How To Play in the Upper Register

Summary

In this video, the artist discusses strategies for playing the trumpet's upper register effectively. They emphasize the importance of a strong foundation in lower registers, the mental shift to view high notes as an extension of one's range, and maintaining evenness in sound and effort. Physical techniques like tongue arch and abdominal compression are introduced to achieve a more efficient sound. The artist also encourages incorporating high notes into regular practice and improvisation to develop a seamless musical style across registers.

Takeaways

• 🎷 Mindset is crucial: Shift from thinking about 'high notes' to viewing them as an extension of your natural playing range.
• 💪 Solid foundation: Ensure a strong, even sound across the lower and middle registers before extending to the upper register.
• 🚫 Eliminate fear: Tighten your standards and don't be intimidated by high notes; treat them as you would any other note.
• 🎶 Musical application: Incorporate high notes into your regular playing and improvisation to build familiarity and comfort.
• 👅 Tongue technique: Practice tongue arching to achieve a more compressed sound without straining, which is essential for high notes.
• 🔁 Evenness and efficiency: Strive for evenness in sound and effort across all registers for a more efficient and less fatiguing playing style.
• 📈 Gradual approach: Start with simple slurs and arpeggios, and gradually increase complexity as you become more comfortable.
• 🗣️ Vocalize practice: Whistle to practice pitch control and airflow, which translates to better control on the trumpet.
• 📚 Apply to repertoire: Transpose tunes and practice exercises to include high notes, fostering a seamless integration into your playing.
• 🤝 Connect with community: Engage with the musician's community on TikTok and consider one-on-one lessons for personalized guidance.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video transcript?

The main focus of the video transcript is on improving trumpet playing, particularly in the upper register, by addressing mental and physical aspects of playing high notes.

Why does the speaker suggest changing the mindset about high notes?

The speaker suggests changing the mindset about high notes because thinking of them as a separate entity makes playing them harder. Instead, they should be viewed as an extension of what one already plays.

What is the importance of having a solid foundation in the lower and middle registers according to the speaker?

Having a solid foundation in the lower and middle registers is important because it provides the necessary technique and sound quality to extend into the upper register effectively.

How does the speaker recommend changing one's approach to reading music in terms of high notes?

The speaker recommends tightening one's standards and not getting intimidated by high notes in sheet music. Instead of seeing them as a challenge, they should be viewed as an extension of the regular playing range.

What physical exercises are suggested to improve the evenness of sound in the upper register?

The speaker suggests practicing slurs that go up and down the register to achieve evenness of sound. They also mention the importance of tongue arching and using the air efficiently to compress the sound without excessive embouchure movement.

Why is it important to practice whistling according to the video?

Practicing whistling is important because it helps in understanding how to control pitch with the tongue without significant embouchure movement, which can be applied to playing the trumpet.

What does the speaker mean by 'efficiency' in the context of playing high notes?

In the context of playing high notes, 'efficiency' refers to the ability to play with a consistent sound and effort across all registers, minimizing strain and maximizing musicality.

How does the speaker advise incorporating high notes into regular playing?

The speaker advises incorporating high notes into regular playing by applying them to exercises, practicing tunes in higher octaves, and not being afraid to use them in improvisation.

What is the significance of maintaining the same style across different registers according to the speaker?

Maintaining the same style across different registers is significant because it ensures a consistent musical expression and makes learning new styles easier, as the approach to playing does not need to change significantly.

What is the speaker's stance on the mental aspect of playing the trumpet?

The speaker emphasizes that playing the trumpet is predominantly a mental challenge, and that by removing mental barriers and believing in one's capabilities, significant improvements can be made.

Outlines

00:00

🎷 Returning to Regular Posting and Mentality Shift for High Notes

The speaker returns to posting after a hiatus, promising to post more consistently with a focus on in-depth content. They discuss the importance of changing one's mindset when approaching high notes on a trumpet, suggesting to view them as an extension of one's regular playing rather than a separate, daunting task. The speaker emphasizes the need for a solid foundation in the lower and middle registers before attempting high notes, and encourages tightening one's standards to reduce the mental barrier associated with high notes.

05:02

🎶 Achieving Evenness in Sound and Efficiency in Playing

The speaker continues by detailing the physical aspects of playing high notes, focusing on achieving an even sound and effort across registers. They introduce the concept of tongue arch, explaining how adjusting the tongue's position can help compress air and produce a more efficient sound. The speaker demonstrates exercises, such as slurs and arpeggios, to help achieve this evenness and suggests practicing these exercises slowly to focus on sound quality. They also discuss the importance of not playing high notes loudly unless necessary, aiming for efficiency and evenness instead.

