THANK YOU SO MUCH! I can finally play high notes! Also, I think my big brother is just like you! He can play high notes with ease. And I'm impressed that you can sound like a flute on a trombone! 😆
Hearing the sound in your head is key ( my former trumpet teacher uses tuning forks to hear a certain frequencies) If we can hear the pitch in our head its significantly more attainable to recreate it on our instruments. Thanks for the lesson.
thank you this has really helped. i’ve joined marching band this year and it’s my senior year, i’ve been having trouble playing notes above the ledger lines. This has helped me with focusing on my airstream and not on my lips or face. i’ve been trying to play c# steadily and now can and almost with a good sound. thank you for this video
Thank you for that lesson I can play high notes very easily but getting more advice from you it really does help I'm really close to getting my my high g three lines above the staff a little in before second position and my band teacher says I'm one of the best high note players she's hadn't a really long time so thank you for the advice and taking the time out of your day to teach people
2 years later and this video is still helping players tremendously. Also I have an issue with making my higher register notes sound like music. I have the ability to play a super F but its no where near what I actually want it to sound like.
Find a few melodies you enjoying playing and play them in keys that work on the range you're working on. This tends to bring our focus to the music more so then hitting the notes.
Thanks for that clear explanation on hitting the high notes. I am just a month into playing trombone again after not playing since I was a kid more than 50 years ago!!! Hitting just G, A, Bb was tough for me. I think I stumbled on what you described and now I have the specific technique to make it a habit.
Hey, just want to say thank you for teaching me high notes. I’ve always had trouble reaching high notes without struggling. After watching this videos and following your tips, I felt comfortable reaching with my high notes. Took about 2 hours to practice and going up in notes as you showed, It felt simple and easy! Thank you!
Dude you are amazingly the greatest as keeping the embouchure open not only resonates the sound but also strengthens same at best. Thanking you so very much.
I used to be able to play high notes if i remember like easily now its hard to even hit like 3 línes over the F line hopefully with all these videos i have watched i can apply them into my trombóne at school and get better. I will come back in 8 months and say if i have improved
@@TheChopsShop sorry for not answering but yes i've gotten a lot better i went from one of the last chairs in my band to top 2 in the band thank you so much this helped a lot
Hey love the tips I’m a beginning band playing for middle school and I need your help on getting those high notes for the brass instruments specifically the baritone
Yoo today is the first time I did this exercise and my upper register is already singing. I'm getting only to Bb3 but I know I'll go much higher with time using this very teaching. Thanking you so much again.
Im going to 8th grade this year but luckily I could go to the highschool summer marchingband camp and u help me so much because I have been having trouble playing high notes ( now i can play f above the scale)
Thank you! I’m making a short film where the main character plays a trombone, and I really want to animate, and portray is accurately. I only play bass and sing, so this helped a lot! If you guys have any tips for composing Jazz trombone solos, please feel free to drop tips in the reply section.
Great advice, my brother 😎. Can this advice be applied to bass trombone and it’s relatives, the tuba and euphonium? I would like you to do an instructional video on low range as low notes are just as important especially if you’re a high horn guy. I tend to hear a lot of high registers playing particularly in jazz, gospel, classical, funk, r&b, blues and other styles of music that feature brass sections. But never enough of low end bass sounds on them horns. Lol 😂 😂
Yes this advice can be applied to the lower brass instruments as well! I would do a low note video but there’s so many great low note players out there. I leave the real knowledge to be spread by someone who makes their living in that register. In horn sections, there usually is not the bass horn but I think a lot of times that’s for financial reasons. They either go big and get 12 horns or they go small and get 3-4 horns. In the latter scenario if there’s already a bass player in the band, I’m not going to get a bass horn. There’s nothing like having that bottom in a horn section though!
@@TheChopsShop There is a common perception of the bass trombone that it can only play low notes and struggles in the high range. Bass trombone greats like Aidan Ritchie, Reginald “Reggie” Chapman, Ben Van Djik, Charlie Vernon and have no problem making their instruments sing and play up there 👆🏾. I have seen many other videos on high notes on tuba and baritone like instruments. Lol
@@TheChopsShop And let’s not forget the best bass trombonist, George Roberts. He mainly played on a single valve bass before using a double valve bass.
A different perspective coming back to this after taking a lesson with you. Simple concept, but can be difficult to pull off. It definitely takes time to develop though. I highly recommend a lesson (or lessons) with The Chops Shop!
It's difficult to do the simple things but that's why we practice. Our mindset is often focused on conquering the difficult tasks instead of mastering the simple ones. I hope all is well!
@@TheChopsShop Back to basics for life. Thanks man, it's going well. I hope you're doing well as well. Was checking out some YT clips of you with the Count Basie Orchestra. Killin and blues. Keeping an eye out for your stuff!
Thanks for the advices, I got my braces removed recently and I can’t go as high as before. Hope theses advices and exercices can help me get higher than before. Thank you
Great lesson Dion! Really helped me rethink how i️ think about the upper register. I️ noticed that you have a tooth gap and as someone who also has a pretty large tooth gap in my front teeth i️ was wondering how it affected your playing (or if it even did affect your playing in the first place).Thanks again for the great lesson!!
First off thank you for these videos. I also noticed that you have a gap in your teeth, and that your embouchure centers over that area. I have had major dental work this last year and wonder about the role of dental structure in playing: i.e. overbite, overjet etc. I'm having trouble . Any ideas?
