smatt401

Having finally taken the plunge and signed on to Trumpet Master, the site encouraged me to say hello. Here's a little background.

I'm 57. I started playing in 1962 at age 11. After graduation from high school in 1968 the motivation for daily practice was gone and I would only occasionally pick up the horn and practice for a few weeks or months.

In 2005 I got serious again and have been trying hard to come back. (It's really difficult to come back from where you've never been!) I've been trying to take lessons. Again, a difficult proposition since the only teachers I can find live in Appleton-50 some miles north and Milwaukee-50 some miles south.

I own, besides the King 601, the following:

Bb Courtois Elite 305R
Bb Max pocket trumpet
Bb B&S Challenger II 3146/2 fluglehorn
C B&S Challenger II 3136/2
C Kanstul 1535 cornet, copper bell

The history of the instrument is fascinating to me. (Even the Bible has over 100 references to trumpet/cornet, which makes for an interesting study). I've collected a Kanstul bugle, a digeridoo, a shofar, and made a Hose-a-phone.

There you have it. I love to play the instrument and hope some day to be good enough that others will enjoy listening instead of telling me to stuff a sock in it. (I really was told that, honest).

smatt401

screamingmorris

For someone who claims to be a relative beginner, you certainly have an impressive collection of instruments

You should *give* some of those instruments to the poor.
*Us* poor

- Morris

smatt401

Morris:

I honestly thought that most of my instruments would be considered 2nd tier at best. Except for the 601, which is student-grade. The flugle and the C horns were purchased to be used in church services. Where, by the way, I was told to "put a sock in it."

smatt401

Newguy

Welcome -- and as far as being told to "put a sock in it." , you shoud be glad you were at a church service, otherwise they might have really gotten nasty!!

stchasking

Churches are very difficult to perform in.
Most of the gray haired's have hearing aids that make any kind of music with reverberation incomprehensable.

I gave up on my church and left. Every wall in the church was a 99 percent reflector of sound.

You mentioned Appleton. The trumpet studio is very good at Lawrence.
My nephew and his wife both graduated from Lawrence conservatory and the university.

smatt401

Stchasking & NewGuy:

Thanks for the replies.

I'm one of those gray-haired individuals. Not sure quite when it happened--the insides feel as young as ever. The outsides look, well . . .

The only places I've ever played publicly since Jr. Hi & Hi School have been in churches.

Once in a Baptist church during a solo I completely forgot what I was supposed to play next and had to "noodle around" until I could remember. The pastor gave me a really strange look.

Then there was the young couple I went to college with who asked me to play at their wedding--no rehearsal, no prior conversation with the organist, no music (I hand-transposed the piece then forgot to put in my case!), and most emphatically, no warm-up . . . and also no thanks or cash (not that my performance deserved it). Never played for a wedding since. My reputation must have preceded me.

Once I played in a large, reverberating auditorium and the guy who was known for saying, "If it makes you want to tap your feet it's bad music," came rushing up to me afterward, smiled broadly, shook my hand and said, "That was great! You just nailed it!"

A really good time was when I wrote my own lyrics to Londonderry Aire and a couple sang while I and the pianist accompanied them. That one nearly brought down the house, as they say.

I guess I've had a couple of ups to balance out the downs.

BTW, I've taken a few lessons from one of the teachers at Lawrence Conservatory, John Daniel. Great guy, terrific player, top-notch teacher. I'm still trying to take more lessons from him, somehow.

smatt

administrator

Welcome smatt!

Newguy

Hey guys!!! Smatts still got hair!!!! " I'm one of those gray-haired individuals"