Reply To: High notes on a brass instrument

[Noa Kageyama]

Hi Markus,

Good question. I have a couple thoughts.

1) Part of the challenge seems to be finding the right combination or “recipe” of technical adjustments that enable you to play the high notes – embouchure, support, etc. There’s this small body of research about a motor learning protocol known as “old way/new way” that involves consciously contrasting the incorrect and correct (or ineffective/effective) ways of doing something. I wonder if this might help to make the technical mechanics of effective high-note-playing a little clearer and easier to replicate on your own? There’s not a lot of “how-to” type material online, but here’s an article to get started with:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235958312_Rapid_Technique_Correction_Using_Old_Waynew_Way_Two_Case_Studies_with_Olympic_Athletes

2) If the other part of the challenge involves staying in a good headspace and physically loose and keeping fear out of the equation, I wonder if something like the subdividing/pulse that Julie Landsman describes in much of her playing/teaching might help keep your mind busy in a helpful way at those key moments. If you haven’t yet listened to her podcast episode, that might be a good place to start (and she has put together some training on the Caruso method which gets into this too):

https://bulletproofmusician.com/julie-landsman-on-getting-into-the-zone-and-developing-trust-in-your-playing/

Let me know if that helps!

Noa