High range in the cold

soulfire · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 334 Location: NJ

Ok so I have a solo in my college marching band that goes up to an A above high C. I sound fine on it and it's not a problem usually. However, as the weather gets colder I notice that I'm beginning to have issues in general. Does anyone have any advice on playing in cold weather and keeping your chops and horn warm, specifically regarding range?
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Chris

Scott42486 · Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 4:04 pm Post subject:

Someone might suggest to you that you try a Kelly mouthpiece, those are much easier to deal with in the cold. I seem to remember a few years back that there was a company that sold thin rubber "sleeves" that could be put over the rim of a mouthpiece. As far as keeping a horn warm, I suggest constantly blowing air through it. Can't help you on the range though, I've been told I'm fairly backwards in that department. Cold weather shows up and my range jumps as much as a third or forth. Go figure.

pedaltonekid · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1711

You can also try a screw rim combination with lexan rim or see if you can find a Benturfa wood mouthpiece.
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soulfire · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 334 Location: NJ

its funny that you say that. I recently bought a kelly screamer and have been playing on it for a little under a week. I like it alot, but I feel like I'm using alot more pressure and that it's harder to hit the high notes.
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Chris

pedaltonekid · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1711

I forgot to mention Delrin in my original post. It is a very comfortable plastic material.
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Juergen · Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 6:48 pm Post subject:

If you want to keep the mouthpiece warm while marching, cover the mouthpiece with your lips as if you were going to empty the spit and breath like you would if you were fogging glass.

Lip flapping might help. If you aren't actually performing, cover your mouth with your glove when you aren't playing.

For me a little cold actually helps but too much causes everything to go.
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houdini1313 · Veteran Member Joined: 24 Feb 2008 Posts: 360

Keep the horn close to your body (so your body heat warms it up). Blowing air through the horn is good too. Keeping the horn up to temp even when its cold outside is essential.

Smart air and dynamics is good too. The ensemble pitch is going to be different, and a good lead player can make the adjustment to scream and be in tune, even in the cold.
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Yamahaguy · Heavyweight Member Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 3992

The Kelly Screamer mouthpiece is fantastic. That's all I use for cold, outdoor work.

fraserhutch · Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 8:51 am Post subject:

I use a sub for cold, outdoor work.
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Juergen · Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:07 am Post subject:

fraserhutch · Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:56 am Post subject:

Yeah, like freezing your tuchas off is.

But to add to the thread - playing in the cold for me has always been about keeing the horn warm. Playing a CD Benge in the cold presents unique challenges (due toi the extremely thin metal). If I keep the horn warm I'm OK.

I have much more trouble in hot and humid weather.
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soulfire · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 334 Location: NJ

well my professor said he likes my sound much better on the Marc. and wants me to use that. I guess that answers my question there. Being in tune isn't the problem, it's getting my chops to warm up enough to play that high A for 8 beats on an ice cold horn and mouthpiece with the wind blowing (I go to UConn). I guess I'm just going to try to keep it as warm as possible as you're all saying.
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Chris

gio trumpeter · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 6:00 pm Post subject:

my freshman year in HS i had a solo that went up to F sharp in marching band... during some of the shows it was REALLY cold... and i missed it a couple times....

lynn nicholson suggested that i perhaps try to play with a dry setup (i had been playing with a wet of course)

i fooled around with it... and i found it to help extremely in cold weather.. and i just adapted it to all of my playing.. i became a lot more consistent and accurate. range, endurance, and tone all went up as well

my junior year of HS the show ended with an E and slurred up to an A... and it was a long ass note... i hit it every show without a miss

i'm not saying you should go completely dry... maybe instead of wetting the lips, maybe just a little wetness on the vibrating surface in the middle?

i wrote all that assuming that you play with a wet setting...

different strokes for different folks of course.. so if you dont think you will prosper from it... try something else

soulfire · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 334 Location: NJ

Do to my set-up, it is nearly impossible for me to play on a dry embouchure. One of the ways I have been able to make playing on the red work well for me is to make sure my lips are moist. Good idea though.
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Chris

ChwyNiblet · Regular Member Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Posts: 41

I have the same problem as you in the winter, this really seems to help. Keeps the mouthpiece as warm as in the summer with drum corps so you can play those Gs and As.

http://www.wwbw.com/Runyon-Trumpet-Mouthpiece-Lip-Saver-i125093.music

BigGuns · Veteran Member Joined: 15 Jul 2008 Posts: 231

I have the same problem, except I don't think it has anything to do with the gear. I find that it is the actual chops that don't work well in the cold, even if the piece is warm. The muscles feel very weak (but I know they are not weak) and everything seems to collapse in the cold. Maybe it is the piece, I guess I never thought about it, but even my lip buzzing is worse in the cold. I have no idea how to fix it. I usually just jam the horn into my face much harder than I should!

cb3 · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 3:40 pm Post subject:

MikeyMike · Heavyweight Member Joined: 06 Nov 2007 Posts: 1680

ConnArtist · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 4:39 pm Post subject:

Are you allowed to wear those old-fashioned ski masks that make you look like you just got back from a convenience store heist?

Everyone could get them in school colors.

That would be a marching band to be reckoned with!
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Juergen · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 9:14 am Post subject:

A show on the discovery channel was saying that if you keep you core warm everything else will stay warm. They had a guy sit in the cold only wearing underwear and a heat vest and he maintained dexterity much longer than without the vest. So when you are dressing for warmth remember that, your face will stay warm.
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