Ooo I’m the first person to watch this!! 😆That’s never happened to me before!! I feel pretty special!! Thanks for your help Dionne , I’m going to go and try it now! ( Bristol, UK) ☺️
Great Video! Thanks for the helpful reminders and new mental concepts. I had been off the horn for a few months so needed some good words and vibes. Be well man. 👍🏾🎶✌🏾
I wonder if this is typical, but for the last 6 months or so I've hit a very hard ceiling with double D being my highest, and actually getting quite comfortable and relaxed as I work this style of strategy into my practice. But I can't buzz an Eb at all, not once, not even if I cheat with bad, high pressure technique and a loud dynamic. Strangely, I can buzz on just the mouthpiece all the way to a triple Bb.
When you hit a ceiling in your range it generally means the air is unable to pass through the lips in order to resonate the leadpipe. My suggestion would be to NOT try to buzz the note on the mouthpiece. You are dictating to your embouchure what you think needs to happen. Experiment with having your aperture wider then you think it needs to be. It will allow your lips more space to come together when you play in the upper register. When you hit the note observe what happened, not what you did to make the note sound.
That more than likely is being caused by your lips beings to close together. When we play in the upper register we need to get our lips out of the way so the air can travel. Experiment with your aperture being more open. Simply by creating more space for the air can solve your issue.
howdy! does this work for all brass players or only trombone players? i was practicing horn today and i had much difficulty hitting a high c and i couldn’t find any videos specific to horn so i wanted to make sure this works for high brass instruments too! thank you!!!
Question. Is it okay that as I go higher up I roll my bottom lip inwards? It’s always been my high note technique and sounds quite good up to about Eb. After Eb tho it starts sounding pinched and airy. Any advice you might have to offer would be super welcome. Thanks for such a cool video!
You don’t want to roll your lip inwards because that leaves less surface to vibrate when you play in the upper register. Your aperture should get smaller but be careful to not stretch your lips horizontally to create a smaller opening. The more you take away the less you have to give. The upper register is something we allow to happen and by staying out of our own way, we increase our chances of success.
Well, I can't hit them at all. 😅 I've been playing for about 6 years now but I'm still struggling haha thank you for the lesson though! I really hope to be able to hit those higher notes.
Good luck, you can do it. Don’t try too hard, that can work against you. Figure out what is required for the note you’re going for and build from there.
What would you consider to be the range of a professional jazz trombonist. I'm a junior in highschool right now and I can play from the note G1 to somewhere around Ab5 - Bb5.
So to clarify, playing high notes doesn't necessarily mean I should have to tighten my lips, right? I'm a new player, playing about 6 months, and the highest I can play is probably high F with 2 ledger lines above the staff. I find that in order to play this note I have to tighten my lips like crazy which produces a low-quality sound, and also limits how much higher I can play. What can I do to play high notes easier and have better sound quality?
Do they have drones that can simulate pitches to assure we’re hearing the correct note we’re attempting to execute? I concur 100% we need to hear it before we can deliver it but if we’re not yet able to blow the note we cannot hear it, I think a drone would be an excellent idea.
I’m sure there are drones that can be used for the upper register. Of course there is the old school way, 1)play the note on the piano/keyboard 2) sing the note in your head 3) play the note on the instrument. I think being able to feel the overtones by singing can be very helpful as well.
I have a very high register, but it’s hard to center / tune anything above double F. What would you recommend to center it easily? would long tones be beneficial?
Using your ear really comes into play in that register. The lip position is so close that it's beneficial to not think about it. Keep your airflow consistent. Sometimes we hit the high note and then back off the airstream because we're "there." In order to stay there/centered keep the same air. intensity. Practice your scales up to the highest notes you're comfortable with. Hold the top note for a second or two, then relax. I think this is more beneficial than playing long tones.
Learning how to relax can be challenging. Start by figuring out what your highest COMFORTABLE note is. This is important because you want to build on the mindset of not thinking about playing "high notes." Increase your range one 1/2 step at a time, only moving on when your lips are relaxed in your upper register. Relaxation is achieved when we don't try and allow things to flow. Go at your own pace and keep working up a 1/2 step at a time.
Amazing video, but I have one question for you. Junior districts are in roughly a month for me, and I got a new mouthpiece for Christmas, and it’s a bit bigger, making it harder to play high notes, the highest note I need to play for districts is a g on the 3rd leger line. My old smaller mouthpiece is able to play high notes easier currently, but the tone quality is worse, while with the new larger one, it’s harder to play high notes, but the tone quality is a bit better in my opinion. I can currently play high F’s that sound nice on the first, while I can play high E’s that sound nice on the second. Which mouthpiece should I choose to use for districts?
Whenever you get a new mouthpiece it takes a little while to get used to. I would say play your old mouthpiece until after your audition. You don't want the mental stress of learning new equipment right before an audition. Being confident in your playing will help you make district, not your mouthpiece.
The size and shape of your lips should not matter. The way your lips function is what's important. If you feel like you have reached your ceiling range wise, try starting with your lips further apart. The air needs space to get trough to the leadpipe. You don't want your lips to get in the way of that process.
Could you explain a bit more about where the air makes contact in the lead pipe? I'm not quite sure I understand. I've always struggled to stay relaxed up high. I can get the Db above high Bb pretty consistently, but the D just doesn't like to speak! I have way to much tension despite trying to stay relaxed.
The “contact” I’m speaking of really has to do with the distance the air needs to travel. When we play in the upper register, it’s helpful to visualize the airstream moving towards the bell. The faster the air travels, the smaller our aperture becomes. It’s a balance between aperture size and air speed. This is what I envision as the “contact point.” Try thinking about the “ooh” lip formation in the upper register. It helps to keep your lips relaxed and slightly apart when playing in the upper register.
