High Register

[TubaCoopa]

Even though I have only played the tuba for a little over four years, my high register was steadily improving until about the start of this year. Now it seems that I can't move my comfortable range past C above the staff, and even that gets a little screechy sometimes. All of the "high" etudes I can find are either above my range, or don't stay in the high register for long. Any suggestions?

[The Jackson]

I think reading this might help you some.

Me, I just practice in my comfortable high range to get comfortable near the edge of my "limits". After that, I can inch a bit up in the register without too much hassle.

Welcome to the forum, good sir.

[djwesp]

Any suggestions?

Grab a cheap used version of the trombone Rochut. Find one that you can read comfortably.

1. Play it an octave lower than written (so it is right in the gravy range of the tuba)

2. Play it two octaves lower than written.

3. Play it in trombone octave.


Personally I play one rochut a day now, 6 different ways, and it doesn't take much time and improves your ability to play in both registers. Really focusing on the melody, the phrasing, and even articulation (or lack thereof), I feel it has made me a lot better!

[sungfw]

I think reading this might help you some.

I find this earlier version by Roger more helpful because it contains a "how to."

What I want to know is, When is Roger's book going to be published? (Hint, hint. )

[Mojo workin']

Be careful of mouthpiece placement as well. Don't have any one lip in there more than the other.

Short,thin fast vibrating lips.

Tight corners.

Song and wind as always.

It's more in your mind and ear than your embouchure, though.

[iiipopes]

Refining the breathing technique and practicing the Arban an octave up is how Maynard Ferguson developed his high range. He used a yoga breathing book, although I can't remember the name of it.

[MaryAnn]

I find this earlier version by Roger more helpful because it contains a "how to."

Ah, memories...the old Tubenet, where we had intellectual discussions by adults. Sigh. Anyone who says things haven't changed, go read this entire set of posts.

MA

[tubacrow]

The best training for reaching high registers easily and with good technique is by playing low, and playing low well. Try this book Low Etudes for Tuba by Phil Snedecor. Once you have master that range of the horn the upper register will come much easier

[The Jackson]

I think reading this might help you some.

Terrific! Nice job 'the jackson'.... This is one of the most useful posts ever on this board, and congrats to you for suggesting it.

RC

Thanks! TubeNet has been very helpful to me, so giving back really feels good.


My teacher taught me an exercise that I try to do every day. It's a very simple "range-builder" (if you want to use that term). I start out on a 2nd line Bb (CC horn would start on the C above that for simplicity's sake) and go down to A. I then go up to B natural and then down to A flat. Going up and down in half-steps where the range between the upper and lower notes gradually gets larger and larger. I do these in somewhat slow half notes and breathe where I need to. I try to make each note match the previous in articulation, length and volume.

[tubacrow]

The best training for reaching high registers easily and with good technique is by playing low, and playing low well. Try this book Low Etudes for Tuba by Phil Snedecor. Once you have master that range of the horn the upper register will come much easier

Beh... People have always said that, and I just don't think it is true. My friends and colleagues on here could say better, but I feel I have my low range 'mastered', and have fought and continue to fight my high range daily.

RC

I will concede that I may have used to strong of language without the data to back up my accretion, but this is something that I have heard from many sources, seen first hand (in myself, fellow students, and my own students), and by your own admission it is something you have been told. I will go out on a limb and say the people who have told you this were most likely wiser than both of us, but to every rule there is an exception. I will stand by my earlier recommendation, but I will retract that IT IS THE BEST WAY. I will say, no matter how good my low ranges gets, it can always improve, but that is just my opinion, and not hard data, but maybe it is a future research project.

[TUBAD83]

I will assume you have a BBb horn for the purpose of this post. If you are playing high C in tune and with good projection thats great and continue to work on consistency. BBb and CC horns are contrabass instruments--your emphasis should be the bottom of the range--F down to pedal BBb. I have seen a few new etude books that have passages written above C--my personal opinion is this is bad writing and I simply take it down an octave. If you want a solid upper range, I suggest you get a F tuba and go from there. My point is this--you can not have both ways on one horn. BBb and CC is for the basement--F and Eb is for the penthouse. Good Luck.

