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Shane asks:
How can I play the high notes without squeezing them out?
Dave replies:
At first, I was going to overlook this question as a practice question and not an equipment question. Then I thought about it for a bit and decided that there are some equipment related answers.
First, and probably most important, is mouthpiece selection. The smaller the cup and the smaller the throat of the mouthpiece, the more pressure you can produce efficiently. Consider a slightly shallower cup and smaller throat mouthpiece if you have difficulty in the high range. This is not exactly a repair or maintenance solution, but it is the beginning point, from an equipment perspective, if you are having range difficulties.
Second, make sure your horn is tight. The valves should have good compression, the slides should fit well, and your mouthpiece should fit well, also. If your horn has any leakage, however small, it will not play as efficiently as possible and producing high notes may be difficult. Also, clean the mouthpipe and main tuning slide on a regular basis.
Third, and related to the mouthpiece answer, is to consider either a smaller throated horn or a custom mouthpipe on your current horn. The tapered tubes are critical to a horn’s response in all registers, and a change in this area may improve the high range.
Finally, remember that you don’t get something for nothing. An equipment change to improve your high range will likely compromise some other aspect of your playing, such as the low range. My opinion is that the best way to improve your high range is to continue to develop proper musculature in the embouchure.
In other words, practice.
