barato

What is everyone's range here? Mine was probably a double D... pretty pathetic but I am also a Freshman in high school, lol. Now with braces, it faded down to a very angry A, first one above the staff. I have been practicing with Max Schlossberg Daily Drills and Technical Studies, and have been improving with different breathing techniques. Other than that what is your range ( high range, and/or low range )?

wiseone2

A double D is higher than just about any piece in the symphonic or trumpet solo repertoire calls for.
How is your sound? Do you know ALL your major and minor scales? Do you have a knowledge of solfeggio? These are questions that I would ask of a high school freshman.Range will come, work on music first.
Wilmer

eisprl

Lets just say that I can play whatever the director puts in front of me (range wise anyway). I can play my lowest note and I can play high notes (on a really good day I can play a really high note). Notice I don't say "my highest note" is etc etc. In order for me to say that I would have to OWN that note. In other words be able to play it over and over and over again without ever getting tired. Only then would I call it "my" note.

There you go, a wierd response to a wierd question. Instead of getting into the proverbial pissing contest that so many trumpet players can get into let me say that 'range' goes both ways (up and down). If you wanted to know how 'high' people can play, just ask that. (just a little pet pieve of mine)

That being said I can play a low F#.

E.

barato

Well double D was the highest I ever played, without braces... Other than that I have been working on breathing ( which helps range considerably ) and my knowledge of scales. Thanks for the words you said, and your right, to say what I can play, I have to own it. In this case I do not own it... lol. Oh well, there is only room for improvement. Thanks

kadleck

As Wilmer implied, range is just one component of becoming a great trumpet player. I know many guys who can play loud double C's who don't work because either they can't read well, have an awful sound or have a major deficiency in an area that's more important than range.

When I was in High School I had a much better range than I have now. But, I've since focused on things that I'll need (for my work) on a daily basis. Hitting a double C is not one of them. Probably 99% of my work is below high C.

TK

wiseone2

When I met Sergei Nakariakov he was 14 years old, he could not play a double anything. He could, however, play flawlessly the Arban "Carnival of Venice." He played the instrument with a mature flair.
Wynton Marsalis was an old guy when he first played for me. He was 17 He played the Haydn Concerto and a couple Charlier etudes, not a suggestion of high screaming notes.
Two of the outstanding trumpet talents in history........and no screaming high notes.
Doesn't this tell you something?
Wilmer

Firestas'1

I must agree with the general consensus here. I spend much more time working on improving my overall sound and flexibility than range, I feel it is far more important.

Vulgano Brother

Welcome to TM. You may have noticed that nobody here discriminates on the basis of range, creed, or national origin!

Your question is somewhat like asking a quarterback how far they can throw a football. You might be surprised to find that the best quarterbacks aren’t always (and even hardly ever are) the ones with the most amazing arms. They have to do so much more: know the playbook inside and out, take the snap, hand the ball off, read the defense, spot the open receiver, run, block, and even sometimes tackle. Even when they throw it 50 yards or so in the air, they have to time it so that the receiver is in position to catch it, and the defender isn’t, and all this while getting knocked down and with a bunch of people yelling at the same time.

It’s the same with the trumpet: there is so much more to this instrument just the range, and I hope you discover the joy in mastering the complete instrument!

Have fun!

barato

I agree with what you have to say. Range is a measly skill which is not worth as much as other things. Just here recently my private teacher preaches that a good range is a great foundation. Range as in low, middle, and high registers. Range is something I have been putting a little stress on myself, because many songs do carry some of these higher components which my school music teacher will kill if I could not play . Most my energy has been going into sight reading... because I am now in all my school bands avaliable (marching, concert, jazz, and pep bands) and all I want to do is improve. See if I had the ability to play the all of the insane ( well insane in my current level of playing ) Carnival of Venice flawlessly I doubt I would be doing what I am doing, I would be playing 14 hours straight and would be attending a music school for high school and college. The most I have played straight was 6 hour practice... I love playing, and I want it to be a life long hobby. Well thanks for the advice.
Later,
Howard

Brekelefuw

It's not about how long you spend in the practice room. It is about how you use your time. Playing 14 hours straight will just end up in damaged lips.