to a virtuoso level but to a degree where you can enjoy playing music with others.
Even as a tuba player, this was some helpful :) I'll be trying some of this. Sometimes I have inaccuracies in my extreme high range. Of course tuba players use that top octave all the time in performance, so I'm always looking for different perspectives. I buzz every day almost so I will be trying this on the mouthpiece first.
Thank you so much!! I'm a student in Middle School and I've been struggling to play a high E in my Scale Test, I've only managed to play it a few times and now that I've watched this video, I managed to play a high E more often!
is that the e above the top bar line or just below it
@@spr6577 The one just below it
@@ruppeerupert thanks
@@spr6577 No problem
This is pure gold. Thank you sir for usefull tips!
Thank you so much, the lower lip principle really has changed my playing
Very helpful and proffesional he knows what he's talking about. Thanks a lot!
That was super high quality content! thanks a lot!
Gabriel Angelotti I got the pun😉😉
Unless the pun wasn’t intended...
After watching and trying along with the video just once, I could play way higher than before :D this was so helpful. Sighing really makes a difference
Thank you. It is so beneficial but it can quickly disappear from your playing if you don't focus on it every day. I talk from experience! TP
This was actually really helpful and eye opening
Intreging and captivational, well presented, thanks for sharing.
I love your sound! Thank you! I will try incorporating it!
@William Ash what?
I have been teaching Brass instruments for 38 years and have watched many videos on brass pedagogy. This is absolutely the most compelling information on you tube. I was a long time student of carmine caruso
Pasquale thank you. I hope you've loved every minute of your 38 years! I'm a few years behind you but I owe everything to it. Best wishes to you. TP
@@hawkeye2958 carmine caruso was one of the greatest Brass teachers ever
@@pasqualegallo8234 I studied with Joe Marcinkiewicz (excellent player, trumpet manufacturer, and teacher). He spoke very highly and based his own teaching methods on those of Carmine Caruso.
Brilliant. Can't wait to see what's next!
Hi Paul. Very thought provoking videos. The concepts you develop here are very well explained, though one needs some experimentation I guess to prove these working. The sigh is very common amongst brass player's talk. The thing you do with the mouthpiece is new to me, and I cant quite grasp the concept (yet) and the air pressure is a great tool indeed ! Cant wait for the other videos to come out. Thanks for sharing.
That sigh thing actually came from trumpet players who regretted not trading the horn in for a guitar or a keyboard so long ago. The high range would be no problem and the chicks wouldn't think of your playing as being as obnoxious...sighhhhh....
Excellent advice, thanks Paul
When say keep a relaxed upper lip are you referring to not putting too much pressure on the top lip with the mouthpiece so as to not stopping it from vibrating?
Superb video Paul!!
One of the most challenging aspects of teaching trumpet is separating air volume from air pressure. Excellent examples and great explanations!
I think you mean air flow. Not air "volume".
That's probably why the oboe is felt as such a "difficult" instrument: requires quite little air, but very high pressure, something which is very counterintuitive. The trumpet and the horn (the latter expecially in the higher register) seem to be quite similar to the oboe in regard.
What a lecture!!! Thank you!!
Just finished watching this and I feel enlightened :) Your way of teaching is top notch!
Can you also make a video about embouchure? Buzzing vs Free-Buzzing approaches? I'm so glad that I have found your channel!!!
Hi. Yes I'll do that at some point. I see very few advantages in lip buzzing if you want to set your potential at the highest possible level. The air inside the instrument can move your lips sympathetically when it is excited, therefore any tension or obstruction of free movement will only upset this process. There are some benefits to free lip buzzing but for me they are more to condition muscle strength. TP
Free buzzing has nothing to do with trumpet playing. Lip slurs, and dismiss the BS. Talk to A. Herseth, or my teacher, Charlie Geyer.
Great contribution, teacher!
thank you very for sharing your knowledge , about playing trumpet. i like your way of teaching. from philippines po.
Great Video..Most people really don't understand to cultivate and train independence of the componence/basics..great tipps..thanks for sharing
Totally agree! TP
I'm enjoying your videos and practicing your techniques. Here's
my problem. I find that high and soft is much easier than high and loud.
I can play up to high C when playing softly. But when I have to play high and fortissimo, for example the
last part of 1812 Overture, everything blows up on me. My chops are
gone and there is not enough chop strength or air support to overcome
the fatigue. Please address the issue of high and loud and talk about
a path to get there.
