High note trainer???

[MichaelAlsop]

Any have any experience or know anything about these?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/High-notes-Tuba ... 3ab2b5e3ee" target="_blank

[happyroman]

Development of the high register is simply development of great tone quality. As such, it is developed in the same manner as a great sound is developed in any register. You just need to think about high and low notes as fast and slow vibrations.

In the following interview with Dale Clevenger, Mr. Clevenger discusses how Arnold Jacobs taught him to improve the upper register on the horn (the technique is applicable to any brass instrument). Listen to the interview, because the whole thing is chock full of good stuff. But to paraphrase what Mr. Jacobs told Clevenger, play long tones in an upper middle register that is not too high for you. Play each note approximately 30 times (or more), focusing on making your best sound. Then move up a half step and repeat. Only do two or three of these exercises a day, then stop and work on something else. Over time, you will transfer the quality of the lower note to the upper note, and you will continually add more and more upper notes to your range.

Just make sure you take large breaths and keep the oral cavity open (i.e., keep the tongue low in the mouth) by thinking of a singer (with a voice like a tuba) singing the low vowel sounds, OH, OOH, or AHH.

Here's a link to the interview. Note that Mr. Jacobs told Clevenger that he didn't care (initially) if the beginning and ends of the notes sounded good, but the middle of the note ALWAYS had to sound great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKqiltASHdM" target="_blank

So, to answer your question, I have not used one of these devices, but do not see much value in their use. It takes away the focus of the mind from trying to imitate a great sound that you are hearing in your head.

[Three Valves]

I get the same effect by drinking mass quantities of beer thru a straw.

[MichaelAlsop]

I'm not looking for a quick fix or lazy way out. I put in the hours of long tones, work out of upper register etude books, and sing the notes before playing them. I listen to my favorite tuba players and try to emulate their sounds.

I also work with beginners that struggle forming the correct embouchure, and can use the help of any teaching tool that I can get my hands on to make them successful as soon as possible BEFORE they develop poor habits/muscle memory.

I've not seen anything like this, so I was wondering if anyone else had. I suppose one could use a straw as Three Valves suggested, making sure that the students pinch it between their lips to avoid the "fish lip" embouchure that I commonly see. Although I should probably avoid the beer with the 6th graders.

[Tim Jackson]

extended range and effortless high register does not take a lifetime to develop.
It does take an understanding and knowledge that can take a lifetime to comprehend.

Easy route: find a good teacher/coach that has a 6 octave range. I can get a great tone with any of the many embouchures I've had over the last 30 years!
I can only reach my full extended range with one embouchure.
Well, it is important to have good tone... but I just never found good tone leading me to the extended range.

good luck,
Tim Jackson

Perfect high note trainer- a teacher with the notes you are looking for.

[Three Valves]

Easy route: find a good teacher/coach that has a 6 octave range.

Six??

On a tuba??

And what??

A dog whistle??

[Mark]

Easy route: find a good teacher/coach that has a 6 octave range.

Six??

Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkjKrOP515s.

[Three Valves]

Like I said.

3 to 4 playable octaves, the rest on dog whistle!!

[Mark]

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

[Billy M.]

Easy route: find a good teacher/coach that has a 6 octave range.

Six??

On a tuba??

And what??

A dog whistle??

Actually I remember a conversation with a friend of mine (former teacher and professional who retired from one of those 'big city' orchestras) who spoke that the standard range for a top notch professional player is 6 octaves without sliding or lifting on the rim. He seemed to relate to me that that was a more fun conversation.

[Three Valves]

I don't doubt it can be done.

The evidence has been produced (So far as I'm not going to pick nits)

My only issue is that God made other instruments to carry this range, and that three to four octaves, tops, is the range that sounds musical (to me) and not like a dog whistle!! (To dogs)

Or a fart on the ultra low range.



Just because it can be done doesn't mean it should be done.

I suspect that's why 99 44/100 % of tuba parts are written within a reasonably broad range and why farts and whistles are relegated to demonstrations and the avant-garde.

[happyroman]

I'm not looking for a quick fix or lazy way out. I put in the hours of long tones, work out of upper register etude books, and sing the notes before playing them. I listen to my favorite tuba players and try to emulate their sounds.

I also work with beginners that struggle forming the correct embouchure, and can use the help of any teaching tool that I can get my hands on to make them successful as soon as possible BEFORE they develop poor habits/muscle memory.

I've not seen anything like this, so I was wondering if anyone else had. I suppose one could use a straw as Three Valves suggested, making sure that the students pinch it between their lips to avoid the "fish lip" embouchure that I commonly see. Although I should probably avoid the beer with the 6th graders.

I had the good fortune to study with Arnold Jacobs when I was in college, and based on those experiences, I firmly believe that the best tool for learning the "correct" embouchure (i.e., correct for that specific individual) is the mouthpiece itself. Have the students play simple tunes on the mouthpiece alone and focus on the product, but not on how they achieve the product, and you will observe rapid embouchure development. The key is, however, to have them focus on the music and not on what the lips are doing. And they should not, under any circumstances, focus on how it feels when they are playing.

In terms of what I was doing physically, the only thing Mr. Jacobs ever said to me about where to place the mouthpiece was that I should avoid playing too close to the bottom of the cup, except in the high register. For most playing, he wanted me to play somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 of the way up from the bottom (i.e., closer to the equator than the south pole). This promotes a longer embouchure, which in turn allows more lip to vibrate, creating more resonance. It also creates a larger opening, requiring more air volume and less air pressure, all of which is beneficial for the tuba.

[happyroman]

Easy route: find a good teacher/coach that has a 6 octave range.

Six??

On a tuba??

And what??

A dog whistle??

Actually I remember a conversation with a friend of mine (former teacher and professional who retired from one of those 'big city' orchestras) who spoke that the standard range for a top notch professional player is 6 octaves without sliding or lifting on the rim. He seemed to relate to me that that was a more fun conversation.

Here's a video of a tuba player demonstrating five octaves, F-F-F-F-F-C-F, but if you counted each F as an individual octave, it would be six.

https://www.facebook.com/jaeyoung.heo.9 ... nref=story" target="_blank" target="_blank

[Three Valves]

Here's a video of a tuba player demonstrating five octaves, F-F-F-F-F-C-F, but if you counted each F as an individual octave, it would be six.

Exactly.