azuka

Hi folks. I've been a reed player since 1963 and currently play lead alto sax and clarinet in a local big band, which is a real blast for me. For the last 12 years I've also been into buying and selling used band instruments... mostly saxes and clarinets since that is what I know best, but also the occasion brasswind and so on.

Well, I've gotten it into my head that it would be so cool to learn to play trumpet at some level. I'm really not very knowledgeable about how to play the damn things. But I have this really cool beater cornet that I got at a flea market for a mere $8 plus another $13 for getting a replacement part from my crazy horn repair guy and straightening out the bell crumple.

So far, I am really getting impressed with trumpet players who get such a great sound out of the same horn that sounds 'really bad' when I play it.

I have taken to keeping it in the car with me so when I'm at a red light or otherwise not moving in my car I'll blow on the thing for a bit. No clue about fingerings yet, mostly working on tone quality and consistency. I figure that nobody wants to hear me play if I have a rotten tone no matter how good I can sight-read or finger the notes etc. I think tone quality is job #1 and after that, everything is a matter of technique.

Any basic advice?

Thanks.

PS - The cornet is a 1939-40 Getzen 90 Deluxe with lots of lacquer loss. I recently picked up an interesting German made cornet with the name Commodore on it. Also an old Buescher in silver with gold highlights in the design as well as inside the bell, and a Conn 22B from about 1930 in nice shape, but Crazy Don says the valves are kinda loose and need to be refitted to make it properly playable.

ComeBackKid

Welcome, Azuka. It sounds like you have had your big toe in the trumpet world for some time. Now it's time to jump in. Don't worry if the cornet sound is a bit bad at first. We all started that way (some of us still are that way). It is a lot of fun and very rewarding when the sound starts to come out like we want it to. You have some very interesting horns to play. Try them all. I try to play on most of mine at least once a week so they don't start to feel neglected.

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Come-Back Kid
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azuka

Thanks much. You know, It took me most of my life to get to the point where I REALLY liked the sound I got on my clarinet and my saxes. If it takes the same amount of time to get a sound I'm happy with on the trumet, I'll be about 85 when I get there. Doesn't sound fair!

veery715

But fair it is! One of the few pursuits we can have and continue to grow and improve at is the playing of music - until we literally keel over. Look at the ranks of players and there you will find great ones getting even greater as they age. Playing music helps keep you young and alive.


veery