Newguy

As it says, I'm the new guy. My name is Bernie and I have been playing trumpet for two weeks. I am 65 and have wanted to play trumpet since elementary school, when because my two front teeth were too far apart, I was given a one peice metal clairinet and later went to a Conn Pan American "violin finish", one that I still have. I played clarinet thru school and into high school doing bassoon in orchestra. In high school marching season, I was able, since my teeth had closed in, dabble with slide and valve trombone and my favorite, a trombonioum (sp) sort of like an upright alto with the sound of a trombone.
I have not touched an instrument seriously since 1960, but have purchased one of the Barrington's from Woodwind and Brass. It looks good, and seems to have a good sound if I can do my part, but it's been a looooooooggg time!! I hope to do a lot of reading here and get some great infomation.
Thanks in advance guys, by the way, I have COPD, so I also am looking at this as my form of therapy to keep what breath I have, for as long as I can. I know I'll never be an Al Hirt, but I hope to be able to have some fun with it!!

BengeTooter

Hey NewGuy! from another newbie to the group. Kudos for picking up a new instrument at your age! Doubt I'll be picking up a bassoon when I'm 65 in sixteen years... or today, for that matter!

Bourbon City

Welcome NewGuy,

Please do a search for New Horizon bands. It is an organization of musicians 50 years of age and older who have played or never played before. They have bands all over the world. If there is a New Horison Band near you and if you have the time and money to invest in this group it could be a wonderful way to fulfill your musical desires in your retirement time.

Good Luck, Happy Playing and may the air always be there and the music challenging and fun to play.

Newguy

Thanks for the info, Dale, I have already checked and being from the Pittsburg, PA area, it seems there are no groups around me -- oh well, I'll have to get good and start my own -- Hah!!

TeagueBagga

NewGuy, you have warmed my heart with your story. I just want to say welcome.

administrator

Welcome New Guy!

screamingmorris

After hearing some good news, I just had to go to search mode here at Trumpet Master and find out who Newguy is.

Get this, everybody:
Bernie "Newguy" has only been playing trumpet / cornet for 2 months now, and he has already played his first High C, the C above the staff.

I think we should start an investigation to see if steroids or Viagra was involved

Congratulations, Bernie!

- Morris

Newguy

Awww, shucks -- twarn't nuthi'!!! Yeah, right -- I've just now gotten off the floor and that was yesterday!! What Morris left out was that I had just bought his 1960 Holton Super Collegiate cornet and was giving it a little workout. Actually, you would have a hard time calling everything above the G a note, but they were there, maybe just for a microsecond before they totally collasped into noise, but they were there. I credit the horn more than me!!

screamingmorris

Like the advertisements warn, if your High C lasts more than 4 hours, call your doctor (or call Betty at BR-549)

- Morris

screamingmorris

Bernie,

Since you played trombone 50 years ago you already knew the basics of how to form an "embouchure".

Now that you have been playing trumpet for 2 months and you have been playing cornet for 1 week, I would be interested in your comparison of how it feels playing the 2 instruments, trumpet versus cornet.

Your Barrington trumpet and your Holton Super Collegiate cornet probably have almost identical bore sizes, approximately .460.

How different do they feel in air resistance / openness?
How different are they in tone?
How different are they in range ability / high notes?
How different are they in comfort of holding them?
Any other aspects of playing them differ?

So many of us have so many years of one instrument under our belt before we try the other instrument that we tend to approach the second instrument already set in our ways by the first instrument.
But since you are starting the 2 instruments at approximately the same time, I think you would have a unique perspective in comparing trumpet with cornet.

BTW, you might want to wait until you get your official cornet mouthpiece before answering, because using your trumpet mouthpiece on your cornet (yeah, I've done it, too) can give slightly false impressions (if I put a Bach 7E trumpet mouthpiece on my cornet it has a different tone than if I put a Bach 7E cornet mouthpiece on my cornet, because they have a different backbore although everything else about the 2 mouthpieces is the same).

- Morris