Thank you! I've been watching some of your videos and they are very helpful! I got my degree in music Ed, but spent the last ten years having babies and doing the young mom thing. I'm finally playing again in a local orchestra, and miss having the direction of a teacher as I practice. I will have to keep watching and learning!
How much time should be dedicated to this exercise in a practice session? And should it be the only or one of the only substantial things you do on the horn that day? For context, I have an audition next month, and I feel like I’ve hit a wall with my high range and it doesn’t feel natural anymore. This exercise seems helpful but I have to balance it with practicing my actual audition music without doing too much and being counterproductive to the goal.
You said the key word, balance. Your primary focus should be you audition material. You don’t want to add anymore more stress to your life by learning something new right now. Once you’re past that point, working on high range 10min a day can do the trick. Do a little bit everyday while trying to increase your range a 1/2 step at a time.
After much research, I’ve concluded that there is only ONE method to improve your high range that works 100% of the time… doing it every day and being patient. Regardless of whichever exercises you do.
I will agree with you in part. Yes, you must be consistent with working on your high range. What exercises you do and how you approach them will absolutely have an effect on your execution. You can practice something incorrectly everyday, that’s not going to benefit you in the long run.
Hi Dion Can I ask you a question please, I use a practice mute more often than without a mute ( not to annoy those a round me ) is this good for my sound. Regards Chris
Using a practice mute all the time is not great for your sound but we do what we have to do. It’s better to practice open because most times, that’s how we perform. A great skill to have is learning how to play soft without a mute. That can be very beneficial for your sound!
my ceiling is high c# to d (5 ledger lines) and I really want to hit a high f comfortably. edit (I can now hit high Eb E F G more consistently but it sounds squeezed most the time)
The notes above high D are really close together for your embouchure. If you can prevent your lips from closing off the airstream, you’ll be able to achieve higher notes.
I do have a question - as someone who can play high, I don't think I am achieving it correctly. I find my mouthpiece going up on the face, till the top of it almost hits the bottom of my nose. I was noticing your mouthpiece does not move locations at all. Is there an exercise I can do to correct this?
It sounds like the manipulation of the position of your mouthpiece is what’s changing your aperture. Focus on the shape/size of the airstream while allowing your embouchure to manipulate the shape of the aperture. At times, I’ll practice releasing air into the shank of the mouthpiece. Instead of blowing air into the cup, flip the mouthpiece over and release the air into the shank. This will force you to be accurate with the direction of the air without moving the mouthpiece.
Practice playing high notes softly. The louder we play, the more we tend to step on the gas. That usually cause us to use more pressure than required. Find the setup where you can play the notes softly, intensify the airstream from there. Volume comes from the intensity of the airstream, not the quantity of the air. I hope that helps.
this seems to be really helpful but i was wondering if the same criteria would apply to trombonists with braces? i've been looking around and can't seem to find anything :(
Sadly I see a ring around my lips as I reach higher and if I don’t press the mouthpiece into my face I can’t play the note so idk what to do and get tired currently in middle school if that’s a problem
I've never played with braces so I can't speak first hand on what that feels like. This will help you play with less pressure which is ultimately what we are going for.
I struggle sometimes with E too. I think the overtones lay a little funny in second position in that register. The Eb and E partial are very close in 2nd position. It's easy for our lips to confuse the two.
Not trying to bother you, but what should I do if I've tried all these steps, but my trombone ends up shaking and making weird delays in the sound? Is there a problem with me or the trombone or both? thanks
It sounds like you may have an issue with your horn. There should not be anything rattling when you play. Ideally you should feel the metal vibrating in your hand. Take it to your local repairman if possible.
Is it possible for someone to achieve this even if they’ve recovered from cleft palet and lip surgery? I’ve never had cleft palet surgery before no! I’m just curious! After at least a week or so when they’ve recovered from the operation can they play a brass instrument or woodwind instrument just as good as anybody else can? I ask this because apparently some people say the anatomy of your face’s lips matters. Does it?? 🤔🤔
This question is definitely better left to a medical professional. Your facial anatomy matters in the sense that your embouchure will function slightly different then everyone else’s because we all are different. The muscles in the face still have to function properly so yes a medical surgery could effect that!
@@TheChopsShop What about if you started playing at a very young age? You know? Like it is with gymnastics? Ya HAVE to start at a very young age about 4 years old cuz your bones and muscles are a whole lot softer and flexible for you to do those backflips and summersaults and stuff? Does that logic apply to the muscles in ya face? I started playing the trombone when I was 17. Does mixing ya embouchure with woodwind a brass ruin you ability for the two and the other? I used to play the clarinet but up until ever since I was 23 in Summer 2014, I only ever stuck to the trombone. Yeah! I got a euphonium and a bass trombone with different sized mouthpieces and they’re all interchangeable, thank god! XD
@@TheChopsShop Oh yeah! Obviously, talking about cleft pallet, assuming you were born in a rich country, you’d need that surgery almost straight after being born, gotta be able to eat and drink properly and the results are compromising at best! I used to know somebody who’s missing one of his two front teeth and he can still play the Bb tuba very well and my ex lecturer smokes, he can still play all those woodwind instruments very well too.
Music development is different then gymnastics because in music we develop over a lifetime. Gymnastics usual stops by the age of 30-35. Our embouchure can take on many different nuances and still function properly. Some musicians that develop early, burn out as young adults so the formula is quite different in music when it comes to early development.