[Roger Lewis]

Several questions to ask........
By playing low, you gain more high register. Okay - do you know HOW you did it?

How long did it take? Usually, with my students, figurng out the high range takes about 5 minutes to master the concept, and then diligent practice to master the use of the range. AND they understand how they did it.

Would you be able to teach how you did it? Or would you just have a student do what you did without knowing what happened?

Really - these are the important questions. So many of us teach, but not everyone knows how they do what they do, and this makes it harder on the student.

Remember - what we do is not hard. Babies and monkeys can buzz their lips - and I can teach the monkey to push the buttons. I can't teach the monkey to play a beautiful melody. So, what does this mean? YOU ONLY HAVE TO BE A LITTLE SMARTER THAN A MONKEY TO BE A BRASS PLAYER!

IT AIN'T HARD!

I'm done now.
Roger

[NDSPTuba]

I know the saying ("If you want a good high range, practice playing low" ) is taught in the French Horn world and it is very true as long as you do it all with correct form. I'm not sure if it applies to Tuba to well. I spent an entire summer in college working my low range ( on Horn ) and when I really got it solid, I definately noticed that my already very good high range was now solid as a rock, with endurance to burn. Like I said though, I'm not so sure that translates to tuba all that well. Though I have noticed lately, that when I can pop out a low F ( on my incredibly stuffy low F having Conn 11J ) is when I can sing out the higher notes without growl and/or double buzzing. I just attribute it to being well warned up though.

The first thing that comes to mind when I hear someone has a hard ceiling on there high range is, they aren't using the correct technique up there.

This thread does raise a question for me. What "should" one be able to play up to and be considered to have the full range. Coming from horn I have a pretty good high range, and have just assumed I have that covered, but I really don't know. I go up to the Bb in the treble clef ( third line ) in warm ups. Is it safe to assume I won't need more than that?

[windshieldbug]

YOU ONLY HAVE TO BE A LITTLE SMARTER THAN A MONKEY TO BE A BRASS PLAYER!

And I STILL have to work at it daily!

[sungfw]

Several questions to ask........
By playing low, you gain more high register. Okay - do you know HOW you did it?

How long did it take? Usually, with my students, figurng out the high range takes about 5 minutes to master the concept, and then diligent practice to master the use of the range. AND they nderstand how they did it.

Would you be able to teach how you did it? Or would you just have a student do what you did without knowing what happened?

Really - these are the important questions. So many of us teach, but not everyone knows how they do what they do, and this makes it harder on the student.

What, you're not going to cover it in your book? (BTW, how soon will it be finished?) (You SERIOUSLY need to write that book, though.)

[MaryAnn]

Ok, can't stop myself. Another way of saying what Roger teaches is that you have to roll your lips in to play high; if you are playing with a rolled-out lip setting, which works extremely well for the low register, and then you try to apply that same rolled-out embouchure to the high range, it simply isn't going to work; you will find yourself straining, your face turning red, neck veins standing out, and there will be a finite limit on the upper end of your range, that is way, way lower than the end of the range for someone who knows how to roll in their lips. And then your Voodoo instructor will tell you something like "use more air." Refer to the 2nd set of posts that someone gave the url to, if you're inclined to wax poetic about what you think Arnold Jacobs taught. The change from rolled-out to rolled-in is subtle but real and the "natural" players who can't teach what they do and get verifiable, consistent results with students, simply are unaware of what they do. The fact that Roger gets verifiable, consistent results with his students is because he KNOWS what to do, TELLS students how to do it, and doesn't deal in Voodoo teaching.

Google Balanced Embouchure for some concepts.

MA

[sungfw]

you will find yourself straining, your face turning red, neck veins standing out, and there will be a finite limit on the upper end of your range

HEY! I resemble that remark!.

But I'm getting better

[MaryAnn]

Oops...Sungfw, I sent you a lengthy PM not realizing that your post here is probably a joke. I then sent another PM that seems to be stuck in my outbox (i.e., not the sent box) and I have no idea why it won't "out" itself...but, oh well, if this is a joke please disregard the PM that I sent.

MA