I have noticed lately that when i am doing low note exercises, like low g ect.. down to low f# , i get tired! I don't know why. I didn't think low notes would take so much endurance, its weird.

Also when you tighten your embouchere to get high notes, i heard that you have to "smile". Yet i tighten closer to my mouth, instead of as far as a smile. Is that a problem?

About your endurance, if it's low notes, I think you may not be breathing correctly or have a good posture to breath well. If you're doing this stuff correctly, then just PRACTICE

As for the embouchure in higher registers, I have no idea, but I don't think you're supposed to stretch your lips out. I don't know what you mean by "smile" I've never heard that before. I know for sure that you're not to use much pressure, and you definitely don't want to use pressure with your lips stretched out, so it could be that the "smiling" is supposed to be keeping you from using pressure. The best thing to do is PRACTICE.

There are some good things to know in the forums on http://www.trumpetmaster.com You can look on some of the things people there have said about the stuff you're asking here.

um.......yup, definetly don't smile for high notes or any notes.
go here www.trumpetmaster.com or here www.trumpetherald.com

I don't know why I'm in the trumpet forum, since I play tuba. Maybe it's since the tuba forum is always empty. Back when I started I used to have a few problems with having enough air to last sufficiently long. When I try to hit in the area which takes the most breath (low G) at full volume I still only last for about a second, especially during marching band. I do believe maximum air support is very important for endurance and just about every aspect in playing the tuba, and probably so for the trumpet.

I think maybe you need to relax more when you are playing low notes. Relax your chops and let the air flow freely. Low notes are easy (you can do it), just play them relaxed and you will be fine. Also with high notes, I've never liked the idea of smiling when in the upper register, and you should definitely not tighten your lips down to play high. You need to harden your chops, and use more air (you don't close your lips or tighten that area because it needs to vibrate more than ever). Open your aperture(the gap between your lips when you play) and push more air through with your stomach. Good luck..hope it helped.

Just keep in mind you shouldn't change your embrochure for lower notes, NEVER let your corners get loose.

What I said may not be relevant since my highest Bb (C for you) is an octave below your 1 on the concert Bb scale. My high Bb is 2 octaves below trumpet low C and my #1 is 3 octaves below. When I am lucky and can hit that note 1 octave lower (every other day or so), I can say that's 4 octaves below trumpet, and when I try hard enough maybe I can get up to your low C. I guess it's probably not too relevant to trumpet when talking about breathing? I guess not.

Do not smile in the upper or lower range you are asking for trouble. I have included a link that is controversial, but if you can get by the prejudice that you might really improve your playing. Tone, range, technique.

I have been playing since high school and I am now 46 years old and I can tell you I would not have lead chops unless I listened to my teachers Doug Elliot and Dr. Rheinhardt himself.

I teach high school now and my lead trumpet player has a double C and a nice low range also.

This is only an introduction but it is worth checking out.

http://trombone.org/articles/library/viewarticles.asp?ArtID=240

I agree when you guys say keep your chops hard. To do this keep your mouth corners down and firm. They actually should push forward so that your mouthpiece sits on a cushion of muscle. The lower lip curls over the bottom teeth. Air support is critical but you have to have the strength to keep the embouchure in the proper position. The toungue actually can give you lot of velocity on the air. Say "DEE" in the upper register and "Dah" in the low. This should help you air flow.

Most players do not support in the low register either. Chops have to be firm at the corners and the air constant. Again, if you don't have the mouth corner and jaw strength you will not be able to play in the upper register for very long.

There are many types of upstream and downstream players, but you have to find what works for you. That my take somebody who really knows what they are talking about. You need to make sure that equal pressure is placed on both to and bottom lips. Do not use to much pressure just enough to seal your chops against the rim.

Lastly the article makes some great points. One that I like the best is, "don't change more than one thing at a time". Fir example; A professional golfer changes only thing at a time to perfect his/her swing and it takes time.

your note going down/up a half step might be that your just out of tune enough to change the note. I know from experiance tho most of the time its just because youre too tight/loose.

The extremes of your range require more air.

DO NOT stretch your lips out or "smile" when going for higher notes. That can get you into a WHOLE LOT of trouble later on. Higher notes require more air support. I think what you mean by pressing you're lips closer in compression, which I honestly don't know much about. I strongly recommend that you ask your private lesson teacher, and if you don't have one, it would be a very good investment, and they can really help you to improve and better understand what you're doing.

For now, I would suggest going to either www.trumpetherald.com or www.trumpetmaster.com and posing this question. There are many experienced and many professional players who can answer your questions on one of these sites.

What I try to do to hit high notes is play scales that lead up to that note, like I start on a B flat scale and just work my way up to the highest note I can reach. But I agree with everyone else, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Ok. Thanks guys. Anyways i also figured from my private teacher that when i was buzzing without the mouthpiece i was doing it wrong. My lips were puffing out because of the air and i was buzzing way too high. So i had to find a way to keep my lips from puffing, heh, if that makes sense. Would this apply on the trumpet itself? Can you "puff" your lips when ur playing the trumpet and is it bad?