This is amazing instruction. Much thanks !!
Trumpet prof.
This is very inspiring. Especially when I have been trying to do the same thing-not just playing high, but doing it with comfort, control and clearity.
Thank you for boosting my confidence.
Please, I want to learn to play lower notes like the lower C up to the next Cs.
Please I need your help with something that can help me learn it.
Thank you so much.
Don't try to make your low notes feel easy. Resistance is important in all registers of the trumpet and although it is possible to play low notes with very little effort it will not give you efficiency across your range and will limit your potential.
Blow a narrow air stream into the mouthpiece which does not vibrate or buzz. The lips alone should not make a sound. The mouthpiece alone should not make a sound. When the trumpet is attached it will turn the air into sound so be patient and let the process happen naturally. Your lips will be drawn together you do not need to blow them apart. TP
Best trumpet educational video ever!
Bravo teacher, excellent explanations, thank you very much, Ivan do Brasil.
Thank you so much Prof . Appreciate it
I was a high school trumpet player in the early 70's - the days of Maynard Ferguson and Bill Chase (and other jazz and rock brass men). I had a fairly good set of "chops" for a high school player of that time and played lead in our stage band. But, in the summer between 11th and 12th grade, I went to a music camp. I was first trumpet in the orchestra and was introduced to classical orchestral music and the demands made on those trumpet players. We played the overture to Handel's music for "The Royal Fireworks Display." I found out that jazz trumpet players were not the only ones required to play high notes. Furthermore, orchestral players cannot "scream" the high notes but must play them with the same accuracy, tonal quality, and articulation as they would an octave lower. I was able to play the high "e" but never with the ease and accuracy of a professional.
I did not go on to a career in music. But over the years, I listened carefully to orchestral players and gained a great appreciation their phenomenal talent. Actually, it was a realization of the amount of discipline, time, and practice required to become even a moderate professional - and discipline was never my strong suit. LOL. I continued playing as a hobby in community bands and even played some in the pep band of the local High School into my 40's. I simply relied on my JetTone Bill Chase model mouthpiece for high notes. Then for many years, I hardly played my trumpet at all. Needless to say, high notes of any sort are are no longer in my repertoire! LOL.
Thanks for sharing, very useful!
Great video, thanks! What's about overblowing?
This is fantastic information Paul - looking forward to the next video already. Regarding relaxation of the top lip as we ascend - are there specific exercises one can do to achieve this?
Hi. Yes there are a few so I'll include them in a video soon. I'm also starting a Tpt Prof Facebook page which will be a great place to expand a bit on the videos. Should be up in a week or so. TP
Great video Paul. I like it! The tips are amazing too. Would it be fair to say that the lip can still form a “shape” but maintain a relaxed feel? I tend to follow what you say but with a “non tense” whistle mouth-shape, which for me maintains accuracy and control.
Hi Jon. Thanks! Yes you are absolutely right. The lip can be shaped in almost any way but still remain relaxed. Retaining a shape is vital because we still need "form". Hope all is well and hope to catch up soon. All best, P
Great tips ! Thanks
I'm guilty of all of the negatives you mentioned. Wow, I've got lots of work to do. My range is a consistent high C and I bump D occasionally. But I can't seem to increase range. I will be practicing your method, although I'm not real clear on "resistance ".
fantastic information. Thank you!
You blow muy mind!!! Thank you
I see lots of trumpets and a trombone how do u split your practice time, does it depend on your preferred instrument receiving more attention to maintain competence?
Paul, I love your videos--they are very helpful and you're an amazing player an enviable tone quality / control in the upper register. I'm an amateur comeback player who has been playing consistently for about a year and a half. I could never get above the staff much back in high school and a little college despite a lot of practice and lessons. I stumbled across some other RUclips videos and have had success playing more relaxed and open and now high C isn't very difficult and can consistently play F above High C now, although I'm still working on my dynamic control, articulation and usefulness of the top of my range, etc.
My question is about the section in which you pull the mouthpiece off and there's a pitch on the mouthpiece.
When I pull the mouthpiece off, especially in the low to mid register (i.e. up to E on the staff), there's no pitch--just air.
I thought that was a good thing, showing that my aperture was open and I was playing relaxed. Is that incorrect? Should I be playing in such a way that a pitch comes out?
I thought only beginning students buzz on the MP to make a sound on the instrument in the low to middle registers and when they do that the sound isn't very good, it's tight and nasally, etc.
