Hi all!

I just had a practice, and my tone was just AWFUL.
It started when I started learning Concerto No 1 in D Major (Mozart) - to tidy up my high C sharps, because I find them very difficult.
But the better I get at actually hitting the notes on the piece, the worse I actually sound. I'm quite upset!

If anybody has any suggestions to get me sounding NICE again, I would greatly appreciate it.

Hi all!

The Mozart Concerto No1 only goes up to a written F#, top line of the treble clef.

If you are having problems hitting the F# (B in concert pitch) and are practicing so you can hit that pitch, and if you practice them incorrectly; then yes, your tone will suffer. And the more you do it incorrectly the more your tone will suffer.

To increase your range you must do it slowly over a period of weeks, if not months. And you must havet he proper type embouchre or lips will get used to tightening and pinching to get the note instead of supporting the smaller 'round' aperture that comes with a properly produced embouchre.


Question 1 - Do you have a private teacher? (If Yes, stop here and ask them). If No, go on to Question 2.
Question 2 - What is your typical playing routine? (What warm ups, if any, do you do? Scales? Exercises? What do you do before school? How do you warm up before band at school, and what do you do after school?)

The 'high' C sharp I refer to is the one inside the stave. Part of my problem is that before, I could reach a high G with relative ease, although anything higher was a struggle. Now I suddenly struggle for the F and the G.

I did increase my range from the high C in the stave to the G over a few months, and although my embouchure wasn't perfect, it was pretty close to the 'roundness' you describe.
I do a couple of scales for warm up, usually beginning with a C scale, and then going back down to the bottom and going from low c to the c an octave lower. Then I go back to the top and do from the high c to the G, occassionally the A. Then I go back to the bottom and go from low C and do two octaves down (my entire range). Then I practice whatever pieces I'm working on, and a few exercises my instructor gave me.

I have a... semi private teacher. He's the school brass instructor, and I won't seem him until school goes back - four weeks from now.
I haven't been at band for a fortnight now (school thing), but when I do, I warm up similarly.

To warm down, as such, I usually play some very low notes (E, D, and C two octaves down from middle C) as I find this relaxes my lips, especially after playing high ones.

Aha !!!! I see.
I sent you a PM, if you read that and respond I think I can send you some exercises that will fix your problem. What you are doing is not really warming up. And playing too high too soon will cause the lips to stiffin up and result in exactly what you are describing.

We can fix it !!!!! Yea!!