Tartellog

Now that we’ve got a better mental picture of the entire range of the trumpet (see Part 1), it’s time to build coordination throughout that entire range.  We’re going to start in what I believe is the middle of the trumpet range-wise.  That means 3rd space “C”.  Here’s why:

• There’s an octave-and-a-half to low “F#”.  Any lower is pedal tones.
• There’s an octave-and-a-half higher to high “F#”.  This is where all of the valve combinations overlap and any note can be played with any fingering.

The concept is simple:

If you can play a 3rd space “C”, then you can play the trumpet.

Step 1 is to create a great 3rd space “C”.  Now we’re going to take that approach with us throughout the range of the trumpet.

But first, a little bit of math (Woo-hoo!).  We all know that:

If a=b and b=c, then a=c.

Here’s how that applies to trumpet.  Play this:

How much different is “C#” than “C”?  Now play this:

How much different is “D” than “C#”?   You see where I’m going.

If “C#” is virtually the same as “C”, and “D” is virtually the same as “C#”, then “D” is virtually the same as “C”, and so on until the entire range of the trumpet is virtually the same as “C”.

The goals of this exercise, which starts at “C” and goes to “F#” below the staff and “F#” above the staff are twofold:

1. To systematically build coordination throughout the entire range of the trumpet, and
2. To minimize the physical adjustments trumpet players make to play high or low.

Before I finish, let me make clear something I’m NOT saying.  I am not saying that there are no adjustments that happen between notes.  What I am saying is that trumpet players can spend too much time focusing on those adjustments, and in doing so, overdo it.  The physical changes that occur between notes are very small.

This exercise can be a first step in gaining the technique of playing the whole range of the trumpet.  Make sure to balance your practice of technique with music.  Here’s how to use some very simple tunes to solidify that range.

Open your Arban’s book to page 191.  Yes, to “The Art of Phrasing, 150 Classic and Popular Melodies.”  These are perfect for a musical application of the same technical exercise discussed above.

• Play #1, “Robin Adair” as written.  The range is one octave, from “G” in the staff to “G” on top of the staff.
• Now play it up a 1/2 step, with the goal of retaining the ease and fullness of sound from the 1st time.
• Keep going up by 1/2 steps.

This can work with any piece of music.  I choose to start with the melodies in the Arban’s book because they are relatively short and musical.

The good news is this:  Anyone can do this.

The bad news is this:  It takes regular dedicated practice.

• Regular means that a little bit every day is better than a lot one day and none the next.
• Dedicated means paying attention to detail while practicing.
• Practice means working towards getting better, not just going through the motions.

Let me know how it’s going.

Now get to work.

All right trumpet players, let’s talk about high notes.

First, let’s deal with 2 of my favorite excuses about why you can’t play as high as you’d like:

1)  You’re born with it.

• That’s right, if you weren’t blessed with a Double-C at birth, you’ve got no shot.  This is my personal favorite.  It’s the greatest cop-out in trumpet.  In any beginning band section one kid will have an easier time making a good sound, another kid will have an easier time coordinating fingers, and another kid will have an easier time playing higher.  All teachers seem to agree that you can practice towards a better sound and better fingers, so why is it such a leap to think you can also practice your way to better range?

2)  If I could just find the right mouthpiece then all of my problems would be solved.

• For you equipment junkies, read this carefully:  There is no magic mouthpiece.  Certainly the right equipment can make your job easier, but it is no substitute for dedicated, smart practice.  “Right equipment” is a relative phrase.  Just because a player you admire plays a certain mouthpiece does not mean it is the right mouthpiece for you.

Feel free to add your favorite excuses in the comments.

Now that we’ve gotten rid of the excuses, here’s the secret:

There are no high notes

I know, now you feel cheated.  Follow me on this and it will help.  If we can agree that a 3rd space “C” is not a high note (and I think we can), then since “C#” is only a 1/2 step higher, it certainly doesn’t qualify as a high note either.  And “D” is only a 1/2 step higher than “C#”, so it can’t be a high note.  Well, “Eb” is only up another 1/2 step, so it can’t be high.  You can keep going as long as you’d like.  Now we know there are no high notes.  Now what?

Now we need a better mental picture.  Because of the way music is notated, it’s very common to picture high notes as “up” and low notes as “down”.  This leads to 2 very common problems:

1. Over-relaxing to play low.  Players will let go of all support and get that really special tube sound so familiar to beginning band directors.
2. Over-tightening to play high.  Players will tighten up every part of their bodies just to squeeze out a note they think to be high.

So forget up and down.   Now go and look at a piano (it’s okay, I’ll wait)……..

Is it any harder to play high (or low) on a piano?  No.

Why?

All of the notes are right in front of you

That’s your new mental picture.  The entire range of the trumpet is right in front of you.  Now you only need one thing to access it:

Coordination

It’s not just air, or just tongue arch, or just any other single thing.  It’s coordination.

Part 2 (Coming Soon!) will deal with how to build that coordination throughout the entire range of the trumpet.

Let’s start with the easy stuff:

• Music is not about winning.
• There is no Best Trumpet Player.
• Music is not about winning.

I grew up in the extremely competitive environment of Texas bands.  There is no doubt in my mind that the hours of rehearsals getting ready for, and number of performances in competitions helped me become a better trumpet player and musician.

But if I used the competitions as my only motivation, I would have peaked at age 17.

My motivation is very simple: I want to be great.  I want to be a great musician, a great trumpet player, a great teacher, a great performer…well, you get the picture.

Competitions and auditions can be great short-term projects.  They are not long-term goals.  You can be extremely motivated to win a competition or audition.  You work really hard, do your best, and sure enough you win.  Congratulations.  Now what?  Are you done now?  If you’ve won a job, does that mean you’re finished growing as a musician?  I hope not.

It’s time to starting thinking big.

I mean really big.

Now get to work.

Last night, I watched “Mel Brooks and Dick Cavett Together Again.”   It was an hour of the two of them reminiscing about their life in show business, which included several stories about their interactions with various celebrities.  They talked about Alfred Hitchcock and Cary Grant like, and I know this may sound silly, they were real people.

This is exactly how you need to be listening.  It’s easy to listen to recordings of your favorite artists and groups and, although intellectually know they are real, think of what they are doing as some magical-mystical-music-making that doesn’t exist in the same plane of consciousness as you.

This is Step 1 in Listening: Demystification.  The people making the music you respect are, in fact, real people.  Your favorite musician could be someone’s annoying friend who won’t stop forwarding jokes that weren’t funny before the internet existed.  Or worse- a Notre Dame fan.

Step 2 involves some logic, so follow me here:

• I want to be able to do what my favorite player does on a specific recording.
• Since my favorite player did it, it can be done.
• Since it can be done, why can’t I be one who does it?