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Originally Posted by TrumpetScreamer  Well I have been really working on developing my range, power, and endurance in the last few months. I am currently able to hit a High C with alot of power and good tone. I can go higher, but after the high C, I begin to lose the power and strength. One of the problems I have been running into is after I hit a note like High C, or maybe the B before it, and hold it for about 5-10 seconds I get a short headache, normally developing in the back of my head. It goes away after about 5-10 seconds. Keep in mind this is after I have been playing scales for at least 10-15 minutes straight. After about the fourth or fifth headache, they become to painful for me to continue playing. The most annoying thing about it is that it begins to develop before my lips are tired, so I think it is restricting me from building my range.
Is this normal? If so should I just work through it and eventually it will begin to come at later times?
If not does anyone know what I could be doing wrong and how to stop it?
Thanks,
-TrumpetScreamer |
What you are doing is normal when you are playing high notes the wrong way. It is normal when trumpet players try to use range that they have not earned and it is normal that this will screw up your trumpet playing.
What you describe gives me the indication that your chops are not prepared for the job and that your breathing is probably also not adequate. if your chops and breathing are working, your range doesn't just stop, the tone just keeps getting thinner. When you use unnecessary pressure, your range just stops after a particular note because you squeeze the lips off with force that your air can't compensate for.
Do a search here at TM on "circle of breath". That should at least get you started on correct breathing. The chops part should be looked at by a decent teacher. I suspect that your face muscles are weak so the normal long tones and lip slurs played very softly would help most. Count on at least 3 - 6 months of dedicated work to improve your chops and range.
What is your idea of "really working on range, power and endurance"? What have you been doing differently other than beating yourself up?
If you keep up your present method of practice, you will pass out sometime, that is not good for you or the instrument.