10:03

🎵 Incorporating High Notes into Music and Improvisation

The speaker encourages the incorporation of high notes into regular playing and improvisation, advising not to be intimidated by high notes in sheet music. They suggest practicing high notes in the context of tunes and exercises, and to transpose tunes to higher keys to challenge and expand one's range. The speaker also talks about the importance of maintaining one's style and feel across all registers, making it easier to learn new styles and express oneself musically.

15:13

📚 Mental Aspects of Playing and Encouragement to Overcome Limitations

In the final paragraph, the speaker reiterates that playing an instrument, especially achieving high notes, is largely a mental challenge. They stress the importance of self-belief and removing mental barriers to improve not just high notes but overall musicianship. The speaker provides encouragement, asserting that with the right mindset and practice, anyone can achieve their musical goals. They also mention their presence on TikTok for quick tips and offer personal Zoom lessons for those seeking more direct guidance.

20:16

🔚 Conclusion and Contact Information

The speaker concludes by summarizing the main points of the video, emphasizing the mental approach to playing high notes and the importance of practice. They provide their contact information for those interested in Zoom lessons and invite viewers to engage with them on TikTok for more frequent content. The speaker expresses gratitude for the viewers' patience during their absence and looks forward to increased interaction and content creation.

Keywords

💡Mentality

In the context of the video, 'mentality' refers to the mental approach and attitude one has towards playing high notes on a trumpet. The speaker emphasizes the importance of shifting one's mindset to view high notes not as a separate, daunting task, but as an extension of one's regular playing. This change in perspective is crucial for overcoming the psychological barriers that can hinder performance. For instance, the speaker suggests thinking of high notes as no more challenging than middle-register notes, which helps in maintaining a consistent effort and sound quality across all registers.

💡High Notes

The term 'high notes' is central to the video's theme, as it discusses techniques and mental strategies for playing notes in the upper register of the trumpet. The speaker advises against viewing high notes with fear or intimidation, suggesting that they should be approached with the same ease as lower notes. The video aims to demystify high notes and integrate them into regular practice, thereby enhancing the overall musicianship and range of the player.

💡Extension

Used in the video to describe the upper register as a natural extension of the lower and middle registers of the trumpet. The speaker encourages players to think of high notes not as a separate entity but as a part of their overall playing range. This concept is exemplified when the speaker says, 'think of it as an extension of what you already play,' highlighting the need for a seamless transition between registers without altering the quality of sound or effort.

💡Efficiency

Efficiency in this video pertains to the ability to play high notes with minimal effort and maximum effect. The speaker discusses various techniques, such as tongue arch and even airflow, to achieve this. Efficiency is key to maintaining a consistent sound and style across all registers, as illustrated when the speaker says, 'you want everything to stay relatively easy,' emphasizing the need for a balance between effort and sound quality.

💡Tongue Arch

Tongue arch is a technique mentioned in the video to help players achieve a more compressed sound when ascending to higher notes. It involves adjusting the position of the tongue to control airflow and pitch without significantly moving the embouchure. The speaker demonstrates how a slight change in tongue position can lead to a more efficient and powerful sound in the upper register, as seen when they say, 'as you ascend, you don't want to go too far because then, your sound is gonna get really pinched off and nasally.'

💡Evenness

Evenness refers to the consistency in sound quality across different registers, which is a goal the speaker encourages players to strive for. It involves maintaining a balanced sound from the lowest to the highest notes, as the speaker advises, 'you want an evenness of sound and the ability to get a little bit more aggressive when you need it.' Achieving evenness helps in creating a cohesive musical performance, regardless of the register being played.

💡Improvisation

Improvisation is discussed in the video as a crucial aspect of jazz music that benefits from incorporating high notes into one's regular playing. The speaker encourages players to experiment with high notes during improvisation to expand their musical vocabulary and expressiveness. This is exemplified when the speaker says, 'when you're improvising, don't be afraid to go up to a high D, a high F,' suggesting that confidence in the upper register can significantly enhance one's improvisational skills.

💡Physical Capability

Physical capability in the video refers to the actual physical ability of a trumpet player to produce high notes. The speaker asserts that most players have the inherent physical capability to play high notes but are often hindered by mental barriers. The video aims to empower players to overcome these barriers and utilize their full physical potential, as indicated by the statement, 'we all have the physical capability to do a lot of the stuff that we want to, but we trick ourselves into thinking that it's not that so.'