Can you please clarify / help me understand?
Thanks again for all the great videos you're posting; they've been a big help!
Hi John thanks for your comments much appreciated.
Yes I see how this may seem to be a contradiction but the key is to "play it at a good dynamic. Play it at a good healthy forte." That's the most important part.
If you play it around mp-mf ideally you shouldn't hear anything except silent air as this indicates the lips are relaxed and have good spacing. If you play it louder and you still get no sound your lips are probably too open OR you don't have enough resistance.
This question has come up a few times actually but I always encourage players to listen to every word! The answers to most of the questions I get are actually already in the videos!
It doesn't matter how high the pitch ascends but experiment with your set up until it goes up. Hope that helps. Keep in touch. TP
@@TheTrumpetProf Thanks Paul! I'm so glad I asked this, I'm going to give it a try. Thank you. I forgot that you did mention playing it forte--makes sense!
Hi Paul, this video is great! Can you explain a little bit about the embouchure setting? That will be very helpful . Greetings from the Dominican Republic
Hi Victor. There's a little information in my response to Mihael above. I'll make a video on this topic soon. TP
Returning to the trumpet after 50 years, I find myself falling into the old habits of straining in the upper range. I comprehend the 'sigh' and relax the top lip. I would like to ask for a bit more on air pressure. I'm not getting the mechanics of increasing air pressure when coupled with the sigh. Thanks, your videos are great!
Hi Robert, apologies for my late response. There's sighing and trying to sigh. The sigh creates a strong feeling of moving air at low air pressure (the feeling in your lungs). If you sigh and quickly close your lips the sigh is on "hold" and you have a feeling of high air pressure; these are the two extremes. What I am talking about creating is everything in-between. So if you have the sigh on hold and then open your lips a tiny amount you have engaged the sigh again but at high air pressure. The more you open your lips the lower the feeling of pressure in your lungs.
So TO BEGIN WITH when you play; try to create the high air pressure feeling for high notes AND for low notes. If you experiment this way anything you discover will be positive.
I'll address this again soon now I'm back up and at em! TP
interesting side note would be that the whistle pitch of the mouthpiece changes if you cover the cup, (as it is with your lips there. It changes again if you put your finger in the cup to cover the entrance to the throat, You can play it a bit like a swanee whistle!
Very useful!! Thank you!!
Thanks for the excellent lesson. The only thing missing was coverage of the top lip relaxed technique. How to do it?
Hi Walter. For help with this, take a look at my How to Develop the Three Essential Tips video. Good luck. TP
Brilliant advice, many thanks
The top lip always tenses up for me, which messes me up and it’s sad I’m doing band and I can’t hit a F and sometimes even a normal high c.. the Sighing technique helps a lot though
Thanks, will use your techniques on trombone, the only way to play it really.
Thanks for posting
Your instruction is great, and it ties a lot of ideas I have heard before together in a much more cohesive way. I have a question--when I do the "sigh" exercise and go higher, around E above staff, I start to feel that my diaphragm is contracting to "push" the air --in other words, instead of feeling relaxed, as in a sigh, it is more effort to move the air past the resistance of my embouchure. I can "hit" the E above the first one above staff--and I can play C above staff well--but, my endurance above A above staff is not good--in a session if I hit C above staff a bunch of times, it really exhausts me (and I can't hit that C more than a few times in a session), so I am wondering if that is a sign I am not breathing right, and should be able to get the lips vibrating at high notes, without pushing the air with my diaphram?
Hi, thanks for your question. To play high you need to use a lot of effort! But we must try to transfer the energy/effort to the stronger muscles and at the same time keep the throat area relaxed and natural. That is the role of the sigh. You will feel contraction in lots of places but as long as you focus on pushing/delivering your air from the chest (sigh) you will find the engine begins to function more freely and efficiently. Embrace air pressure! Hope that helps. TP
Great video. How about lip shape placement in mouthpiece and how embouchure muscles work with air pressure for high range in another video?
