adonis74

Rowuk:

How much time did you spend on doing Clarke up two octaves before perfecting it?

adonis74

Rowuk:

How much time did you spend on doing Clarke up two octaves before perfecting it?

rowuk

Adonis,
if you read my other posts you will see that I will never be even close to perfect.
The interesting thing is that I pretty much know what I am missing and how to correct it, but my family (wife and 4 kids), my job and the amount of other playing that I do steal the time that I would need to get the rest together - and then keep it there. No regrets though. The people that book me are generally happy with the results.
I only practice the extreme high range when I need it (maybe twice a year for the Brandenburg or similar). For big band lead playing, the F or G above high C in my normal routine is more than enough. A week or two to get used to the shallow mouthpiece (for the brighter sound) is enough.
How long it takes to get a useful double C is based on the rest of your playing. If you are doing EVERYTHING right, 6 months to a year. If you have unresolved body use or breathing issues maybe never...........
I spend about 3 months (it takes that long to get everything including articulation right) preparing for a Brandenburg, Richter or Michael Haydn. That is not only Clarke, but also Adams and just about everything else that I play on the big horn, just an octave up. At the end of the session, I always warm down with the big horn. It makes getting started the next day easier.

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

Drew

I don't know if it is true or not, but I once heard that Maynard stated he only used fingerings in the extreme upper range so he could remember what note he was on!

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LA Benge 3X Bb Trumpet ML .460 Bore Silver
LA Benge Flugelhorn ML #5 bell Silver
Triebert Couesnon Moderne Bb/A Piccolo
Olds Ambassador Bb - I love the way this horn plays!

Tom Mac

I use essentially the same fingerings as Robin. The only difference is that I use G#=2 (for me it seems to respond better and more in tune; this is, however a highly individual choice and is at least in part dictated by choice of mouthpiece and horn) and A=3 (same amount of tubing as 12 but.... I have no idea why I prefer it). Please keep in mind that I am not a high note specialist but feel a double C is, for me, required technique. It makes my brain feel right when I play one. LOL

T. Mac

green_eagle18

haha i wish i could reach the clouds, i can barely get off the ground...

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Yamaha YTR - 8335 Xeno Custom Series
Bach - 1 1/2 C 24ktGP mouthpiece
University of North Texas - 2nd year

adonis74

Rowuk:

You're a darn sight better than many, and certainly than I am. Sorry if my comment sounded sarcastic.

When I asked how much time you spent on Clarke up two octaves, I was trying to learn how much more work I have to do to get a bit closer to proficiency on the high notes. Some players can go from the pedal tones to the double high C, so the closer I can come to that goal, the better I'll feel about my playing.

I'll keep trying, but my objective in working on the really high notes is to be more proficient overall. If I can do fairly well at the upper end in practice, maybe I can do high E, F, and perhaps G with good tone and endurance when it counts. It seems logical, but I'm just a babe in the woods when it comes to not only the high notes but to overall performance.

I just keep trying.

I enjoy your posts, Rowuk. Keep 'em up.

Adonis74

adonis74

Rowuk:

What is the "big horn" compared to your other horns?

rowuk

The big horn is a standard Bb.

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

rowuk

Adonis,
not being humble or anything - we all have exactly the same basic problem. The Homo Sapien was not designed to hold a trumpet and blow double Cs.
To beat mother nature, we have a lot of work to do. Some players have a measure of natural proficiency, a bit of luck - and the gift of preserverance. Learning to play high is hard work overcoming the deficiencies of the body, resolving bad habits and learning new techniques. If it was easy, everybody could do it and it wouldn't be special.
I have been very lucky my whole playing life having had very inspiring, supportive people around me.
If I have learned one single lesson, it is to go with the music. When you understand (to some degree anyway) exactly what you are playing, and what you mean to say, you find that playing it is easier AND the work necessary to develop additional skills stays fun.
There are many trumpet players that play the Brandenburg because of the high concert G - they want to prove to themselves and the world that they CAN. I find that piece interesting because Bach composed it in such a way that he had no choice but to use that note in the 1st movement. By playing it in context, it is no longer the focal point of the piece, but a logical conclusion based on what came before and where the piece goes afterwards. At that point, you do not try to HIT that note, it just seems (with proper preparation) to happen.
I did not take your comment as sarcastic, I do have an odd sense of humor however and sometimes twist posts around for a laugh.
Adonis, the only "advice" that I can give you here on the internet, is to be curious about everything that you hear and play. Take joy in everything that you have already accomplished, and when you set a goal-like double C, find a context in which it fits. When you honor a composer by preparing yourself like for the olympics (one shot every 4 years!), you will find motivation and pleasure in every small improvement. That is what MUSIC is about - to me anyway!

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.