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Jude · 12-07-2007, 01:36 PM

Sometime in September I finally brought myself to open up my grandfather's old cornet case - he died years ago, but the cornet had been sitting in a closet since then. I was a little disappointed to see it was what looked like a local no-name make from Worcester, Mass., of all places. Then I started researching it and discovered it was a Conn Wonder (1898, from the serial no.). It was actually the smell of the valve oil that got to me, though - I played the trumpet (badly) from grades 4-7 (1950s) and then the French horn (for which the band parts as I remember consisted of 32-measure sections of tied whole-notes) until I graduated from high-school and handed it back to the school. To our mutual relief.

While the cornet was at the repair shop (you should see what he was able to do with that smashed bell!) I discovered Sound Your Own Horn on the web and started buzzing. The book also clued me into some great trumpet web sites, this one included. After a couple of weeks I got sick of buzzing and started looking around for a trumpet and found a Olds Ambassador (which I had learned online was what I wanted, especially at $45) and got started.

By now I've got a teacher and a copy of Rubank's method and the duets book. (I'm absolutely certain that this isn't what they started 4th-graders on way back then, BTW - the first song in the method book has a top-line F!). I'm also working with the first Sandoval book, which has some exercises pretty enough to memorize. I practice on both horns, using the Levy Model mouthpiece on both - usually - to remind me to use minimal pressure, but only play the trumpet during lessons because it's so much easier to blow. It makes it hard to play duets, though, because I'm apt to hit higher partials by mistake (and there's really no one else I can turn to and stare at aghast, unfortunately.) Playing in unison seems to go better for some reason.

I've learned a lot from the forum, and would like to say thanks to the people who have already taught me so much. I'll try to remember to ask my teacher any questions first before posting my own.

Jude

12-07-2007, 01:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
Jude Piano User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 318	Hi guys Sometime in September I finally brought myself to open up my grandfather's old cornet case - he died years ago, but the cornet had been sitting in a closet since then. I was a little disappointed to see it was what looked like a local no-name make from Worcester, Mass., of all places. Then I started researching it and discovered it was a Conn Wonder (1898, from the serial no.). It was actually the smell of the valve oil that got to me, though - I played the trumpet (badly) from grades 4-7 (1950s) and then the French horn (for which the band parts as I remember consisted of 32-measure sections of tied whole-notes) until I graduated from high-school and handed it back to the school. To our mutual relief. While the cornet was at the repair shop (you should see what he was able to do with that smashed bell!) I discovered Sound Your Own Horn on the web and started buzzing. The book also clued me into some great trumpet web sites, this one included. After a couple of weeks I got sick of buzzing and started looking around for a trumpet and found a Olds Ambassador (which I had learned online was what I wanted, especially at $45) and got started. By now I've got a teacher and a copy of Rubank's method and the duets book. (I'm absolutely certain that this isn't what they started 4th-graders on way back then, BTW - the first song in the method book has a top-line F!). I'm also working with the first Sandoval book, which has some exercises pretty enough to memorize. I practice on both horns, using the Levy Model mouthpiece on both - usually - to remind me to use minimal pressure, but only play the trumpet during lessons because it's so much easier to blow. It makes it hard to play duets, though, because I'm apt to hit higher partials by mistake (and there's really no one else I can turn to and stare at aghast, unfortunately.) Playing in unison seems to go better for some reason. I've learned a lot from the forum, and would like to say thanks to the people who have already taught me so much. I'll try to remember to ask my teacher any questions first before posting my own. Jude Last edited by Jude; 12-07-2007 at 04:45 PM. Reason: Wrong high note - vertigo, I guess.