Just released a new video to correct some information on the mechanics of the diaphragm when playing trumpet. Check it out! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/e7WhdK2k2ainZmQ.html

At last! Out of all the millions of youtube vids and teachers, YOU were the first to teach me what to actually do and how it works. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

I'm a senior in high school, been playing the trumpet since 5th grade, and I still struggle with getting notes that are a high E or higher 😭, this really helped

I did everything wrong in high school and college. I used massive mouthpiece pressure and zero diaphragm support. I'm a comeback player now (flugelhorn) and am using your methods. I am only two weeks into my comeback but am already noticing significant improvements in my tone and range. My endurance is improving at a slower rate, but I expected that.

Gained literally an octave of range above the staff from this video. Hit triple C for the first time. Thank you so much!

I’m a trombonist and this literally made jazz solos so much easier, all those years of slightly off pitch notes will be behind me.

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm a seventh grader in my school's symphonic band I, which is the second best (to honor band), and I continuously squashed my lips for those pesky high notes. My high notes always sounded really gritty, and squashed, and I barely passed my playing test. Now I have to learn my school's fight song, and there are some really high notes there. But now, I clearly feel as if I can play them better. It's kinda weird how band directors don't really mention this. But thank gosh I found you, you just earned a like and a sub!!

Love the video! One issue: the diaphragm isn’t actually responsible for “pushing” out the air. I know…it’s nitpicking and it stills works as a cue. I mention it because it’s an educational video.

When I don’t use your method, my embouchure hurts a lot due to the pressure I am putting, now with your method, I can now reach an High G, thanks

This just blew my mind (pun intended). I've played trumpet since fifth grade and I was NEVER taught this by any of my band directors. Thank you so much!!

I'm in the high school marching band, and I didn't know how much tension I was playing with until now, and it works very well, thank you so much.

Finally!! someone that cares about having good tone at high ranges. Loved the lesson, Bob. SUBSCRIBED

i was looking for in person instructors to do this for like a year now, it turns out people in this day in age (or in canada) no longer play the trumpet. thank you and im saving this to my computer

This is great stuff. Thanks a lot. I'm a 52 year old band teacher that played trombone for years. This year, I'm trying to learn to play high on the trumpet and can only get a C on the 2nd ledger line above the staff. I'm working on going on up. One thing I'd correct is the role of the diaphragm--you have the diaphragm's function wrong. It's not your fault--this was taught by music teachers everywhere for many years. All my teachers taught it wrong too. Inhalation (inspiration): The diaphragm is the primary muscle that pulls air INTO the lungs, inhalation, or Inspiration. Accessory muscles on the outside of the rib cage assist when needed. The external rib muscles help the diaphragm breath in air. Exhalation (expiration): The diaphragm is NOT ACTIVE during exhalation or expiration, when breathing quietly, the inhalation muscles simply relax and the rib cage elastically recoils expelling air. Forced air exhalation (playing high notes): the interior rib muscles and the abdominals are the ones that can force air out of the lungs. The diaphragm is relaxed and the abs and interior rib muscles push the air out. In summary: The diaphragm can ONLY pull air into the lungs. Other muscles can push air out of the lungs: abs and internal rib muscles. Everything else in your video is great. Here's a medical review video that explains the breathing muscles clearly. The link goes to the end of the video where the summary is. Of course watching the entire video is advised. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bMibna2Ip6jSc6M.html

Omgggg! This video is so useful because I actually thought that the tightening your lips was true, I tried and failed. But thanks to this video I can play high E (0 down).

As a trumpet player of many years, I’ve found that the best way to increase your range is lots of practice.

Wow, thanks! As someone who's trying to learn to play the Trumper on his own, I made exactly the mistake you described. I was figuring this was way to hard. You explained so much in just 10 minutes!

I must have heard this explanation a million times before but this video finally helped me figure it out. Obviously it's hard, it's something I've never done before. But I can work on that. Practice and get better. Thanks a lot for this!

Biggest help to me as a self taught trumpet player

Been teaching kids about the placement of the tongue for years. Not enough teachers talk about this. I have my students whistle up and down to show them the importance of the placement of the tongue. Glad more people are talking about this! Very important to gain range on trumpet. Great video!

You ARE THE MAN!!! You are singing my song!!! I tell people this all the time. NEVER TIGHTEN up to play high notes. USE YOUR AIR NOT YOUR FACE. DO NOT FORCE OR PUSH TO GET HIGH NOTES!!!

Excellent advice! I'm a senior playing trumpet since 10 years old. This was never explained so clearly to me. Look forward to seeing more of your videos

This is amazing way of teaching very well explained and easy to follow thank you!

This is pure gold!

Wow. I am a student trumpeter who has been playing for over 2 years and I have been struggling on the balance between tone and range. Never before have my two music teachers said to do what you explained in the video. It hasn’t fixed the problem immediately, as on my first attempt I still couldn’t hit the high C, but it definitely helped and it will help in the future! Thank you!