Been trying to play a high F recently. Finally figured out how to get it to work for me (move the mouthpiece down a little so my mouth is higher). However, now I keep going above high F and playing whatever the next note above that is in first position???? I think my technique worked a little too well, haha...
The partials up there are so close together that’s it easy to overshoot or undershoot a note. Relying on your ear is really helpful, let your body make the minor adjustments.
Don’t think of it as weakness. Think of it as your chops haven’t learned what they need to do yet. It’s not a matter of strength, it’s a matter of understanding the function and then putting that into practice.
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THANK YOU SO MUCH! I can finally play high notes! Also, I think my big brother is just like you! He can play high notes with ease. And I'm impressed that you can sound like a flute on a trombone! 😆
Thanks, I appreciate you checking out the content! I’m glad it was helpful to you.
😊
Hearing the sound in your head is key ( my former trumpet teacher uses tuning forks to hear a certain frequencies) If we can hear the pitch in our head its significantly more attainable to recreate it on our instruments. Thanks for the lesson.
The body will match our expectation so it’s good to be able to give the brain a destination. Hear what the pitch is and execute!
thank you this has really helped. i’ve joined marching band this year and it’s my senior year, i’ve been having trouble playing notes above the ledger lines. This has helped me with focusing on my airstream and not on my lips or face. i’ve been trying to play c# steadily and now can and almost with a good sound. thank you for this video
Awesome, I’m glad the tips in the videos have been useful for you. Keep up the good work!
Great advice! Man, I can’t even comprehend playing a double B-flat!!
I couldn’t comprehend it either until I let it happen. Even now, I don’t think of it as a note I play, it’s a note I let happen.
Many thanks Mr. Tucker. I just learned how to effectively go from the lower register to the upper and it's all thanks to you.
That’s awesome, I’m glad to be of assistance!
Studying this now to help students, it's been hard to try to explain what you put into words. Thank you!
Throughout all your playing, you stayed relaxed, not in a hurry, just playing relaxed. Thanks!
It's the way to a much happier trombone journey for me.
I needed this for my trombone March of a Marionette solo.
I hope the tips are helpful to your playing.
@@TheChopsShop It did I can play my three octave Bb scale with ease.
Glad to hear that!
Thank you for that lesson I can play high notes very easily but getting more advice from you it really does help I'm really close to getting my my high g three lines above the staff a little in before second position and my band teacher says I'm one of the best high note players she's hadn't a really long time so thank you for the advice and taking the time out of your day to teach people
I’m glad you found the information in this video useful. Keep building your range one half step at a time. Happy practicing!
The highest note i can play is f so this helped me so much
I'm glad the video was helpful!
Very nice double high B flat
Thanks!
Thank you, that was terrific. I stumbled on this accidentally a while back and lost it. Your video helped me to rediscover it.
Awesome, I'm glad the information help you out.
Man!! The best video I've seen on producing high notes on brass instruments.
I'm glad the information is useful! Thanks for checking out the content.
2 years later and this video is still helping players tremendously. Also I have an issue with making my higher register notes sound like music. I have the ability to play a super F but its no where near what I actually want it to sound like.
Find a few melodies you enjoying playing and play them in keys that work on the range you're working on. This tends to bring our focus to the music more so then hitting the notes.
Had to change my embouchure completely... This video is helping me get my range back.
I’m glad this video is helpful to you. Sorry to hear you had to change your embouchure but I know what a blessing in disguise that can be!
Out of all the great youtubers out there I was finally able to play high on the trumpet thanks to your advice- not to over think it 😁👍
Awesome, I’m glad the information was useful to you. Doing less usually yields better results when playing high notes.
Thanks for that clear explanation on hitting the high notes. I am just a month into playing trombone again after not playing since I was a kid more than 50 years ago!!! Hitting just G, A, Bb was tough for me. I think I stumbled on what you described and now I have the specific technique to make it a habit.
Take it one 1/2 step at a time. Let the airstream lead and allow the lips to follow.
@@TheChopsShop Thanks for the tip. I like how style talking about how to play trombone better.
This is cool. I will try it out and let you know. I've been trying for over 45 years. Here we go!
I hope these tips are helpful to you . The journey is long with some exciting stops along the way!
Hey, just want to say thank you for teaching me high notes. I’ve always had trouble reaching high notes without struggling. After watching this videos and following your tips, I felt comfortable reaching with my high notes. Took about 2 hours to practice and going up in notes as you showed, It felt simple and easy!
Thank you!
That's great! I'm glad the information helped your playing. Stay confident in your execution mentally, your body will follow.
Super explication... Très pédagogique... Merci ça va m aider ...
Thank you for watching!
THANK YOU SO MUCH you have helped me go up to the high f I really appreciate I am the only tormbone player in my band
I'm happy this video was helpful to you. Happy practicing!
Thank you so much, bruh jazz has so many high notes so thank you for all the tips, it helped a lot
Great, I'm glad the tips were helpful!
Also really great to hear the notes from a video clear and free. Thanks!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
Dude you are amazingly the greatest as keeping the embouchure open not only resonates the sound but also strengthens same at best. Thanking you so very much.
Thanks so much for the love. I'm glad the concept is helpful to your playing.
I used to be able to play high notes if i remember like easily now its hard to even hit like 3 línes over the F line hopefully with all these videos i have watched i can apply them into my trombóne at school and get better. I will come back in 8 months and say if i have improved
Yes, I would love to hear about your progress. The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the journey. Happy practicing!
Halfway point reminder 😎
ayo its been 8 months
?
