Well ok so I just recently started to get serious with my trumpet playing. I mean I've been playing for a long time and have always done well, but since I got second trumpet for my high school's musical of West Side Story, I've been trying to improve more than I ever have before. I've been on here a few times with advice. I need to get used to playing higher notes and doing it right. I've been doing lip slurs etc. with my practicing along with a few other things my friend, who's majoring in music in college, told me to do. And whereas it's easier to hit the higher notes like B's C's and D's, it doesn't seem to be any easier to play them. I still struggle a lot to play them in our concert band and it's really aggravating me. Like, I feel so ashamed of myself for not being able to sustain a high B natural for 2 measures during a song, because I practice and I work on it but it just doesn't seem to help. I feel like a failure, like I'm letting everyone down. I feel like, even though I'm practicing I'm still not good enough.

And now like, today, I'm practicing, I go to warm up with a few scales and all I hear before any note is air. I hear air for a split second before hearing the note come out, and I can't stand it. It infuriates me. I shouldn't be doing that. I try a harsher attack of the note but it just makes that air THAT much more pronounced. I feel like my progress is digressing, and that my practicing isn't helping me anymore. And I don't know what to do about that, it's really hurting me...

Does anyone maybe have a few words of advice?

You're range is going to take some time to improve, it won't just happen because you need to be able to play them for a piece you're doing. Just keep working on your lip slurs and the exercises your friend gave you and eventually your range and flexibility will improve. Also, a huge part of playing is feeling and inspiration. If you go to practice and your thinking, "I better be hitting these notes", your playing will reflect strain, whereas if you play with an attitude and mindset saying "I want to play because I love playing" your sound will improve exponentially. Just keep at it and you'll start to see a difference. Trumpet is difficult and you're going to have some days where you feel like crap and that you can't play. As long as you stay motivated you'll be able to limit, if not completely eliminate those days. Hope this helps and good luck to you.

I think I can help you. I had the very same problem with air at the begining of a note. My teacher told me "you need to use your stomach, tongue, and lips together to make a 'p' sound, like in 'pet'" You just have to focus on not using more force, but moving lips, tongue and using stomach strength in a way to create a crisp note. I hope that gives you something to think about, good luck.

Been where you are. It sucks, I know. The first thing you need to realize is that its not your fault and you're not letting anyone down. You're doing your best and you're getting better. Don't tear yourself to shreds because you're having trouble with hard stuff. All you can do is keep practicing and keep getting better, thats your job. Trumpet is 90% mental, don't let yourself become your worst enemy and your biggest set back. Some of the things you can do in practice is try to buzz your part in that high register. Depending on what equipment you have you might have a hard time buzzing over an A above the staff, its not you its the mouthpiece. If you can buzz that high though do it often. It teaches your embursher to get into position and improves your tuning because you have to really listen to yourself. Also, spend a substantial amount of time in the higher register. Play what you can an octave higher. You could get a beginner book and play everything in it 8va, thats a good exercise. Range takes a lot of time and development. Keep trying, stay patient and positive, it'll come.