High range frustration >:[

[k001k47]

KoolKat, where is your hometown. I might be able to find you a good quality inexpensive teacher

I'm in Roma, in the far western part of the Rio Grande Valley. The current professor at UTPA should be okay, but I'm good with having my old high school teacher listen to how things are going. I'm open to any suggestions, though.

[k001k47]

KoolKat, where is your hometown. I might be able to find you a good quality inexpensive teacher

I always thought that was a mythical beast...

The folks who are recommending more practice have it right. High range is simply an issue of muscle-building, and there is no "magic elixir" that any teacher can give you. Want to develop a strong, reliable high range? Practice more high playing and develop your embouchure muscles...simple as that.

[caveat]This advice is, like everything else I've ever posted on TubeNet, "my opinion." You are welcome to disagree.[/caveat]

I value this opinion of the high range... thanks to all that reassured my feeling that the high register would come to me with practice.
It's what I've been doing ... if I don't feel my high chops are up to par, I practice high stuff. Doesn't get any simpler than that.

[Matt G]

KoolKat, where is your hometown. I might be able to find you a good quality inexpensive teacher

I always thought that was a mythical beast...

You mean the three-legged stool analogy applies here, too?

Price
Quality
Availability

Cut one, you have to cut the others to keep the stool level. If you cut the price, quality and availability (or lesson length) will be compromised. Sure there are exceptions, but those exceptions only last for so long.

[tubashaman2]

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[tubashaman2]

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[Matt G]

Here's my advice:

Every morning get up and do at least 20 minutes of cardio.

Lift weights 5 days a week with 45 min to 1 hour sessions. Work to "failure" on your sets. Google some weightlifting guides. If you can't get to/afford a gym, then try to work up to 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 50 lunges (1 per side or 100 total), and 50 squat-thrusts per day. Circuit training is best, and regimens like the ones described in Body for Life by Bill Phillips get quick results.

What does this do?

-Makes your respiratory system more efficient. Less air for your body means more air for the tuba.

-Usually helps to increase your vital capacity.

-Strength training will increase the production of hormones in your body for the building of muscle. These will eventually find their way to your chops.

-This will also reduce stress levels. Making your practice sessions more insightful and productive.

There's my advice without even attempting to prescribe a fix for your chops (I agree with Alex C). However, I can guarantee that if you follow my (unsolicited) prescription, your playing will improve.

[Roger Lewis]

There are a lot of grey areas here, but my usual fiding is that when students play high, they tend to back off on the amount of air going through the embouchure. This causes the small muscles of the lips to do all the work and tires them quickly as they are not equipped to handle that type of "strain".

As I have stated before, there is a symbiotic relationship between the embouchure and the air - neither one by itself can produce the sound or buzz. But they are NOT equal. The fuel is more important than the motor - the air is more important than the embouchure.

It sounds as though you have over worked the muscles in the embouchure so I agree with the folks that said to take some time off. Next check out this post of mine from a few years back:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4051&p=29149&hilit= ... nge#p29149" target="_blank

As you go higher, the lips curl in so that you have firm tissue flapping on firm tissue - like a snare drum head. The air stream should be going straight down with faster air under higher pressure as the aperture in the embouchure is smaller and it takes more effort to get the air through.

Read the post noted above and think about it for a while. Get several days rest away from the horn before you dig into it. Let your mind come to grips with the "trick" to playing in the high register. Yes it's just a trick or a gimmick and it will net fast results - but you have to have it clear in your head concerning what you are doing.

Remember - babies and monkeys can buzz their lips. What we do is NOT hard.

Roger

[iiipopes]

As you go higher, the lips curl in so that you have firm tissue flapping on firm tissue - like a snare drum head. The air stream should be going straight down with faster air under higher pressure as the aperture in the embouchure is smaller and it takes more effort to get the air through.

Classic application of Bernoulli's principle.

[k001k47]

Here's my advice:

Every morning get up and do at least 20 minutes of cardio.

Lift weights 5 days a week with 45 min to 1 hour sessions. Work to "failure" on your sets. Google some weightlifting guides. If you can't get to/afford a gym, then try to work up to 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 50 lunges (1 per side or 100 total), and 50 squat-thrusts per day. Circuit training is best, and regimens like the ones described in Body for Life by Bill Phillips get quick results.

What does this do?

-Makes your respiratory system more efficient. Less air for your body means more air for the tuba.

-Usually helps to increase your vital capacity.

-Strength training will increase the production of hormones in your body for the building of muscle. These will eventually find their way to your chops.

-This will also reduce stress levels. Making your practice sessions more insightful and productive.

There's my advice without even attempting to prescribe a fix for your chops (I agree with Alex C). However, I can guarantee that if you follow my (unsolicited) prescription, your playing will improve.

I started to jog a mile or two every day and weight training every other day. (recently I've been slacking off and gaining back some weight I lost )
It affects my golf game for sure...but tuba playing?
I'm not sure about that one...

[iiipopes]

Having been on the weight roller coaster this past year, up and down twenty pounds, I can tell you that it definitely affects the tuba playing. It's time to get rid again of a few pounds and hit the walking circuit or treadmill, as I can tell I'm a little shy on full phrase breath support right now.

[k001k47]

I've applied most advice given to me, ('cept losing weight doesn't mean I'm not trying) and my high range was responding pretty well today. Thanks for the input guys.

Now about that low C...

[MaryAnn]

Roger, how about posting a couple pictures....one of your chops (off the mouthpiece, of course) in the position you'd use to play, oh, G above middle C. Then a picture of, say C below the staff. Maybe a couple in the middle? That ought to get the idea across, and then we can point to that post any time a question comes up.

And then...how about a Utube demo? I figure you've given so much free advice on Tubenet that a ten-minute Utube video is the logical next step. Like, "see how I'm holding my chops, now? Watch while I play a note holding my chops this way."

Pictures and thousands of words and all that.

MA, who figures people will listen to Roger eventually.