This video was the only one that actually helped me hit higher notes, and the visuals really helped too. Great job explaining everything, what you were trying to say I was able to understand.

holy shit this is so useful, whenever I would squeak out a high note in class or marching band, my teacher would say to "have a smaller aperture and use faster air" but i could never figure out how to do it right! So glad I got recommended this video

I'm just playing in High School right now and after watching this, I was able top push out a note I have been trying to push out for months thank you so much

Took lessons from multiple teachers back in highschool and college and no one ever explained the air stream concept. I guess they just did not know back then. They talked about strengthening the embochure and playing with a frown not a smile, keeping the throat open, etc. It worked ok if you only wanted to play below middle G. There is also some information currently about unfurling the lips, creating a vibrating surface on the inside of the lips where the tissue is softer and has the potential to vibrate faster. Another suggestion is to experiment with shifting the mouthpiece slightly off center of your lips in either direction to see if the lips may more easily vibrate for higher notes. You want the widest vibrating surface possible for optimum sound. Also suggested was to center the mouthpiece against ONE of your TOP two middle teeth and not try to center between BOTH of them. This may create a wider vibrating surface.

Good discussion and fun to watch.

Finally! Now I know what to do! Brooklyn? I was born and raised in Brooklyn. Now I live 200 miles north. Great video.

As a trumpet/euphonium player and band director, thank you so much for explaining this so clearly! It was both amusing and informative!

This is so helpful! Thanks for the quality content!

FANTASTIC lesson! Super clear, organized, to the point. Well done!

bro tysm this literally helped insanely ❤❤❤

Thank you very much. this is a great piece of advice! subscribed right away. can't wait to include it in tomorrow's practice session

Useful, informative, and entertaining! I just forwarded this to all of my Trumpet students. Thanks!

I am a woodwind player (and teacher) playing trumpet in my church’s brass ensemble. This was a tremendous help as I was struggling to get above a C on the staff!

Im a freshman in high school and first French horn for my district (super proud) im binging ur videos in hopes of getting better on trumpet so I can be first trumpet in jazz band. This video was INFINITELY helpful.

Great practice!!

Im learning the bugle for boy scouts and the first thing I need to learn is taps, this really helped me hit that one really high note, thanks

the most useful information about trumpet tips i've ever seen, gratitude from taiwan, thanks a lot!

Useful info, great sense of humor. Thanks

Thank you, great tips!

Thank you. I couldn’t play a double G or a triple C without it sounding off! This helped quite a lot!

You have helped me so much in my trumpet learning experience im so happy you make videos

super helpful, need some practice to play high notes with relaxation, but the mid-high notes are having significant improvements with the technique.

Thank you for an interesting ride on the trumpet band-wagon. I love your teaching style as well as your antics and witt. VERRRY informative. Bill, from Tn. 🇺🇸

Yes, it's working 💪!

This video really helps thank you very much

Muchas gracias por tu clase. Saludos

I really like this video. Have to see it at least once every month due to the bad habits built up over years of playing tight

If i can hug you through the screen, i will!! I truly appreciate this bro. Im a trombonist for around 20 years, and i decided to pick up the flugelhorn, because i REALLY love the tone of that instrument. I know the mouthpiece is tiny in comparison, but i struggled to get the high notes because i was applying my trombone techniques onto the flugelhorn, so i realized that i needed some guidance. Then i found this video. 5-10 minutes later, played the C major scale with such ease. And it's only gonna get better from here. Many thanks bro!!!

THANK YOU SIR!!❤❤

I ACTUALLY DID IT!!! Im so happy a teacher finally told me how to do it

I have been playing trumpet for 5 years now and have always had a really good range with decent tone, it has been very inconsistent though for a while, I had never heard to blow faster instead of squeezing lips, I was always told to tighten my embouchure, (Band teacher is a woodwind player)

Great lesson teacher

Thankyou for the education

thank you so much for this video it was extremely helpful

I changed my airflow as you explained..and not even kidding, I hit a much higher range my first try

Finally an explanation I understand. “AHH. EEEE.” Have watched multiple videos on positioning the back of the tongue. This is the first one that the light bulb came on for me.

I’m currently I’m my high schools marching band and this tutorial helped me be able to keep my energy in my high notes instead of squashing my tone terribly and my lips tiring out quickly, I am grateful for this

i love the style of your videos.

Its helped alot thank you!!

Amazing information.!!!!

