How to Play Really High Notes on a Trumpet

Few things sound better than a squealing jazz trumpet. The higher the notes, the more excited the audience gets. But playing really high notes on the trumpet is one of the hardest musical techniques to accomplish. It requires years of diligent practice, as well as muscle development and control. If you are a beginning trumpet player, don't be discouraged if you can't seem to hit "Super C." If you have already been playing for a few years and want to expand your range, here are some tips for making that trumpet shatter glass.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Purse your lips on the mouthpiece of the trumpet, making the air hole as tight and small as possible.

   • 2

     Push your lips over your top teeth and arch your tongue.

   • 3

     Curl your lower lips over the top of your bottom teeth, pulling your lip muscles in toward the center of your embouchure.

   • 4

     Take a deep breath from your abdomen, not your chest. This allows for the maximum amount of air you will need.

   • 5

     Blow a steady stream of cool, super fast air into the trumpet. It's not about the quantity of air, but the speed. Playing high notes only requires a small quantity of air.