💡Standards

In the context of the video, 'standards' refer to the expectations and perceived limits a player sets for themselves regarding their ability to play high notes. The speaker advocates for raising these standards to challenge and expand one's capabilities. This is evident when the speaker says, 'we have to kind of tighten our standards a little bit,' suggesting that by setting higher goals, players can push beyond their comfort zones and achieve greater technical proficiency.

💡Foundation

A solid foundation in the video is used to describe the necessity of having a strong base in the lower and middle registers before attempting to master the upper register. The speaker stresses the importance of a solid foundation for achieving a seamless and even sound across all registers, as illustrated by the statement, 'you have to have a solid foundation...so shut all your stuff that you're working on it, looks less your etudes whatever, you're shedding right now just to solidify your foundation.'

Highlights

The importance of changing mindset to improve high note playing on the trumpet.

Discarding the term 'high notes' to simplify playing in the upper register.

The necessity of a solid foundation in lower and middle registers for upper register extension.

Tightening standards to perceive high notes as less challenging.

Mental preparation for high notes by expecting higher pitches.

The psychological aspect of playing trumpet and overcoming self-imposed limitations.

Physical exercises for evenness of sound and effort in high and low registers.

Using slurs to connect high and low registers for even sound.

The role of tongue arch in achieving compression and evenness in sound.

Practicing with a mirror to observe and correct tongue and embouchure movements.

Whistling as a practice method to understand pitch control without physical strain.

Incorporating high notes into regular playing to improve range and efficiency.

Applying high notes to improvisation to enhance musical expression.

The significance of maintaining a consistent style across all registers.

Transposing tunes to practice high notes and expand range.

The mental aspect of playing high notes and the need to raise personal standards.

The importance of a solid foundation before attempting to play high notes.

Strategies for warming up and warming down the trumpet.

The availability of the instructor on TikTok for quick tips and playing examples.

Offering of Zoom lessons for personalized guidance on trumpet playing.

Transcripts

hey what's going on everyone I'm sorry I

haven't posted in a while I know it's

been a minute I've been really busy like

been going on but um I'm back I'm cool

I'm good I'm gonna try my best to post

once every other week if I can I'll do

once a week I am and not just like short

videos I mean like I'm gonna be breaking

stuff down and of course I'll be posting

videos me playing some stuff but yeah

I'm back time good sorry it's been a

while but this my first video back this

is kind of just diving deeper into video

I did a while back while I talked about

how to develop toned upper register but

I'm just gonna be talking about playing

up there and mentality and stuff like

that so the first things first is we

have to kind of switch our mindset

around you know in more than one way the

first thing is we kind of have to throw

away the term high notes you know once

we start thinking like that stuff gets a

lot harder just kind of think of stuff

think of it as an extension of what you

already play you know don't think of

something it high notes as a separate

thing if you're playing you know we

don't we don't play the trumpet we don't

play high notes we play music you know

so think of it as an extension of what's

already available to at your fingertips

at your chops really you know now that

being said you also have to you have to

have a really solid good sound in the

lower register in the middle register

you know because since it's an extension

of what's already playing you have to

have a solid foundation you know so shut

all your stuff that you're working on it

looks less your etudes whatever whatever

you're shedding right now just to

solidify your foundation you know and

the second thing in changing mentality

is we have to kind of tighten our

standards a little bit you know I know a

lot of cats that when they're looking at

music they see written hi Gigi right

above the staff you know and it's like

oh I got to get ready I'm coming in on

high G for me personally when I'm

looking at music especially when I'm

playing lead because I got to be in a

mindset the first note that I see when

I'm like oh oh this is kind of high is

probably like a double G you know that's

when I'm with that I see that note

written it's like okay now we're getting

high from a high C all into height

double G I'm just saying what if this is

just a little bit about

register you know and even if you can't

play that yet you just tell yourself

that you know and you'll realize as your

standards get lower or technically

higher you know for yourself it's gonna

be a lot easier you so you see a high C

in sight oh that's high then you're

gonna be reaching for it and you're

gonna miss it like 90% of the time if

you think of a high C on top of the

staff as the same amount of effort as a

C right in the middle and stuff it's

like oh okay

Boop and you got it so those are the two

biggest things in terms of mental stuff

of course there's some physical stuff

but we gotta remember playing trumpet is

99.999% mental stuff you know we all

have the physical capability to do a lot

of the stuff that we want to but we

trick ourselves into thinking that it's

not that so like in my first point where

I spoke about um we have to have that

evenness of sound that the extending and

the evenness of sound and as well as

effort you know you want everything to

stay relatively easy you want to find a

set of exercises that works for you that

connects your high to low this this is

um a set of slurs that basically

everyone has heard but it's good because

it goes up and down at the same time

you're going down as you go up not all

the way down word but you're not just

descending you know you're slightly

descending as you ascend so you want to

slow this down and stop wherever is

comfortable for you and just really go

for the evenness and timbre you want an

evenness of sound and the ability to get

a little bit more aggressive when you

need it for playing lead another good

stuff so just start this simple slur

when you're just using arpeggios

[Music]