With natural breathing, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles between the ribs relax as you exhale. Our approach to the trumpet should start with that. We can make a big, clear sound just by breathing out naturally. As we go higher, we encounter some resistance and find that we need more "oomph" (a very scientific term!), and that instinctively results in some strengthening of the abdominal muscles. We cannot tense or push with our diaphragm, but can create a foundation for blowing more vigorously by firming the abdominal muscles to support the diaphragm. Arnold Jacobs was a master at explaining the natural "bellows system" of breathing which is completely relaxed and instinctive, and that should be our starting point, but that is not to say that we do not need to aid the playing of higher pitches with some abdominal firming and support. It is very important to ensure, in discussing tensing abdominal muscles or "pushing with the diaphragm", that we are not locking up our exhalation rather than enabling the continued free outflow of air. The abdominal support sense needs to develop as an instinctive felt need or response through playing higher notes, not as a conscious, artificial tightening of the gut. We must not blow against ourselves! The feeing of "oomph" power and the firming and stabilizing of the corners of our lips to keep them free to vibrate in the mouthpiece are cornerstones of developing the higher register. For some players, range development comes fairly easily as they play and progress, but for others, especially many of those with fuller, fleshier lips, it takes more time and creative trials to find the answer. I doubt that I have said anything that you are not fully knowledgable about, but I wanted to add a cautionary note. Focusing on tensing the gut can be very counter productive if done in an extreme, artificial way. Breathe in with a relaxed, open mouth and throat and sing through the instrument as freely as possible in each register. Let the support feel develop through sustaining higher pitches and through scales, slurs and melodic playing in the upper register. The goal is to develop a fairly stable, consistent sense of support through all registers with both air and embouchure.

Many thanks ! You helped me a lot today : I was able to touch the C above the staff

Good video! My trombone instructor in college taught me this my freshman year (1973). I had two "pivot points" (one for my midrange and one for my high range) that would overlap each other in the middle. As a bass trombonist, I had another setting for the extreme low range, but it involved a change of the airstream direction (upward). BTW, I "retired" from playing trombone in 2010. Thanks for the video!

Great tips, was struggling hitting the octave on a 2 valve bugle I picked up. I started on tuba and had a natural affinity for it, but could never get much sound out of a trumpet. Actually got some decent tones while watching and implementing, and hit the octave and almost the partial above it!

holy shit, finally. someone who knows how to teach. I LOVE YOU BOB

Thank you! This helped me alot, ✌

This video was really helpful to me, before i watched this, the high c what I played was horrible. Now, its much cleaner.

Finally the answer I would have needed 3 years ago!

Thank You!!

Thanks for helping me

the most important information high register put in a handsome vid.

Brilliant. Why didn’t I know this before.

Thanks!

Really helpful and quality video, actually entertaining

Danggggg yea this was definitely helpful thank you so much

100% fantastic advice 🎺🎺🎺👏👏👏👏

Great content man super informative and super funny. Thanks a lot and keep it up :D

I really liked the /a/ and /e /technique/approach to reach higher notes. Very useful.

Very nice!!!

Im a bugle player this helped massively with my high notes

FINALLY...a comedian that knows how to teach music !!! I'm fixing to turn 70, shortly; and have just started learning Bugle & Trombone. (I bought a Harbor Freight Bugle a few years ago just for the heck of it and it's just been hanging on the wall for decorations. My Grandson bought a Trombone and leaves it up here at my house. No one here to bother as I practice!!! Carpal Tunnel surgery, a decade ago, killed my guitar playing, so I figured Id see if I could blow a horn a while. I love Glenn Miller & Kid Orey stuff! I appreciate all the little pieces of professional advice & opinions I get, by sampling various teachers' tecniques. Now I can single out 7 individual notes on my bugle. Don't know what each are, I'm thinking on in their own register past the normal G. I believe these are H, I J AND 2. 🤔

AHHHHHHH I’m a sax player and it’s the same thing, don’t bite harder for high/altissimo notes love how musicians relate❤️

This was such a huge help!!! How have I never learned this?

Top Work Boss!

thank you so much for this video

solid advice

Thank you.

Hi. I have played trumpet about 40 years. There has been some pauses, but now I started again. My record used to be E6, but now after couple of days training, after 10 years pause, I was able to catch A5 somehow with pressing too much. Easy was to achieve E5 or F5. It seems I can still recover :) Thanks for the tips. It really worked to put more air and get upper tones without valves. A-E changing was something what I think happens naturally, at least part of that. I have instructed to not close throat or push trumpet more againts the lips. My key to achieve high notes are low notes. I play low and as quiet sounds as I can, and also as long long as I can. They pause 10-20 seconds. Like C2, B1, Bb1, A1, As1, G1, Fis1 and same way back to C2. Teh key is to play as silent as you can, and as long as you can. Then enough pause between every tone. Have you heard about this technique? Here is Finland famous trumpet player Esko Heikkinen called that as a Bear farts.

This was great tysm

Stop everything u're doing and give this guy a thumbs up and subscribe!! First time I really understand the mechanism of controlling your trumpet notes

HAHA! 😂 This is absolutely Plus Ultra funny😂 perfect!

Amazing video 10/10

Super interesting ! I damaged something at the corner of my mouth while trying to reach a high C with lip tightening. Could never play trumpet again so I switched to sax. I'm not bad at the altissimo register which works with throat and tongue, close to what you describe. There is still hope !

The muscles do work to stop the lips from blowing out. This engagement of the muscles could be perceived as “tightening” the lips.

You're the man