@@TheChopsShop sorry for not answering but yes i've gotten a lot better i went from one of the last chairs in my band to top 2 in the band thank you so much this helped a lot
this method has been extremely helpful. liked and subscribed
Thanks, I appreciate you checking out the content! I’m glad the method was useful for you.
Wow! I wish you had been my teacher 60 years ago.
Thanks for those kind words. I'm doing my part to share the knowledge now with my students. I'm still learning a lot!
Hey love the tips I’m a beginning band playing for middle school and I need your help on getting those high notes for the brass instruments specifically the baritone
@@paxtonnouchi7456 the first tip is to practice consistently. Practicing everyday will most times get you the results you’re looking for.
This is the best video I've ever watched about playing high range. Thank you so much!
Awesome, I’m glad you found the information useful!
Moltes gràcies!
My Pleasure!
write that book
I just might have to do that!🤔
Yup! You surely do!
I will, I can see it now!
You just helped me pass my test thank you
I’m glad you passed your test, keep up the good work!
Yoo today is the first time I did this exercise and my upper register is already singing. I'm getting only to Bb3 but I know I'll go much higher with time using this very teaching. Thanking you so much again.
That's great, I'm glad the information was useful to you. Let the horn do the some of the work. Resonance is the key!
Im going to 8th grade this year but luckily I could go to the highschool summer marchingband camp and u help me so much because I have been having trouble playing high notes ( now i can play f above the scale)
That’s great. Stay consistent and watch your musicianship take off!
This is just what I needed to help me play random music I found
Sweet, glad you found the information useful.
Thank you! I’m making a short film where the main character plays a trombone, and I really want to animate, and portray is accurately. I only play bass and sing, so this helped a lot!
If you guys have any tips for composing Jazz trombone solos, please feel free to drop tips in the reply section.
Awesome, we need more trombonist out here. Animated and living!😂
@@TheChopsShop :D
I really liked the explanation. I hadn't seen a class with these tips yet. Happy birthday.
I’m glad the information was useful to you. Thanks for watching!
Still love this!! Thanks maestro!!
I’m glad the information continues to add value to you.
Great advice, my brother 😎. Can this advice be applied to bass trombone and it’s relatives, the tuba and euphonium? I would like you to do an instructional video on low range as low notes are just as important especially if you’re a high horn guy. I tend to hear a lot of high registers playing particularly in jazz, gospel, classical, funk, r&b, blues and other styles of music that feature brass sections. But never enough of low end bass sounds on them horns. Lol 😂 😂
Yes this advice can be applied to the lower brass instruments as well! I would do a low note video but there’s so many great low note players out there. I leave the real knowledge to be spread by someone who makes their living in that register.
In horn sections, there usually is not the bass horn but I think a lot of times that’s for financial reasons. They either go big and get 12 horns or they go small and get 3-4 horns. In the latter scenario if there’s already a bass player in the band, I’m not going to get a bass horn. There’s nothing like having that bottom in a horn section though!
@@TheChopsShop There is a common perception of the bass trombone that it can only play low notes and struggles in the high range. Bass trombone greats like Aidan Ritchie, Reginald “Reggie” Chapman, Ben Van Djik, Charlie Vernon and have no problem making their instruments sing and play up there 👆🏾. I have seen many other videos on high notes on tuba and baritone like instruments. Lol
The perfect example is Slide Hampton. He basically played a bass trombone setup and well, we know what his range was like!
@@TheChopsShop And let’s not forget the best bass trombonist, George Roberts. He mainly played on a single valve bass before using a double valve bass.
Very true!
Always great info, thank you.
My pleasure!
A different perspective coming back to this after taking a lesson with you. Simple concept, but can be difficult to pull off. It definitely takes time to develop though. I highly recommend a lesson (or lessons) with The Chops Shop!
It's difficult to do the simple things but that's why we practice. Our mindset is often focused on conquering the difficult tasks instead of mastering the simple ones. I hope all is well!
@@TheChopsShop Back to basics for life. Thanks man, it's going well. I hope you're doing well as well. Was checking out some YT clips of you with the Count Basie Orchestra. Killin and blues. Keeping an eye out for your stuff!
I play the tuba, a lot of my solo music is playing high. Thank you very much 🙏
This concept rings true for any brass instrument. I’m glad it was helpful for you.
Thanks for the advices, I got my braces removed recently and I can’t go as high as before. Hope theses advices and exercices can help me get higher than before. Thank you
Give your embouchure some time to adjust after you get your braces off. I hope that the information helps you achieve higher notes than before.
Thanks so much!! I can finally hit that super high Bb!! Your so good, thank you for sharing your tips
I'm glad the tips are helpful to your playing. Happy practicing!
I thought your eye was gonna pop out playing that really high b flat(I’m guessing it’s a b flat) thank you for this exercise
Everything is still in tact lol. Thanks for watching!
thank you this video got me to F6!
Awesome, keep it going! One half step at a time.
Thank you for these tips I’ll try to use them more often in order to play high notes 😃😃!!
I hope these tips help to improve your playing!
Great lesson Dion! Really helped me rethink how i️ think about the upper register. I️ noticed that you have a tooth gap and as someone who also has a pretty large tooth gap in my front teeth i️ was wondering how it affected your playing (or if it even did affect your playing in the first place).Thanks again for the great lesson!!
I’m glad the video helped! I’ve never thought about how my teeth effect my playing. In my case it’s not something that’s ever come into play.
First off thank you for these videos. I also noticed that you have a gap in your teeth, and that your embouchure centers over that area. I have had major dental work this last year and wonder about the role of dental structure in playing: i.e. overbite, overjet etc. I'm having trouble . Any ideas?