Hi David. That's a vast topic but I will add it to the list. Thanks, TP
I wish I could practice this rn but french horn is my main instrument and I have an audition in a few days
Great lesson
This is great thank you☺
Very interesting video! I came on it very much on purpose... I generally agree with your explanation. You are a fantastic teacher! But, one thing you were saying about the lips to be open can course a problem to the attack of a note. If this attack has to be clear, you need to start with closed and relax lips inside the embouchure... A high blower in a big band does not have tot care about this, but a classical trumpet player needs precision in his attack... I wanted to share this with you... Rik Ghesquière, trumpet player Brussels Philharmonic
Thank you for your comments and kind words. I don't disagree with your approach to achieving a clean "classical" articulation but it can be done successfully both ways. I prefer to generally advise lips open and then allow the player to experiment with a couple of exercises until a more focussed personal position or placement is found. The whisper tone exercise and also removing the instrument while playing are effective ways to allow the player to find the correct position, feel and positive signals.
I agree that having the lips too far apart can cause articulation issues but coupled with the right exercises and understood outcomes it gives a less general and more personal approach. I hope my viewers will read your comment and experiment with both approaches but although It's a subtle difference I personally think the "space" sets a higher level of potential.
It's a privilege to also get the opinions and thoughts of professional players challenging all aspects of trumpet technique and thinking so many thanks for taking the time. TP
What if I can achieve a high note(double c), but when i do it sounds strained and forced. Even though I'm relaxed and not pressing on my face with the mouth piece. Even though im taking all the steps necessary it sounds like I'm not getting enough air, or I am but it sounds slowed down.
Metazoin QB3RT take bigger breath dawg
Hi Trumpet Prof, I am enjoying the challenges your videos provide. Will do be doing a video on strength building in terms of playing in the upper register?
Hi Caleb. Already have! Test & Build Your Air Power is the most important "building" exercise you can do. Playing high is as much, if not more, about relaxation as it is strength. Most successful high note players don't use great strength in their face. Just watch Maynard, Sandoval, Morrison, Andre . . . . They're not controlling their face to move around the upper register. It's the way their facial components are assembled that gives them their ability. Their engine! Of course, you can build facial strength and increase your range (James Stamp) but it's less efficient and has limited potential. I used Stamp years ago as I struggled to play in the upper register and my stamina was poor. A fantastic crossover player I was working with at the time, John Barclay, told me to back off in the upper register. Relax more. It was the opposite advice to what I'd always been taught. It put me on a completely new and different path which proved to be the right one! TP
@@TheTrumpetProf ... Many thanks for your reply. We discussed building, and we discussed relaxation. Do you have any advice on relaxing the lips? I have been playing for years, and I may have the air pressure required. Hard to know. I seem to do well with the straw test, although honestly I find it hard to compare currencies as I am Canadian. How do I keep the lips relaxed enough to vibrate throughout the upper register? I feel as if no matter what I try they eventually seize to vibrate. The only time that I can achieve a smooth run of harmonics up to a E or F is when I have removed myself from the horn for a couple of days.
@@caliban542 Have you seen my latest video on developing the three essential tips? Some advice and tips on keeping top lip relaxed there.
Important to remember though; my videos so far are more about preparing for high notes. TP
@@TheTrumpetProf I hadn't seen the new video by the time I posed the question. Thank you for the new video, it's exactly what I was looking for.
@@caliban542 No problem. Let me know how you get on. TP
I’m able to play high Eb’s but I am not able to maintain them. How can i fix that?
Just forgot something. I play for fun and live in France. Do you make some “masterclass” for beginners? And if it is the case have you some dates? Thanks a lot for sharing these videos!
I do have another channel called Trumpet Takeaway which you might find helpful. TP ruclips.net/user/trumpettakeaway
great video
Hi Paul, thanks for this great video, but I've still got questions: What is resistance actually? And how can I "use" more resistance?
Thanks so much for this. I’m a music teacher and have been struggling to help a pupil with high notes through Zoom lessons (I find it hard not being in the room to watch how he’s using his body when he plays) but this video has been really helpful. Any tips on what to suggest when top space E and top line F just aren’t sounding cleanly even if the G then comes out fine?! Thank you :)
Hi Deborah. Thank you, I'm so glad this helped. The E/F problem when a G is good is often quite common in students with braces. When you are one-on-one with your student again, have him play the G holding the trumpet up LH only (RH by his side) and you press the valves so he slurs down F# - F - E. He should "hold" the G at all times. If that doesn't work try him on a different mouthpiece. If that doesn't work get him to place his mouthpiece slightly: Higher/Lower/Left/Right, BUT ONLY BY A VERY VERY SLIGHT AMOUNT, so he hardly feels it. Let me know how that goes. TP
The Trumpet Prof thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Will definitely try this when we’re back face-to-face. Much appreciated.
