Hi,
I have just joined the forum. I took up cornet 2 and a half years ago having played bugle and a tiny bit of trumpet in my youth. I play with a small community non-contest band in Malvern and I love it. Until a couple of months ago I played 3rd cornet, but the cornet section were invited to volunteer to learn sop and nobody else volunteered so I did. We have a brilliant soprano player but he plays for other bands so we need a reserve, which means that I have some, but not much, time to improve. I have bought the best sop I could afford (a second hand yamaha xeno) and have acquired a copy of the arban. I am having lessons and practising. Some of my lower notes I am becoming happier with but the higher notes (I can manage up to a C above the stave but not very reliably) sound strangled and thin.
Is this to be expected and tolerated until I just do lots more practise or is there a secret to getting the sublime shimmering tones our 'real' sop player gets? How do I know whether I am using my diaphragm properly?
Also my sight-reading isn't anywhere near good enough. Is there anything I can do to improve that? (I have a piano if that helps)