Ooo I’m the first person to watch this!! 😆That’s never happened to me before!! I feel pretty special!! Thanks for your help Dionne , I’m going to go and try it now! ( Bristol, UK) ☺️
Hopefully the information will be enough of a prize for viewing the video first! Let me know if the exercise is helpful.
The Chops Shop absolutely In fact it made me think about the airflow and where they are resonating, on all the notes 😊
Sweet, happy practicing!
Bristol, you say! We'll have to jam sometime
Great advice bringing in lead pipe focus. Really helped!
Best
JJ
I'm glad the information was useful.
This looks super useful.
I hope it is useful for you. 🙏🏾
Great Video! Thanks for the helpful reminders and new mental concepts. I had been off the horn for a few months so needed some good words and vibes. Be well man. 👍🏾🎶✌🏾
I’m here to provide the good vibes and hopefully some information that will help your playing.
i will definitely do this! thanks!
I’m glad the video helped you! Thanks for watching.
I wonder if this is typical, but for the last 6 months or so I've hit a very hard ceiling with double D being my highest, and actually getting quite comfortable and relaxed as I work this style of strategy into my practice. But I can't buzz an Eb at all, not once, not even if I cheat with bad, high pressure technique and a loud dynamic. Strangely, I can buzz on just the mouthpiece all the way to a triple Bb.
When you hit a ceiling in your range it generally means the air is unable to pass through the lips in order to resonate the leadpipe. My suggestion would be to NOT try to buzz the note on the mouthpiece. You are dictating to your embouchure what you think needs to happen. Experiment with having your aperture wider then you think it needs to be. It will allow your lips more space to come together when you play in the upper register. When you hit the note observe what happened, not what you did to make the note sound.
Brilliant!
Thank You!
Plus I want to follow up
Thank u sooooooo MUCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Your welcome, I’m glad you found the information useful!
@@TheChopsShop and u still care abou us
Absolutely, I care about everyone who takes the time to watch these videos.
Gostei demais da explicação. Ainda não tinha visto uma aula com essas dicas. Parabêns.
I hope these tips are helpful to your playing.
(I play tuba)I always get a “pinchy” tone like when I try and play over a high F
That more than likely is being caused by your lips beings to close together. When we play in the upper register we need to get our lips out of the way so the air can travel. Experiment with your aperture being more open. Simply by creating more space for the air can solve your issue.
Need to hit a top Db in an upcoming solo, thanks
I hope the solo goes well.
howdy! does this work for all brass players or only trombone players? i was practicing horn today and i had much difficulty hitting a high c and i couldn’t find any videos specific to horn so i wanted to make sure this works for high brass instruments too! thank you!!!
This concept apply's to all brass players!
This is so amazing, thank you so much! You're absolutely amazing!!! Such a fantastic teacher.
Thank you for watching! I’m glad the information was useful to you.
Thank you so much. That was a great help.
My pleasure, I’m glad you found the information useful!
Thanks for this!
My pleasure!🙏🏾
Great lesson Dion, thank you
As always, my pleasure!
Question. Is it okay that as I go higher up I roll my bottom lip inwards? It’s always been my high note technique and sounds quite good up to about Eb. After Eb tho it starts sounding pinched and airy. Any advice you might have to offer would be super welcome. Thanks for such a cool video!
You don’t want to roll your lip inwards because that leaves less surface to vibrate when you play in the upper register. Your aperture should get smaller but be careful to not stretch your lips horizontally to create a smaller opening. The more you take away the less you have to give. The upper register is something we allow to happen and by staying out of our own way, we increase our chances of success.
Most kindly: Mr. Dion Tucker, you are one of the seven most beautiful people in the world! *
Thank you for those kind words! 🙏🏾
Well, I can't hit them at all. 😅 I've been playing for about 6 years now but I'm still struggling haha thank you for the lesson though! I really hope to be able to hit those higher notes.
You can do it, you just can’t do it yet. Take it one half step at a time. 👍🏾
@@TheChopsShop thank you. Just because you said that I'll try harder than ever. Wish me luck!
Good luck, you can do it. Don’t try too hard, that can work against you. Figure out what is required for the note you’re going for and build from there.
Great!
Thank you!
Thank you this help me so much
I appreciate you checking out the content. I’m glad the video was helpful!
What would you consider to be the range of a professional jazz trombonist. I'm a junior in highschool right now and I can play from the note G1 to somewhere around Ab5 - Bb5.
Most professional trombonist have a range up to F5. Most music is written up to D-Eb5.
Great video!!!
Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Hey I'm gifted in the upper register but I still want to improve my ability to make music and make it sound like music
Play melodies in the upper register. Allow the higher notes to be more about singing the melody as opposed to just hitting the note.
So to clarify, playing high notes doesn't necessarily mean I should have to tighten my lips, right? I'm a new player, playing about 6 months, and the highest I can play is probably high F with 2 ledger lines above the staff. I find that in order to play this note I have to tighten my lips like crazy which produces a low-quality sound, and also limits how much higher I can play. What can I do to play high notes easier and have better sound quality?
Do they have drones that can simulate pitches to assure we’re hearing the correct note we’re attempting to execute? I concur 100% we need to hear it before we can deliver it but if we’re not yet able to blow the note we cannot hear it, I think a drone would be an excellent idea.
I’m sure there are drones that can be used for the upper register. Of course there is the old school way, 1)play the note on the piano/keyboard 2) sing the note in your head 3) play the note on the instrument. I think being able to feel the overtones by singing can be very helpful as well.
