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Post by lowbrasskicksrearend on Nov 19, 2008 8:11:06 GMT -5
On the euphonium I find that playing the low notes are easy but it's the high notes that get me. Does anyone have suggestions on how to get a good tone on the high notes. For some odd reason I have very chapped lips, and it's 5 days till district band auditions. Could the chapped lips have anything to do with it?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2008 22:10:44 GMT -5
Ask and see about chop saver.
My middle school BD told me to curl back my tongue, which helps a little bit. Just working up to the notes helps as well. I can't give you any real feedback; I've made it to a high G by brute force and brute force alone.
If someone from your section has a megatone, you can try that but only for short bursts. I have a mouthpiece that is kind of a knockoff and I can go really high but it sucks for intonation and forming partials in the middle.
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Post by brassdancer on Nov 20, 2008 16:39:08 GMT -5
One thing I think about when I'm playing high is to "bank" your air off the bottom of the cup so it goes faster, thus producing high notes. Just angle your embouchure ever so slightly downward so it hits at an angle. That might help. Your chapped lips might be a problem if it hurts to play. I've found even when I have chapped lips I'm usually ok unless it really, really hurts.
Also, make sure when you are playing high that you take frequent breaks, especially since you are having troube with them. You're not going to get them overnight, trust me. I have been playing four-five years, and only my second year did my range get completely solid about high F. Not to scare you, but range is an endurance issue. You'll get it with time, and the most important thing to remember is BE CONSISTENT with your practicing. Your range wil not improve if you don't build upon it each day.
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Post by noxcuses on Nov 21, 2008 10:40:33 GMT -5
Ask and see about chop saver. My middle school BD told me to curl back my tongue, which helps a little bit. Just working up to the notes helps as well. I can't give you any real feedback; I've made it to a high G by brute force and brute force alone. If someone from your section has a megatone, you can try that but only for short bursts. I have a mouthpiece that is kind of a knockoff and I can go really high but it sucks for intonation and forming partials in the middle. A lot of people "including myself" are actually allergic to chop saver. I used that stuff and it made my lips actually break out in a painful rash...sort of the opposite of "chop saving", I'd say!!! I talked to some other people and a lot of them said that they got the same reaction from the stuff. In my experience, DCT (Daily Conditioning Treatment) is the best stuff to use. If your lips are REALLY chapped, you'll definitely feel a tingle...apply it liberally throughout the day, and your lips will feel a lot better after just a day...keep applying it as needed after that (I always keep some with me). The good thing about DCT is it's also slippery so I can still play my horn with it (and it actually HELPS too, since I HAVE to have a wet set-up when I play). A lot of chapsticks are somewhat "sticky" and there's no way I'd be able to comfortably play while wearing them. DCT is available from most drug stores (aka Walgreens or CVS...though I know that a lot of Walgreens in New Mexico actually do not carry DCT for some weird reason...so if you live in NM, I don't really know what to tell ya! Haha). You really have to watch what kind of chap sticks you use as a brass player. You want to stay away from any kinds of chapstick containing camphor. Camphor is an herb used in a lot of chapsticks, especially most "medicated" chapsticks, to relax muscles in the lips; however, it "relaxes" your muscles by actually breaking down muscle tissue slightly, which is definitely a no-no for brass players! Now, if your lips are SEVERELY chapped, a one time/one day use of medicated chapstick with camphor in it is NOT going to kill you, but just avoid using it when you can. Also, a lot of these chapsticks actually numb your lips, thus making you unable to feel pain if you, for example, use too much pressure while playing. A lot of people have actually really injured themselves this way. Also, in my experience, Burt's Bee's isn't the best way to go either. I don't know what about Burt's Bee's was a chop killer for me, but the whole time I was using that stuff, I had a consistent double buzz that I couldn't get rid of, and just low response on the horn in general. As soon as I switched back to DCT, I was back to normal on the horn Maybe it's just me, but I thought I'd put that out there. Good luck, and hope you get your high range back. |
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Post by bandgeek101 on Feb 20, 2009 0:22:55 GMT -5
Practice!!!!play a high note for a long period of time. If you practice a lot the tone will eventually kick in. Just keep the jaw open and blow lots of air.
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Post by lowbrasskicksrearend on Mar 5, 2009 8:24:00 GMT -5
Hey thanks for the advice. I made it to district band and i took first alternate to Regionals. I'll have to check all of my chapstick for that camphor I switched to this other chapstick that works a lot better. i was using this Carmex brand and instead of making my lips smooth it just made them cold and waxy. And i already practice for about an hour a day, sometimes more. thanks again for the tips : )
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