GordonH

Hello Ed

I am doing a Verdi Requiem. Its the second trumpet part which is the lower part (first and third play the high parts, second and fourth do the low parts). I am struggling to play the low notes loud enough. So far I have tried loosening my lower jaw a bit and to some extent it helps but I still don't seem to be getting the volume thats required.

I don't know if it really is a problem as I am being asked to play very loudly.
I can't remember ever playing this loudly before in a performance.
Its a choir of 180 singers plus full orchestra plus additional four trumpets for the offstage parts and the acoustics in the hall are not good.

Any tips for playing bottom A's louder or with more impact?

(I am on the big Monette trumpet. My rotary is slightly better on the low notes but not enough of a difference to make the swap, its a technique issue rather than equipment).

Its not often people discuss techniques for low register playing!

Matt Funamura

hmmmmm...I don't really know, drop the jaw? grab a larger mouthpiece if possible? play the low A with more of an upstream pivot? hard to say. I'm a jazz player and I'm accustomed to liking some "fluffed" notes.

GordonH

Yes, already doing the jaw thing, thats my standard technique.

A low F trumpet would be much easier to do this on.

ecarroll

Gordon,

For this performance, since you don't have time to prepare, keep your bell up, drop your jaw, imagine you're a trombonist, and think of England (I know you're a Scot).

In the future, spend time on air management exercises such at the pedal exercises found in the Stamp and Thibaud methods. Go slowly and let the process happen. Learning to relax while blowing wider/faster will help you in the high range as well.

...a question: how are your low notes on a more conventional trumpet?

Cheers,
EC

GordonH

Thanks Ed, I will give that a go.
I use to do a lot of Schlossberg and I think I need to get back to that.
My lower register used to be a lot better.

Meanwhile its back to work.
As well as two business trips to London I have three concerts, one of which is a concerto so its a busy month.

GordonH

Oh, my low register on a conventional trumpet is much the same.
Used to be a lot better.
I used to be able to compete with the trombones.

siarr

Hi, Gordon,

One thing that helps me (in all registers) is to go more for resonance than volume. You can't force the volume, but you can listen for your tone to "open up" and resonate more. Even if you can't blow away the 'bones, your tone will blend better and augment the whole texture of the emsemble. The Thompson book is great for developing this concept. Also, lay off the haggis!

Cheers,
Chas
Editions Bim and The Brass Press, International Music Publishing

tpetplyr

Something that really helped my lower register was cleaning my horn out. I swab my leadpipe and tuning slide regularly and they were fine, but over the months, crud had accumulated in the pipes between the valves. When I got that out, my low register opened up immediately.

I had known something was wrong because the low F on my C trumpet was so much easier than the low G on my Bb.

Stuart

GordonH

OK, just to update this, I found a partial solution.

One of the other guys in the section is doing it on a C trumpet and the guy playing first (George Parnabay - head of brass at Newcastle University) told me he meant to do it on C but brought the wrong trumpet to the rehearsal.
So, the concensus was that we would all do it on C trumpets.
I got mine out and the lower register on it is sounding a lot better, even though it means I have to use trigger (bottom G's instead of bottom A'a on the Bb).

I think this way the section will blend better as well.
The performance is tonight so I will let you all know what happens.

Maybe its because the C trumpet is a large bore that it has a more punchy lower register. I normally use it for solos, rarely in the orchestra so I don't play it in the lower register much.