Well here is my own personal theory on why some players can't play 'that' high.

It's not that they aren't strong enough in the chops, it's usually they aren't using what they're natural set up is, efficiently enough.

How do you determine whether you are playing efficiently or not? - here are some questions you could ask yourself….

1. Is your tone clear, or are there imperfections (fuzzy etc) playing one long note? (normal stave playing) (''Yes, imperfections'' - then probably your lips are not vibrating / buzzing / making sound efficiently.)
   
   
2. Can you play very long phrases (such as 16 bar tunes) in one breath without killing yourself?

• Running out of air too soon? - you may be too open an aperture or too spread from mpc pressure

• Can't seem to get the air through without choking yourself? - you are probably too closed an aperture [open your jaws a little]
  

1. To get your high notes are you grunting them out therefore leaving a mark on your lip after playing and maybe endurance is a problem? (''Yes'' - then you're probably using too much mouthpiece pressure.



2. At what range are you getting that mark on your lip? When you go for high G [4 legers] ? When your at High C [2 legers]? G on top of the staff? Third space C? All registers?



3. Can you make the interval jumps cleanly evenly and dead center without getting any extra notes in between?



4. Is your tone "concert hall clear" and your note production near to perfect?

Obvious questions perhaps? - but are you really honest when you listen to yourself?
(it can be painful!)   : )

If you want to test yourself for a fairly good level of efficiency try my 10 minute test below (..don't take it too seriously!) and give yourself a mark out of 10 for each test. 1 out of 10 being awful playing, 10 out of 10 if you played to concert hall performance accuracy and tone 'a la Maurice Andre!'

THESE ARE TO BE PLAYED AS 'THE' FIRST THING YOU DO FOR THE DAY! (ex.4 should stop IN your comfort zone!) DON'T DO YOUR OWN WARM UP ROUTINE, THIS IS A TEST TO SEE IF YOUR EFFICIENT RIGHT OFF THE BAT!

Just another point also THIS is NOT my warm up routine which I am expecting YOU to try against my own criteria. I change the test for myself on a weekly basis just to make sure I'm not using it as a warm up. That way it remains a true efficiency test as I am NOT practising it - and neither should you.

IT'S ONCE A WEEK THING - THEN CHANGE IT!

TOTAL SCORES

...if you score..

40 marks out of 40 Very Efficienct!
35 marks out of 40 Good!
30 marks out of 40 Average.
25 marks out of 40 Room for improvement.
20 marks out of 40 Rethink your technique.
15 marks out of 40 Poor!
10 marks out of 40 Take up the Trombone....

....the Trombone has a mpc which is 3 times bigger than a trumpet so it's easier to buzz and get a great tone - also you will have a screamin' trombone range right away!

On this efficiency test below you might even want to use a different marking system or redesign a similar test if your not up to this standard yet! (make sure you keep the same criteria/concepts) I also think that lots of people possibly don't use the method books they own efficiently..this is something else to think about perhaps!!