WHS_trumpetplayer

I have recently discovered a way to improve my range considerably, and my tone quality. I am second chair in my high school's intermediate(which i rightfully should be 2nd chair in my top band, which i have been told by my band director) and my sister, who also plays trumpet, but is 3rd chair in the top band, and she also plays baritone in the beginning band. Well, for the past few weekends she has been bringing the baritone home and practicing, well, while she isn't, i practice it in my spare time. Well, let me say this, over these past two weekends, my range has shot up from me playing a high C with a full sound, to playing a G above that. And my tone quality has improved immensly, so to anyone who wishes to improve either, or both of these, i would try to find some way to get a hold of a baritone, and since the fingerings are the same, once you can center the concert Bb, you can play any scale you know, and anything you like. Then after practicing a part of a difficult song because of range or something, you take your trumpet and play the part, and you will immediatly know the differance.

Well, I hope this can help anyone, and can have a better time playing. And if anyone has any more hints, please tell me, I am hoping to hit a super C by the end of my junior year.

Manny Laureano

Do you have a cheese grater and a box of nails?

ML

Schwab

New way to improve range and tone quality: PRACTICE

and I don't mean on the baritone.

WHS, I think you should go to TH and hang out in High Range Development. You'd probably have a blast there.

__________________
Dylan Schwab
Stage 1 New York

sdhinote

Little wonder your range has improved. You have to put more air through the baritone and you are basically blowing pedal tones. I noticed this same thing with a friend of mine, Larry Merigillano, who played lead trumpet at Disneyland when Disney still believed that live music was entertainment instead of overblown puppets on floats. But I digress...

His sound production and range both improved because he had to use his diaphragm to sustain a pitch on the baritone and instead of relying on a trumpet mouthpiece to help produce sound, he actually had to concentrate on his embouchure and facial muscles to get the notes out. Same theory with a valve trombone. It works for Maynard, so why not...

But do you want to be a good baritone player or a good trumpet player? You can accomplish the same thing by doing breathing exercises (hatha yoga, jogging, long walks, hiking) and practicing out of methods that urge the use of pedal tones. (Stick with the trumpet. I don't recall any great baritone players....)

__________________
Geoff Winstead
former studio player/private teacher in SD

Benge 3x+
Blessing ML-1G Artist's Model
Conn Connstellation 38B (Cat's horn)
Wharburton 5sv/5
Kanstul flugel w/Schilke 13F

eisprl

I say that if you want to work on a larger mouthpiece but still play the trumpet, then I suggest playing some flugel. You can hit the pedals much easier, it might be a little cheaper than a baritone, the mouthpiece is bigger and above all else, you are still technically playing on some sort of trumpet and the switch between the two is much easier than any low brass instrument.

But I still agree with stcman and to just practice you trumpet, not the baritone. If you want to be a good trumpet player with the proper muscles built up, you need to work out those muscles!

Eric

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Eric Sproul
Practice is like filling a leaky bucket

Bb: Yamaha Xeno 8335
C: Bach Stadivarious 239L and 25A leadpipe (Owned by Eric Sholtz)
Flugel: Yamaha Bobby Shew 6310Z
Mouthpieces: GR tech
www.stadband.ca

sdhinote

I fully agree with Eric. Make a lamp out of that baritone and stick with a real instrument!

By the way, what the *#@&'s a "super C"??! Is it something like an "Awesome D"?

Double-C maybe?

__________________
Geoff Winstead
former studio player/private teacher in SD

Benge 3x+
Blessing ML-1G Artist's Model
Conn Connstellation 38B (Cat's horn)
Wharburton 5sv/5
Kanstul flugel w/Schilke 13F

dkelley

You guys are being pretty hard on WHS_trumpetplayer.

It seems to me that playing baritone a little could help some people. Maybe just as a warm up or for a couple minute a day. It seems to me that the bigger mouthpiece/instrument could activate more of the muscles and encourage deeper breathing. For some it could help. For others it could be a disaster. If playing baritone for a few moments helps you play trumpet with a better perspective, I think it should not be discouraged. Don't be afraid to experiment!

WHS_trumpetplayer, don't let the previous posters' condescending tone discourage you from posting. In a public forum like this, you'll just have to deal with that kind of person a lot.

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-David Kelley

trickg

I used to do the same thing in high school, only I did it with the little alto horns, aka "peck horns" that our (French) horn players used to double on for marching when I was at the First US Army Band. The mouthpiece isn't quite as big as Trombone/Baritone mouthpiece, but it accomplished much the same thing. I would warm up on that prior to going out and playing in pep band and it seemed like I could just blow the walls down. (I mainly did this when I was a Freshman - I'm not sure why I stopped.)

For sdhinote, a "Super C" is another way some people refer to the Double High C. I've also heard it referred to as a "Grand C", and some people simply shorten it to "dubba".

WHS, this might be a good thing, but be careful not to over do it. My guess is that the reason it's helping is because out of necessity due to the fact that it's a much larger horn, your breathing and air support both had to improve a bit before you could get a full, steady, robust sound.

__________________
Patrick Gleason
email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com

"What we do in life echoes in eternity"
"At my signal, unleash hell."
- Maximus Decimus Meridius

mike ansberry

I've been teaching band for 20 years. I sometimes switch a struggling trumpet player to baritone. The larger mouthpiece and bigger bore helps them learn to open up their sound and not pinch so much. After about a year I let them switch back if they want (sometimes the love the baritone). They are almost always a much better trumpet player. In fact, it has helped me. I used to play trombone in my school's jazz band when it was a small fledgling group. I found that the larger mouthpiece seemed to work the muscles of the embouchure further out from the mouth. It helped my range a bit.

Don't let these guys get you down, WHS. Different strokes for different folks!

__________________
"Music is a fire in your belly that has to come out of your mouth, so you'd better put a horn in the way before someone gets hurt" (paraphrase of Bleeding Gums Murphy)

dizforprez

Come on guys, give him a break. I grew up not too far away from Woodstock and can tell you he doesn’t have some fine arts high school he can go too.

WHS,


It sounds like you don’t spend a lot of time on the trumpet or have a set routine to practice. I know it can be hard to find teachers in your area but it will ultimately be worth while if you want to really learn how to play the trumpet. Looking for gimmicks will only get you so far.