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When did you start taking it seriously?


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alectric
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 6:13 pm    Post subject: When did you start taking it seriously? Reply with quote

That probably sounds like a loaded question. But seriously, a question for those of you trumpeters who went the distance: when did you start dedicating most of your life to trumpet or music in general? I'm just curious. Did you practice for hours every day in high school, did you start playing at a very young age, did you really pick it up in college, etc.
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Brad361
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

First, I'm not on the same skill level as some guys here, and I don't know if I "went the distance." But I started taking it seriously as a high school freshman, which was when I started taking private lessons. I did practice three hours EVERY weekday during the school year, five hours daily during summers in high school, three-four hours daily during summers while in college.

Brad
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Bill Dishman
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 7:31 pm    Post subject: Taking it seriously Reply with quote

Not quite the response you might be expecting but...

I began taking it seriously in 4th grade when my family could not afford to get me an instrument or even rent one in Fairfax County, Virginia. Went to friend's (trumpet player) house each week to have him teach me (on his horn) what he learned that week.

5th grade: Still could not afford an instrument. Kept up "poaching" off of my friend.

6th grader: Still could not afford a horn. My father complained to a volunteer fireman colleague that it bothered him that he could not provide an instrument for me especially since I had not lost the desire in the previous two years. His friend said that his son (tuba in the high school band) had started out in 4th grade on an old cornet and he thought he still had it in the attic. My dad ended up paying $5.00 out of every two week paycheck to
him until it was paid off for a total of $75.00. Even though I was two years behind everyone else I was able to join beginning band.

Bill Dishman
Gainesville, Florida
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Ed Hernandez
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Started taking weekly private lessons at around 10-11 years old. Became much more serious in high school. Joined Army (not as a bandsman but as a medic) and stayed serious on and off playing Salsa, Big Band and Praise & Worship bands wherever stationed throughout my 20 years in the Army. I was always able to hang in there with the Army bandsmen gigging with whichever band I was playing with. Practice...? Oh yes, 5-6 days/ week X 1-2 hours.
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dershem
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 10:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I started.
Of course, I had the advantage of having a musical genius in the family, which was a major inspiration. I always wanted to be like him, at least in the musical sense and the personal sense... just without the cocaine. :/
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trickg
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not sure I'd be considered one who has gone the distance or not. Immediately out of HS I did 10 years in the US Army band program, and at 46 years old, I have continued to play and gig all through my adult life. I do ok I suppose - the people who pay me to play continue to call me back for more, so I suppose that's something.

So when did I get serious about it? 7th grade. That was when things started to click and I started to outpace my peers. By the time I was in 9th grade, I couldn't think of anything else I wanted to do than to play trumpet and get paid for it. During high school, I mostly worked on my HS band music, solo and ensemble repertoire, the music I was playing in church, and some Arbans, here and there.

I put a lot of time in on the horn in high school. It wasn't necessarily quality time though - I never had private instruction until I went to the Armed Forces School of Music, and even then it was only for that 6th month period of time.

I mostly learned by doing - I was thrown in over my head, and it was sink or swim. I swam. I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by a bevy of excellent musicians with the patience to help cultivate me into a decent player - never a true cut above, but never a liability to the ensembles I performed with.

All told, I probably only truly dedicated a couple of years to it, where it was the most important thing in my life - that would have been my first two years as a military player before I met my wife and life happened, but during that time, I worked pretty hard on it.
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zaferis
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I didn't take it seriously until after my Freshman year of college. I actually started college as a science major followed by a year studying privately, then 4 years of Music Ed... teaching, gigging, auditioning, 25 year of USAF band - etc.

Definitely a late bloomer. I will say that though I didn't study nor think I'd ever do anything with the trumpet, I played a bunch (no instruction). My HS bands were terrible, I played for town musicals, church services and was in a rock band for a couple years.

My first real lesson in college was... " oh no! lets start over. THIS is how you hold the trumpet - do that for a week and then we'll start working on your playing"

But since age 21, trumpet has been my predominant tool for income. I have income, a house, car, food on a daily basis and 2 healthy children in school, and more "stuff" than I really need - that's making the distance in my book.
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Bflatman
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 7:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have no idea what going the distance means. I think it is more than just taking it seriously.

I will assume it means when you enter that state that meant you mean business, and no excuses.

For me, it was when it became important. It became Do or die for me literally.