Hi, Paul! I'm a woodwind multi-instrumentalist who is also in love with the trumpet. I played when I was 9.. I was lousy, but I just loved it. Now, in my later years, I have decided to get back into the horn. Your videos help me a lot. Thanks. John. (youtube: "songs featuring John Phillips on woodwinds")
Thanks John. It's a shame the trumpet doesn't love us back, but unfortunately that's the way it is. And it's worth remembering! TP
@@TheTrumpetProf You're welcome, Paul. John.
@The Trumpet Prof, Thank you for a great tutorial. I am currently working on a song that starts at A3 and hits A6 towards the end (Gustav Holst's Jupiter (the Eb section normally played by strings)). I currently confidently hit a C6 and sometimes get the D. Is it possible to use your techniques to increase my range to the A? Am I better off practicing the top range on a piccolo trumpet? Thanks again.
Hi Richard sorry for delay in getting back. The techniques will help to A6 but that's a difficult note on the trumpet because it doesn't truly exist. I would always continue to develop range on the Bb trumpet which can only help your picc playing. Always maintain the 3 golden rules when extending range but experiment too. I'll do a video on helping you to experiment soon. TP
Please explain what you mean when you say, ”its very important to know where the resistance is coming from” I've been doing this exercise now for two weeks and like you say, the sound just gets louder. Is this something that one have to figure out on your own? What are the feelings like when you start to notice the resistance? The problem is that when i introduce more air, the lips collapse. The note only goes up, for me, when I use more lip pressure. So again, what's the feeling when you start to notice the resistance? What's gonna key me in to this feeling? This is not as easy as it sounds Paul. Thanks so much.
This is my problem. Did you figure anything out about it?
What are your thoughts about playing soft (dynamics) in the high register?
Increasing air speed/pressure is one factor of course, but it also increases tone volume.
I agree about "keeping the top lip relaxed" to some degree, but the word " relaxed" can be confusing to many.
Hello Eric, appreciate you taking the time.
Playing softly in the upper register is complex and the precise mechanics of it will vary from player to player depending on the way they play. Trying to generalize this aspect of technique is almost impossible but there are a few things worth mentioning. Air speed and air pressure have to be separated and balanced in different ways. When I ascend at 1:33 I'm not playing loud and could certainly get much softer. As I sigh a little faster, air is being compressed naturally because my resistance is high while small sympathetic adjustments happen at my aperture. I'm not actively trying to compress or squeeze the air. If I want to play louder I'll actively get involved with the compression process, sigh with greater force and balance resistance at my aperture. I'm keeping my top lip very relaxed and my aperture is closing down a very specific way (not helpful to share right now).
Not allowing the oral cavity to continually close down toward the front of the mouth will also help. Maximum space directly behind the front teeth is vital for playing softly in the upper register and especially for maintaining quality of sound.
For me maximum efficiency will happen when the top lip is totally relaxed. It just isn't possible for everyone to go fully "total" but it is possible for those players to get very close to it. It should always be a very long term goal though, as so much of the system has to be rebalanced and synchronized before it is realistic to expect this to happen. You'll notice I almost always say "as much as you can, as often as you can". Of course for some styles of playing it is necessary to apply top lip tension in order to get a desired sound and effect. But I'm striving for a default approach to playing which can be adapted to cross all styles and technical demands. All best, Paul
@@TheTrumpetProf
Hi Paul, thanks for your reply.
For me, my top lip can not be "relaxed" (as you described) in the upper register.
(it's almost like trying play high notes on a violin without getting the string tension increased.)
In my years of teaching and playing alongside many top players, mechanical part of playing high notes varies so much......
Often times, they may say totally different and contradicting ways to explain their techniques.
I think this is because the physical diversity, along with our musical personality difference and given musical performance needs, one's playing technique can't be generalized in one way.
This is why I never offer playing tips on internet.
I have to be with the person on a "one on one" situation to be able to offer proper advice the will fit his or her needs.
All these internal part of our playing:
Breathing, tongue positions, air pressure, wedge breathing, "relaxed" backing off etc.
These things are difficult to explain through one sided communication like the SNS youtube, and also written articles.
The most dangerous word in trying to teach brass playing may be
"relax"
We need to realize the resistance and tension, (from our lips, tongue position, mouthpiece, or the horn) in parts of our playing, so this word needs to be carefully guided in person, thorough communicative on site lessons.
Well, this is just my two cents!
Sorry for the long ass reply.....
I am still trying to learn how to be a better player and better teacher, so I am thankful for your insights.