I have a very high register, but it’s hard to center / tune anything above double F. What would you recommend to center it easily? would long tones be beneficial?
Using your ear really comes into play in that register. The lip position is so close that it's beneficial to not think about it. Keep your airflow consistent. Sometimes we hit the high note and then back off the airstream because we're "there." In order to stay there/centered keep the same air. intensity.
Practice your scales up to the highest notes you're comfortable with. Hold the top note for a second or two, then relax. I think this is more beneficial than playing long tones.
I have this problem of tightening my lips when playing high notes and try to relax but can't. Have any advice?
Love your vids!
Learning how to relax can be challenging. Start by figuring out what your highest COMFORTABLE note is. This is important because you want to build on the mindset of not thinking about playing "high notes." Increase your range one 1/2 step at a time, only moving on when your lips are relaxed in your upper register. Relaxation is achieved when we don't try and allow things to flow. Go at your own pace and keep working up a 1/2 step at a time.
Amazing video, but I have one question for you. Junior districts are in roughly a month for me, and I got a new mouthpiece for Christmas, and it’s a bit bigger, making it harder to play high notes, the highest note I need to play for districts is a g on the 3rd leger line. My old smaller mouthpiece is able to play high notes easier currently, but the tone quality is worse, while with the new larger one, it’s harder to play high notes, but the tone quality is a bit better in my opinion. I can currently play high F’s that sound nice on the first, while I can play high E’s that sound nice on the second. Which mouthpiece should I choose to use for districts?
Whenever you get a new mouthpiece it takes a little while to get used to. I would say play your old mouthpiece until after your audition. You don't want the mental stress of learning new equipment right before an audition. Being confident in your playing will help you make district, not your mouthpiece.
this was very helpful, but im having troubles going higher than high C. does the kind of lips matter?
The size and shape of your lips should not matter. The way your lips function is what's important. If you feel like you have reached your ceiling range wise, try starting with your lips further apart. The air needs space to get trough to the leadpipe. You don't want your lips to get in the way of that process.
@@TheChopsShop thank you I appreciate the response.
I just recorded Bolero trombone solo for an audition and your tips really helped a lot bro✊
Awesome, I’m glad you turned the knowledge into performance. That’s really what it’s all about!
Could you explain a bit more about where the air makes contact in the lead pipe? I'm not quite sure I understand. I've always struggled to stay relaxed up high. I can get the Db above high Bb pretty consistently, but the D just doesn't like to speak! I have way to much tension despite trying to stay relaxed.
The “contact” I’m speaking of really has to do with the distance the air needs to travel. When we play in the upper register, it’s helpful to visualize the airstream moving towards the bell. The faster the air travels, the smaller our aperture becomes. It’s a balance between aperture size and air speed. This is what I envision as the “contact point.”
Try thinking about the “ooh” lip formation in the upper register. It helps to keep your lips relaxed and slightly apart when playing in the upper register.
Thank you! I've been watching some of your videos and they are very helpful! I got my degree in music Ed, but spent the last ten years having babies and doing the young mom thing. I'm finally playing again in a local orchestra, and miss having the direction of a teacher as I practice. I will have to keep watching and learning!
@@juliekesler5258 I'm glad to be a part of your journey in learning. Congrats on being able to get back to playing with your local orchestra.
How much time should be dedicated to this exercise in a practice session? And should it be the only or one of the only substantial things you do on the horn that day? For context, I have an audition next month, and I feel like I’ve hit a wall with my high range and it doesn’t feel natural anymore. This exercise seems helpful but I have to balance it with practicing my actual audition music without doing too much and being counterproductive to the goal.
You said the key word, balance. Your primary focus should be you audition material. You don’t want to add anymore more stress to your life by learning something new right now. Once you’re past that point, working on high range 10min a day can do the trick. Do a little bit everyday while trying to increase your range a 1/2 step at a time.
After much research, I’ve concluded that there is only ONE method to improve your high range that works 100% of the time… doing it every day and being patient. Regardless of whichever exercises you do.
I will agree with you in part. Yes, you must be consistent with working on your high range. What exercises you do and how you approach them will absolutely have an effect on your execution. You can practice something incorrectly everyday, that’s not going to benefit you in the long run.
Hi Dion
Can I ask you a question please, I use a practice mute more often than without a mute ( not to annoy those a round me ) is this good for my sound.
Regards
Chris
Using a practice mute all the time is not great for your sound but we do what we have to do. It’s better to practice open because most times, that’s how we perform. A great skill to have is learning how to play soft without a mute. That can be very beneficial for your sound!
Great advice. What brand trombone are you playing?
I play a Shires. It’s a custom model, the bore size goes from .495 -.508.
The Chops Shop Thanks!!!
I'm starting over after years off. The highest I can get is a high F. In my prime I was a triple F max...
Baby steps
Take it one half step at a time.
my ceiling is high c# to d (5 ledger lines) and I really want to hit a high f comfortably. edit (I can now hit high Eb E F G more consistently but it sounds squeezed most the time)
The notes above high D are really close together for your embouchure. If you can prevent your lips from closing off the airstream, you’ll be able to achieve higher notes.
I do have a question - as someone who can play high, I don't think I am achieving it correctly. I find my mouthpiece going up on the face, till the top of it almost hits the bottom of my nose. I was noticing your mouthpiece does not move locations at all. Is there an exercise I can do to correct this?