So I did.

Why do guys from the hood rise from the depths of despair into a career in basketball, or rapping or boxing, because it is life or death for them.

When you have to put up or shut up. You put up.

If you dont have to put up or shut up, you watch a movie or go to a bar.
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Brad361
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 6:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bflatman wrote:
I have no idea what going the distance means. I think it is more than just taking it seriously.

I will assume it means when you enter that state that meant you mean business, and no excuses.

For me, it was when it became important. It became Do or die for me literally.

So I did.

Why do guys from the hood rise from the depths of despair into a career in basketball, or rapping or boxing, because it is life or death for them.

When you have to put up or shut up. You put up.

If you dont have to put up or shut up, you watch a movie or go to a bar.


No offense intended here, but LITERALLY "do or die"?

Brad
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Sarah
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can't answer for trumpet. It wasn't my first instrument. And as an adult I take all music learning seriously.

But as a child I was forced to practise piano every day. I hated it. I would put a book up and read while I practised my scales... Because my parents wouldn't know. I would daydream etc.. But I kept playing.. My father would pull the belt out if he heard silence.

So I did all the grade exams. When I got to grade 8 (our highest grade before diploma) my school friends started to notice how good I sounded. Once I realised I actually could play well (and I could sight read easily) then I started to enjoy it. Once I started to enjoy it, I started to take it seriously.

I find with my students a similar scenario. Many don't take it seriously till they see grade 8 in their sights... Then I can't stop them practising!
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VetPsychWars
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 3:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As soon as I realized I could play better than my classmates and I would be near or at the head of the section up through high school.

Tom
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Robert P
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 6:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ed Hernandez wrote:
Joined Army (not as a bandsman but as a medic) and stayed serious on and off playing Salsa, Big Band and Praise & Worship bands wherever stationed throughout my 20 years in the Army.

When I was an Army bandsman one of the best players I heard was some Major who was a medic who came into the band hall to practice one night when I was on CQ duty. He said his unit had just come in from the field and he was rusty. I listened to this guy blow his a@@ off in one of the practice pods. Dayum.
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Bflatman
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 6:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You be the judge, no food no income no money no prospects. zilch.

That focusses the mind.

My horn fed me and I had to become good pretty damn quick or no money, no food no anything.

I ate scraps. I am not proud but I survived. My horn saved my life.

No offence taken it was in many ways a fun time, and damned educational.

Life is a hoot.

We are all the culmination of our life experiences, lets have a ball along the way.
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Brad361
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 6:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bflatman wrote:
You be the judge, no food no income no money no prospects. zilch.

That focusses the mind.

My horn fed me and I had to become good pretty damn quick or no money, no food no anything.

I ate scraps. I am not proud but I survived. My horn saved my life.

No offence taken it was in many ways a fun time, and damned educational.

Life is a hoot.

We are all the culmination of our life experiences, lets have a ball along the way.


Ok, points taken. But again, you said "It became Do or die for me literally." If the realities of life motivated you to get up to speed on your horn and become good enough to make a living, great! But you did have the option of doing what many musicians do, which is get a full time job to take care of those realities, and play professionally part time.

Hey, if you're one of those guys who refused to accept anything other than being a full time professional musician and did what's necessary to do that, and you make enough to take care of all of your responsibilities, cool. But nobody in this country who is not disabled and is willing to work has to starve. It may not be work that you love, but there are a he** of a lot of opportunities out there, it's a personal decision. A friend of mine was telling me about a fifty-something guy he knew who is a full time musician......and lives with his PARENTS. That's not so much a full time musician as it is unrealistic and immature in my opinion. I know of another person who is a full time musician.....married to a guy with a good job. There's nothing wrong with that arrangement as long as both parties are cool with it, but "full time musician" does not always mean the same thing for everyone.

Brad
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chuck in ny
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 3:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sarah wrote:
I can't answer for trumpet. It wasn't my first instrument. And as an adult I take all music learning seriously.

But as a child I was forced to practise piano every day. I hated it. I would put a book up and read while I practised my scales... Because my parents wouldn't know. I would daydream etc.. But I kept playing.. My father would pull the belt out if he heard silence.

So I did all the grade exams. When I got to grade 8 (our highest grade before diploma) my school friends started to notice how good I sounded. Once I realised I actually could play well (and I could sight read easily) then I started to enjoy it. Once I started to enjoy it, I started to take it seriously.

