Comeback first anniversary progress report

[Croquethed]

One year ago on “Black Friday” I picked up my pre-ordered Getzen 900. Lucked out and got the usual discount plus the store 15% coupon, which on a $1500 horn was substantial. I took it into a practice room and learned very quickly how 39 years away from a horn turns your lips to liver. So, one year later, what is the status of the comeback?

I did not find a good teacher.

I did not join a community band. I had enough marches and semi-classical music when I was in junior high and high school.

After three months, I did sign up for a three-session jazz workshop for which the syllabus said one “had to be able to read music,” which I can do, but reading notes and improvising chord changes are two different things. I was way overmatched and did not return after the first session. I was, for a very brief period, discouraged. I took my longest break from the horn – four days – and started spending more time trying to memorize chords, especially dom7's. This approach was moderately successful for a short period.

I read some elementary theory. Though I played for 7 years as a kid, it was all sight reading, and I had no theory instruction at all. This led to the simpleton's breakthrough -

I noodled, a lot, and hit upon, quite by accident, the classic C-Eb-F blues riff. Then I used my scant but welcome theory knowledge and added the F and G riffs, and hey, I had a 12-bar blues! Subsequent practice has been heavily focused on blues scales in all keys, because they are fun to play and can take one almost anywhere. Yes, the Kinks' “You Really Got Me” and Cream's “Badge” may sound incongruous on the trumpet, but the tune is the tune, and rather than play myself into a bad memory coma with Arban or Rubank, playing the guitar solo from Steely Dan's “Reelin' In The Years” is a fine test of dexterity in and of itself.

I am listening to music more actively than I ever have, making wonderful connections between musicians I would not have connected before, like Lester Young and blues guitarist Hound Dog Taylor, who recorded Young's “Jumpin' With Symphony Sid.” What is that riff? I asked myself, and figured it out pretty darn fast. Likewise, when I heard the Etta James-Dr. John duet of “I'd Rather Go Blind” on the local college radio station, I went home and worked it out. And the song was made for the trumpet.

Sometimes I just work out riffs, sometimes whole songs. I inch along at whatever pace moves me on any given day. I teach my son the blues riffs for his French horn so he can show his buddies in middle school band. He is still enjoying playing and his teacher uses Smartmusic and doesn't load them down as though each and every one is headed for Julliard.

The horn gets a bath in warm water with Dawn once a month. It likes Al Cass. The Curry 3M is a good all-around mouthpiece, allowing me to hit B above staff well and consistently, C a little less consistent but I have not been working too hard on that. That's for the coming year, maybe.

When I started out, all I wanted to do was be able to play “Jingle Bells” for Christmas, “Auld Lang Syne” for New Year's, a couple NOLA Mardi Gras chestnuts, and “Taps” for Memorial Day. And the comeback has been so much more rewarding than I imagined. I don't know if I'm ready to jump up on a stage and improvise with a band playing a blues in Eb yet. But I'm getting there. What a fun time it's been. How wonderful making music can be.

[gstump]

Nice going. Trumpet playing is a life long journey.
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Schilke B5
Couesnon Flug (1967)
Funk Brothers Horn Section/Caruso Student

[Croquethed]

Thanks, Gordon. I bought the PDF of your Power Studies, haven't used it much, but you are a real pro.

[Comeback]

I enjoyed reading the account of the first year of your comeback, Croquethed. You seem to have made some great progress. Oh.., and I commend you on your good taste in trumpets, too!

Jim

[BGinNJ]

Good for you, and I think you're a great example of coming back to the horn with a new approach, rather than trying to reproduce schoolboy glory.

[Curmudgeon]

Congratulations on your comeback. You give me confidence in what can be accomplished. I'm a couple of months into my comeback after 34-years and hope to get on the same road you have traveled, learning to improvise. Thanks for sharing your progress. I look forward to hearing future reports.

JDG

[5-String Horn]

Enjoyed reading the update. I too have been trying a comeback after a 3 decade hiatus. We seem to have some similarities though I consider myself an alright guitar player and I can't play the solo on "Reeling' in the Years" using hammer-ons and pull-offs so double & triple tongue technique is totally out of my league . . . hats off on that! Sounds like your range and endurance is developing as well. I have a C above staff every 3rd or 4th practice day. Definitely not a note I can count on. Anything past G is sketchy to be honest. Like yourself, I too am still having fun. Keep the updates coming.
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Getzen Eterna Severinsen B-flat (1974-ish)
Jupiter 416 Pocket Trumpet B-flat
Wm Frank B-flat Cornet (circa 1930's)

[RLG]

Wonderful to hear of your progress. Keep up the good work.

Merry Christmas and God Bless

Robert
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LA Benge 2X
XO 1602S
Blessing 1541 Flugelhorn

[furcifer]

That's really cool. That's exactly how I felt after high school in terms of what I really wanted to play. I've been on the comeback trail, on and off, for a long time, but I retire next year, so for the first time in 20 years, I feel like my efforts to get back in shape won't just be lost again due to an extended deployment. In that sense, I'm in my "1st year" of comeback as well - again, LOL! Here's some more help with improvisation:

1. Now that you've got 12-bar blues in your ear, try cycle blues (circle of 5ths). Focus on resolving 7th to 3rd across the bar line. Pretty soon, you're playing jazz in all keys, and a note is just a note. This helps when you play with blues-rock guitar weenies who want to play everything in E and A, and then need to shift back to B-flat and E-flat when playing with a wind band.
2. Arpeggiate the ii chord on the turnaround. I don't know how many kids I've seen win "soloist of the day" or whatever at a jazz fest who just nailed the ii chord on the turnaround and fumbled through everything else, LOL!
3. Get a "Real Book". Seriously, listen to the standards and listen some more. This is what you want to jump on when you're ready to jump up on the "open-mic nights". Noodle around on stuff like "Perdido Line", "Jordu", etc.
4. Listen to Clifford! There are others, but your knack for working things out and transcribing solos is exactly how the old Bop giants taught themselves.

I've got some cool (non-copyrighted) stuff that might help you, like a lead sheet that actually shows every possible chord choice on a 12-bar blues. Also, I've got a few pages of common ii-V-I turnaround lines that you'll notice lots of cats playing after you learn them. It's all fun stuff. I'll have to see if I can scan it or something if you're interested.
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Stomvi S3 Big Bell -2018
Bach 180ST37 -'80
Benge CG -'78
Buescher LP 9 -1926
Getzen 896S-4 flugel -'86
Conn 18H bone -'64
Getzen M2003E Bb/G bugle
Getzen Titleist 2v soprano G -'79
King K-50 G mellophone
Henri Gautier Cornet C/Bb/A -1919

[Croquethed]

Funny you mention the real book, Furcifer. I asked Santa for two things this year, the big 1200-song book and the St. Paul and the Broken Bones CD. Now I need a bigger stand. I've started working on ii-V-Is and I like the circle5ths idea, too. Like you, I find there are only so many hours in the day.

I am going to look for a local adult ed or credit free theory course at the local community college. Like the old "the harder I work the luckier I get" slogan, the more I actually study theory feeds into my abilities to pick something out by ear quickly and vice versa.