It sounds like the manipulation of the position of your mouthpiece is what’s changing your aperture. Focus on the shape/size of the airstream while allowing your embouchure to manipulate the shape of the aperture. At times, I’ll practice releasing air into the shank of the mouthpiece. Instead of blowing air into the cup, flip the mouthpiece over and release the air into the shank. This will force you to be accurate with the direction of the air without moving the mouthpiece.
Just curious. What is that trombone your playing. It looks like it has at least an 8 inch bell.
I play on a Shires custom model. It’s like a 3B bell with a 2B slide.
@TheChopsShop I've heard rumors that JJ back in his King days played the 3B bell with the 2B slide.
I got a question I find that in order for me to get high notes I put to much pressure on my lips how do I fix that
Practice playing high notes softly. The louder we play, the more we tend to step on the gas. That usually cause us to use more pressure than required. Find the setup where you can play the notes softly, intensify the airstream from there. Volume comes from the intensity of the airstream, not the quantity of the air. I hope that helps.
Btw: what a gorgeous horn you play, so fresh and sparkly 😀
She is pretty! I’m just happy her personality matches her looks. 😉
@@TheChopsShop Is that a king?
It’s a Shires custom model.
@@TheChopsShop ok nice. Is it .500 bore or bigger?
@@davidwashington9113 it’s actually a triple bore. The slide is .495 and it’s .508 at the bell. I’ll make a video about my gear soon.
this seems to be really helpful but i was wondering if the same criteria would apply to trombonists with braces? i've been looking around and can't seem to find anything :(
I’ve never had braces so I have no experience with the issues they cause. Sorry I don’t have a definite answer for you.
Sadly I see a ring around my lips as I reach higher and if I don’t press the mouthpiece into my face I can’t play the note so idk what to do and get tired currently in middle school if that’s a problem
Pressure is the enemy. It’s really about creating a balance between mouthpiece placement and your lips moving forward.
Would this help playing higher if I have braces because I can’t play a high f without it cracking anymore
I've never played with braces so I can't speak first hand on what that feels like. This will help you play with less pressure which is ultimately what we are going for.
I think one of my friend is like you,he can play very high notes yet it seems like he isn’t even trying and he’s just an elementary school kid
The less we think about what we are doing, the easier it is. I’ve had to get back to that childlike mental state when I play.
Fun fact: if you see a trombonist with a mustache, it's to cover up the mouthpiece mark after playing for awhile ( I think at least I'm not too sure)
The ring of honor.
I can hit a high F cleanly but I can't hit an E or E flat cleanly.
Why does this happen?
I struggle sometimes with E too. I think the overtones lay a little funny in second position in that register. The Eb and E partial are very close in 2nd position. It's easy for our lips to confuse the two.
Not trying to bother you, but what should I do if I've tried all these steps, but my trombone ends up shaking and making weird delays in the sound? Is there a problem with me or the trombone or both? thanks
What do you mean by “my trombone ends up shaking? Is the horn rattling or is your arm shaking?
@@TheChopsShop The horn rattles sir
It sounds like you may have an issue with your horn. There should not be anything rattling when you play. Ideally you should feel the metal vibrating in your hand. Take it to your local repairman if possible.
@@TheChopsShop thank you
Is it possible for someone to achieve this even if they’ve recovered from cleft palet and lip surgery? I’ve never had cleft palet surgery before no! I’m just curious! After at least a week or so when they’ve recovered from the operation can they play a brass instrument or woodwind instrument just as good as anybody else can? I ask this because apparently some people say the anatomy of your face’s lips matters. Does it?? 🤔🤔
This question is definitely better left to a medical professional. Your facial anatomy matters in the sense that your embouchure will function slightly different then everyone else’s because we all are different. The muscles in the face still have to function properly so yes a medical surgery could effect that!
@@TheChopsShop What about if you started playing at a very young age? You know? Like it is with gymnastics? Ya HAVE to start at a very young age about 4 years old cuz your bones and muscles are a whole lot softer and flexible for you to do those backflips and summersaults and stuff? Does that logic apply to the muscles in ya face? I started playing the trombone when I was 17. Does mixing ya embouchure with woodwind a brass ruin you ability for the two and the other? I used to play the clarinet but up until ever since I was 23 in Summer 2014, I only ever stuck to the trombone. Yeah! I got a euphonium and a bass trombone with different sized mouthpieces and they’re all interchangeable, thank god! XD
@@TheChopsShop Oh yeah! Obviously, talking about cleft pallet, assuming you were born in a rich country, you’d need that surgery almost straight after being born, gotta be able to eat and drink properly and the results are compromising at best! I used to know somebody who’s missing one of his two front teeth and he can still play the Bb tuba very well and my ex lecturer smokes, he can still play all those woodwind instruments very well too.
Music development is different then gymnastics because in music we develop over a lifetime. Gymnastics usual stops by the age of 30-35. Our embouchure can take on many different nuances and still function properly. Some musicians that develop early, burn out as young adults so the formula is quite different in music when it comes to early development.
Been trying to play a high F recently. Finally figured out how to get it to work for me (move the mouthpiece down a little so my mouth is higher). However, now I keep going above high F and playing whatever the next note above that is in first position???? I think my technique worked a little too well, haha...
The partials up there are so close together that’s it easy to overshoot or undershoot a note. Relying on your ear is really helpful, let your body make the minor adjustments.
@@TheChopsShop I've been working on it a bit and I'm getting better lol. Thanks for the advice, it's really helpful!
It’s only with sheer dumb luck but I think I can barely get up to a high D! :( My chops are so weak! :(
Don’t think of it as weakness. Think of it as your chops haven’t learned what they need to do yet. It’s not a matter of strength, it’s a matter of understanding the function and then putting that into practice.