I find with my students a similar scenario. Many don't take it seriously till they see grade 8 in their sights... Then I can't stop them practising!



i like that, beating someone into appreciating music. it could start a trend.
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Bflatman
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 8:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is very easy to say that there are plenty of opportunities and there may be where you are, where I am it is not so good.

I dont want this to descend into a socio-economic discussion in a trumpet forum but I should answer you at least in part. You seem to think that these days starvation is very unlikely and work is plentiful, well that just isnt true.

I found myself unable to work due to lack of opportunity, I did some casual work because I love to work, and sustained a work injury that prevented me from working, with no income and no possibility of working, options become thin on the ground.

I had to live on 0 income for 4 months, and feed myself. Ok I did visit soup kitchens to survive, I guess to be realistic, you may be right I might not have died of starvation, but it looked to me like I was about to, many times I had nothing to eat at all for 5 days. I have eaten food scraps off the sidewalk that people dropped.

I dont say this for sympathy im not proud of doing that but believe me if you have to do that you have no other option and you aint far from starvation. The horn fed me God bless the horn.

So lets not go through all those opportunities that seem to exist, I live in the real world and they dont.

Enough said.
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Brad361
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 7:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bflatman wrote:
It is very easy to say that there are plenty of opportunities and there may be where you are, where I am it is not so good.

I dont want this to descend into a socio-economic discussion in a trumpet forum but I should answer you at least in part. You seem to think that these days starvation is very unlikely and work is plentiful, well that just isnt true.

I found myself unable to work due to lack of opportunity, I did some casual work because I love to work, and sustained a work injury that prevented me from working, with no income and no possibility of working, options become thin on the ground.

I had to live on 0 income for 4 months, and feed myself. Ok I did visit soup kitchens to survive, I guess to be realistic, you may be right I might not have died of starvation, but it looked to me like I was about to, many times I had nothing to eat at all for 5 days. I have eaten food scraps off the sidewalk that people dropped.

I dont say this for sympathy im not proud of doing that but believe me if you have to do that you have no other option and you aint far from starvation. The horn fed me God bless the horn.

So lets not go through all those opportunities that seem to exist, I live in the real world and they dont.

Enough said.


Fair enough, but you did not mention your personal injury, what I took from your comments was that you had no option for survival, literally, other than your horn. I'm not suggesting that the streets are paved with gold and everyone is prosperous, I am saying that barring individual circumstances able bodied people in this country can find work and / or social programs that enable survival. BTW, I also live in the "real world", and I'm certainly in no way privileged, nor do I come from a privileged background.

And you're correct, this is derailing the thread, so I won't comment further here.

Brad
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HERMOKIWI
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 9:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I started taking it seriously when I was in 7th grade. My father bought me a new Olds Recording trumpet (which I still have 55 years later) and I started applying myself and improving as a player. I also enjoyed the camaraderie of the other players. To paraphrase/modify some dialogue from West Side Story, "Without a band you're an orphan. But with a band you walk in two's, three's and four's. And when your band is the best, buddy boy you're out in the sun and home free home." Playing trumpet has given me some of the best lifetime friendships I have.
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Bflatman
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 1:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No problem brad we seldom see others difficulties and are forced to make assumptions based on what we do see.

we choose our lives and some choices are not always the best with hindsight, thats life.

This is a good thread, long may it prosper
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PC
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 24, 2017 8:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I guess I took it seriously (even though it did not become my profession) when my teacher from the Jerusalem Symphony started to suggest me as a sub in the orchestra, which must have been around 10th grade. Before that I would practice but not in a targeted way, nor read entire scores to know inside out the repertoire I would be called in to sub on. I continued to sub also in the Israel Phil and got into the Young Phil and went on tour with them (twice).

Then I went on to study sciences at the university but continued gigging actively, both orchestral, big band and small combos all over Israel. You may say that at that point I was somewhat pro, since I was self-employed and earned my money solely from trumpet playing.

Then life took another turn and I left to continue studying in France, the UK and got a job in Norway. I kept gigging with orchestras or weddings there, but shifted more and more to amateur orchestras and solo recitals. Nowadays, I do not make a dime from playing and don't need to either, just do it for pleasure.

But incidentally, I kept practicing all these years and believe I have progressed all the time and certainly intend to continue doing so!

Cheers,
Pierre
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