Eric
Me watching, who can't play past a high G like 👁️👄👁️
I struggle with playing a high E or higher 😂
i just started hitting high a naturally like 2 weeks ago
Been 2 years… how are you?🙂
now i'm confused, you're saying to blow at a higher air pressure by what it seems to me, forcing it, whereas I was told and have experienced just an increase in volume whenever I used that technique. but have since learned to arch the tongue upward to the pallet of the mouth and contract the lip muscles slightly so even at a constant air flow, I can seemlessly change between notes
Ok when I started blowing faster my high register improved instantly. I just got the f above the f on the top line of the staff
TProf, I'm wondering, in your long endeavor for improved efficiency, if changes in equipment were part of that. Also, are there techniques you can recommend for developing compression within the oral cavity?
Hi James. Changes in equipment played a big part in my progress. But those changes were made AFTER making physical changes. For instance, If physically you start playing with a higher level of resistance, you can then lower it somewhere else. My mouthpiece is a Monette Prana B4S S2.. It has a huge throat. Most would think that helps in the low register (which it does) but it helps more in the upper! Another very important point here: It took about a month before it really started to work for me. Most would have given up after a few days but I knew in theory it should work so I gave it the time. My teaching is the same. It is based on fact, knowledge and experience.
Compression in the oral cavity all comes under the umbrella of air pressure which is controlled by the sigh. Maybe what you mean is simply developing the use of the oral cavity and yes there are plenty of ways to do that. When we talk about the oral cavity and using the back of the tongue everything seems so simplistic. It isn't. There are so many ways you can set and use the oral cavity and it plays such an important role in developing your engine. I'm literally about to make my next video on developing the three essential tips and I briefly touch on this aspect then. Thanks for writing. TP
THANKS DEAR FRIEND... PRIMA GEMACHT !!!!
Nice job of balancing your voice against the trumpet. Many RUclipsrs can't do that; they mumble so you have to turn the volume up, then when they play they don't bother reducing that and it blows your ears inside out.
Very interesting video. What do you mean when you talk about playing with high resistance? I didn't really understand your explanation of why you jumped up to the next harmonic rather than getting louder.
Hi Robin. Take a look at my Test and Build Your Air Power video. From 1:07 should explain. I didn't really expand on why the harmonic jumped up other than to say I play at much higher resistance. The specific reason I'll explain another time, simply because it is unusual, will require greater explanation and is sure to create interest.
@@TheTrumpetProf Thanks very much. The other video is really good too. The note kicks up with me too when I blow harder. When I tried the other test of pulling the mouthpiece out while playing, most of the time I just get air. Sometimes a (higher) note sounds, though nowhere near as loud and clear as yours.
Hello PAUL, when I try going high I think my lips close down and suffocate my ability to go higher and everything. What is a method to maintain the opening off my lips and keep the lips vibrating and air stream flowing? Thanks for your excellent videos Michael Morris
Hi sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.
That isn't easily solved with one short comment! Play a middle C and really kick the air fast. Does it kick up to the next harmonic? If not experiment until it does. Then kick to the next and the next. Most players close down the aperture to raise pitch but eventually there's no where to go. You need to rebalance and that should get you started.
thank you professor. practice number 2 - relax top lip is not easy to me. I tried to be conscious that but almost always automatically my top lip was hardened. is there any other practice or training to make top lip relaxed?
Hi Michael. Yes, have a look at my other video "How to develop the three essential tips" and read through some comments below as this topic has come up a few times. TP
Paul - you say to focus on you resistance and where it’s coming from; you also say the resistance is not necessarily coming from the lips. This seems like a very key point. Please explain where else it can be coming from - maybe the tongue (arch)? Please clarify - and thanks for a VERY informative video.
Chris
Hi Chris. Have a look at the follow on video "How to Develop the Three Essential Tips". I talk a little more about resistance there. TP
The Trumpet Prof Thanks I just watched that video you recommended. So it’s sounds like you recommend creating resistance using the tongue. So when you say in the first video, keep the same resistance for the low notes as you do as the high notes, Does that physically mean trying to keep the same high tongue level for low notes as high notes?
@@chrismartinez8414 I only recommend it using the tongue for the purposes of that video and because everyone uses the tongue to some degree anyway. Yes, for the exercise and sensation of resistance try to maintain the high tongue as you descend. I'm not saying you should always play like that but it is a good way to develop your playing. TP