Extending upper range on a brass instrument

Question

I'm looking for some input into techniques that I can use to extend my range on a Euphonium.

I'm able to get a top C reasonably reliably, but anything above that is just not there. What are common techniques for a brass player to extend their range?

Answer 1

Here are some things that I do to keep my upper range in shape and extend it:

• Arpeggios:
  
  • starting from Bb and going down the scale (↑Bb D F Bb ↓F D Bb and so on)
  • starting from F and going up the scale (F Bb D F) with the top note held. Go up as far as you can, without using extreme mouthpiece pressure.
• Held Notes: Start from a note in the middle of your comfortable range, and hold it for about 5 seconds, then do the same for the next note up on the chromatic scale. As before, only go up as far as you can without using extreme mouthpiece pressure

Hope that helps!