I keep going to where you're stopping

uncomfortable

[Music]

so right now I'm not playing that a and

the double G is super loud because I can

play them like because I'm looking for

like I said that evenness and sounds the

evenness in a in efficiency really the

effort I'm putting in the same effort I

put in to play down low sees the same

one after I put in for that double G and

I see just a little bit more compression

you know just beat up the air so I'm not

playing these super loud I'm not playing

this as if I was playing a lead gig you

know this is just that efficiency and

the Tambor you know what I'm saying you

want that evenness of sound now what we

can do specifically to achieve that is

this is something I mentioned in that

past video speaking about is um tongue

arch tongue arch um as we ascend you

don't want to go too far because then

your sound is gonna get really pinched

off and nasally but to compress the air

instead of just jamming the horn into

our face and squeezing everything

together as you ascend you at the back

of your tongue should come up as if

you're going from the vowel Oh kind of

going towards the prancing of all II so

and you should feel that your airflow is

coming up around here that's the air

that's heinel air and that's what's

going to get you that compression that's

why you see like as I'm ascending of

course you see a tiny bit of movement

but you don't see major movement in my

chops on

there's almost no movement here so one

thing we can do to start learning how to

do that is when you got nothing else to

do just whistle when I do that octave

there you can look in front of mirror

you don't really see your chop muscles

moving as you whistle your tongue is

what's changing the pitch you know and

that same exact principle is what

applies to our time to playing so

whistle round mess with it and then

isolated you'll hear when you're

breathing and you can know if you're

doing right you'll feel your air steam

is going down here now this is gonna

work for majority of players of course

there's some people like if you're an

upstream player obviously this is

different but for the majority of us

this is what we're looking for this is

gonna give us that efficiency in the

operators too so you feel that air

sitting down here and just apply it to

your playing it's not gonna be super

loud

we don't want super loud right now but

just go ahead and apply these though

[Music]

