Bill McCloskey

I restarted last summer, after having quit in 74 or so. It was very frustrating at first and I almost didn't continue, but slowly, things started falling into place. I also had quite a hard time getting to the C in the staff, let alone high C or Double C. One of the biggest changes for me was going to a smaller mouthpiece: A bach 10 1/2 CW. There was almost an immediate change. Now I can safely play a B above the staff most of the time and C above the staff and beyond with good tone on good days. Finding the right horn and mouthpiece takes a while and I've experiemented with quite a few.

Loving every second of it.

Jude

Way to go!! I played (around with) a trumpet in grade school about 50 years ago and then switched to (or got switched to? - the details are fuzzy) French horn sometime in junior high and played it through high school. Since then, absolutely nothing until last fall, when I started trying to get up there, too. (A on a very good day.) I began trumpet lessons a while ago - I appreciate having someone to model my playing on and to play along with. These teach-yourself books with CDs are great, and I would have been a better player with something like that when I was a kid, but there's nothing like knowing all week you're going to have to play for somebody else to keep you on track. Or me, anyway.

Do you have any plans beyond playing for your own entertainment? (Me, I don't.)

Best of luck,

Jude

misty.sj

Isn't it fun?! I've only been back to playing a week after taking an 11-year break (an 8-year break from all brass instruments). The first day I could only get to C on the third space. Now I can get up to E or F at the top of the staff during the first 15 minutes of my practice, while using good form. I could maybe squeak out an F toward the end of my practice but it takes a lot of effort and it's not pretty. I'm sure it will take a while to build those muscles back up. One thing I am noticing is that when I get tired, air leaks from my eustacean tubes up into my nose, which is odd and annoying. I need to do some research about that.

__________________
--Misty
Hit it hard, and wish it well. -- Claude Gordon

1925(?) Conn Cavalier Bb (s/n 14142)
2007 Barrington Bb student trumpet

Jude

Are you trying to use the volume of air you used for the French horn when playing the trumpet? And clamping down on the larynx to give the diaphragm something to push against?

misty.sj

Hmm, I'm not sure about the volume of air. I do know that sometimes I have to stop to breathe OUT though. I think I might be over-estimating the amount of air needed. I'll pay attention to this during practice today.

__________________
--Misty
Hit it hard, and wish it well. -- Claude Gordon

1925(?) Conn Cavalier Bb (s/n 14142)
2007 Barrington Bb student trumpet

timleona

I have that same issue at times. Much different than running out of air when I play the trombone! Actually MORE tiring.

Tim

timleona

"Bill" - I'll have to look up the 10 1/2 CW. So far I like the 1 1/2 C and my range is improving slowly. I also found fun charts to download in a key I can play at sheetmusicdirect.com. It really is all about fun for me

"Jude" I don't have any plans to play out yet but I might paly a few bits in the blues band I play bass in (if I can get someone to sub on bass )

Tim

JonBaker

My grandparents started Dad on clarinet when he was 10. He soon switched to trumpet, because it only had 3 keys. Apparently it was the right thing to do, since he was in Juilliard 5 years later, and first trumpet in Chicago 5 years after that.

Clarinet is much more the family instrument - my grandfather Harry Beckerman, his father, Boruch, his brother Shoimke, Shloimke's son Sidney, etc. It's what I played in elementary and high school. These days, it's more recorder, and same for Dad, who hasn't played much trumpet since retiring 19 years ago.