and when a lot of these cats are doing

those super huge shakes that's all

they're doing here is going moving that

song around that's what's changing that

pitch for those super wide shakes you

know you don't shake like that going you

can't really shake those white shapes by

shaking the horn really fast or anything

like that it's just so start isolating

that tongue marks before you put it on

horn and get used to it

and then apply it to your playing and it

just makes life easier you're gonna

unlock a lot more range and everything

is just gonna be easier with the most

amount of efficiency as possible you

know which is what we want we want to

get the best sound we want to get the

best range with the least amount of work

you know so tongue March is a big thing

and if you want to start studying

aggressive it's that same principle just

add a little bit of abdominal

compression behind it what gives you a

lead sound you know a more direct sound

so the second point I made at the

beginning of this video is that we we

have to kind of lower our standards for

our height and our standards is the

right term for high notes you know don't

freak out when you see a high F in your

music you know it's it's just just

matters is the same amount of work as an

F right on top of the staff

you know so high in your standards for

what you can do you know don't get

scared don't get intimidated when you

see a high C to a high F in her chart

you know I'm saying as you start

building up your range and you start

building this efficiency you're gonna

realize it's like oh my job is a lot

easier I don't have to worry about this

stuff especially when it's playing soft

playing high and soft is just as easy as

playing the rest of your horn playing

lead and stuff like that of course it's

a little bit more work you know there's

some more stuff involved there but

playing high and soft is easy you know

so when you've seen this music don't

don't get scared you know you got it you

got it and like I said we're working on

this mental stuff you're gonna be in the

right headspace and you're gonna have to

write physical capabilities you know

because you're making your job easy use

a lot of efficiency so the last point is

um you know how I was talking about high

notes are just an extension of what your

playing is you have to apply a lot of

these high notes into into your music

you know that's the that's the only way

to make that connection between your

upper were just doing the rest of your

sound take exercises take a mobile minor

third take them up a fifth whatever you

need to do is take them up an octave if

you can and just apply these high notes

to your regular life when you're

improvising don't be afraid to go up to

a high D a high F you know and if that's

too much start regular improvise and

maybe if you're used to improvising

within from low C to an e in the top

space maybe throw in a G you're blowing

on the Blues they wanna see blues you

don't be afraid or not until you on top

of the staff playing bluesy line

starting on a high C you know don't be

afraid

and you should be encouraged to

incorporate upper register notes into

your regular playing that's what's gonna

get you the best results and that's

what's gonna get you an evenness not

only sound and temper but style that's a

super important thing especially when we

start playing lead and stuff like that

is you want to have the same style you

know the same feel as when you play in a

lower register middle register and

that'll open up the doors because when

you're when we're talking about middle

register I'm talking about lower

register if we want to learn a new style

or something like that approach to new

style it's easy you don't have to think

about chop string so if we're if are

playing in the upper register is the

same then it's just as easy to start

learning a new style you know so play

tunes play stuff like that if your range

is up to a high D or high e let's say

let's say e to be safe take like the two

misty take it up an octave further

bridge you need a little bit more range

I think it goes up to an f-sharp and you

need a little bit more space but if you

got a high a high e right play misty up

an octave if it's like this

[Music]

[Music]

Ben looks like that and stuff like that

taking them to my dad about taking

exercises up you know what your

capabilities are and then start looking

at tunes that you can do transpose Tunes

playing different keys and when you're

improvising it doesn't have to be super

high but just

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

evenness you know I'm saying I'm

cracking if you know something playing

all day so my chops a little bit tired

but I'm playing from that high E flat

all the way down to the low G you know

[Music]

you know like that pedal tones unlocking

a lot of pedal tones and stuff it's also

gonna help you it's also gonna help you

warm down that's a cover video warming

up and warming down and then a separate

time because I I got some warm-ups that

I think are really good have some warm

downs as well but I think I should share

with everyone but basically that's about

it I'm summing up what I mentioned in

this video is everything trumpet wise is

mainly mental you gotta take some stress

out stress off of yourself and heighten

your standards for what you can do you

know you can do a lot more than you

think you can a lot more and that's in

everything not just high notes you can

improvise better than you think you can

you can play concerto better than you

think you can you know you just got to

take those limits off mentally you know

that's for playing high notes

specifically you have to be able to

connect you have to have a solid

foundation before you start building you

know if you're Laura Miller registers

sound like this you know how can you

expect to start playing double G's and

stuff when your foundation if you can't

play that you can't play just nobody's

gonna want to hear your gg even if it's

Wayne Bergeron's gg you know amber

drowns awesome that's a different thing

anyway so yeah um take him stress off of

yourself it's a lot mental you can do it

I promise you I promise you you can do

it and if you can't do it right this

instant I promise you you can do it a

lot sooner than you think you can

you can do a lot sooner than you think

you can you just have to know your body

you have to know your limitations and

you need to know how to push those

limitations in a way that's gonna

benefit you the most in a way that's

gonna benefit you physically mentally

and most importantly musically you know

you're you're gonna improve a lot of

your music all this stuff incorporate

your upper register them in your normal

playing don't think high notes think

extension think of a piano you don't

think of oh man like if you see piano

music and you see a super a super high C

right you don't freak out saying oh my

goodness actively huh you just hit the

key that's that's the mental state that

we want to be you want to be have all of

this in front of you to be able to make

music

whether that be jazz classical rock

whatever you're doing you know we just

want a wide palate as wide of a palate

as possible so that we can create music

that we can create art to express

ourselves so yeah that um in a nutshell

is basically it I gave you those

exercises those simple slurs that you

play pedal tones throughout so you don't

get super tired play tunes whatever

tunes you want the exercises but I mean

that's that's about it I for those of

you that don't know I'm a tick tock now

I've been making a lot of tic TOCs

I post at least once a day on quick tips

quick videos of me playing I post quick

clips of me talking about how to play

stuff just like tips and stuff like that

on how to play in the upper register or

how to play certain licks I've been

doing to stuff like that so check me out

I'll put all this stuff in the

description of this video

it's my app is nathaniel underscore 0 2

1 1 so I'll go check me out there I've

been posting really frequently for a

while there I think you'll like this

stuff and also for those of you that

don't know I'm offering zoom lessons so

I'm going to put my email down below

first zoom lesson 3 um and we're gonna

work on whatever you want you know if

you want to work on starting to play in

the upper register better we'll discuss

that if you want to work on if you can

already play high but you're having

trouble connecting talk about that if

you're having

if you wanted to get some better

understanding on improvisation playing

bebop scales different types of chord

progressions all that stuff shoot me an

email we'll break stuff down so ya n

Williford zero eight at gmail.com like I

said I'm gonna put all this stuff in the

description leave a like leave a comment

ask me any questions if you have any

yeah I think that's about it

happy shutting everyone like I said I'm

sorry for being gone for so long but um

I'm back now

so yeah missed you guys I'm back and you

will be seeing a lot more a lot more of

me take