27 year hiatus

Antarctica · New Member Joined: 16 Jan 2023 Posts: 8

Started in fifth grade, put the horn down in 96 as college jazz orchestra began to wind down. So 27 years. Switched to guitar and studied hard for many years but somehow lost all interest in music after about 5 years, probably driven by stagnation of my abilities.

I don't know if its my kids interest in guitar and music or what, but I started playing guitar again this summer. My buddies asked if I still play horn but I swore I'd never waste another second on it I was so enamored of guitar.

Saw some old jazz band tapes recently, and was surprised at how well I could play lead back then. The other day, the guy hired to lead our highschool jazz band died - a well known sax player in the DC area.

I pulled out my old model 43 lightweight, and blew some notes. Maybe in his memory, who knows. God it was horrible. Poor tone, no range, no endurance. Kept doing low long tones and buzzing the mouthpiece. In just a couple days, things sounded considerably better.

Started poking around here and looking for horns on the internet. I know trickg from another forum and asked his opinion on flugelhorns today, having sold the yamaha 2310 I bought in high school. Got a wild hair and decided to order an ACB doubler. Won't be here until summer but it gives me something to work toward.

I've put together a list of tunes I'd like to work out on it, some old, some new.

Right now, I can play long tones for about 20 minutes, can hit an A above the staff barely (haven't really tried to hit higher), can make it through a few sharps and flats on the circle of fifths/fourths, and can even remember most of "feels so good" and 'tenderly'.

I don' have any real aspirations of ever being what I was before, but I'm gonna play again, and I am stoked.

gwood66 · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 5:11 pm Post subject:

Playing in the community bands/local community college jazz band can be a lot of fun. Recommend finding a band as soon as you can. Welcome back and good luck with your comeback.
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Antarctica · New Member Joined: 16 Jan 2023 Posts: 8

BTW - I've been referencing a document I found on the web "Starting Over Again" by David Brown from BYU. I've found it to be spot on so far on what to expect in my abilities and how things are improving. Over all, things are coming back much better than I ever expected. I'm not pushing at all, but the tone is getting clearer and steadier, endurance at low to mid range is improving, timing (lips, tongue, fingers) is getting synched up, etc. I think my ability to sight read (not play, just reading in my head) may have somehow actually improved.

Having fun, but I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to wait for the flugelhorn. I want one now!!

Dayton · Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 9:30 am Post subject:

Welcome back to trumpet playing! Take lessons if you can. A good teacher can help steer you in the right direction regarding your set up, what to practice, and how to practice it. Good luck!

Antarctica · New Member Joined: 16 Jan 2023 Posts: 8

Still at it, still enjoying it. I can rip around pretty good now and I spend a lot more time doing improv/interval work in different keys that I never really got fluent on before.

Got two of my horns cleaned up/dents removed recently and just got them back last night. They've been out of my hands for about 4 months, so I've been on flugel the entire time. It was nice to get my trumpets back - they cut like a laser.

Dayton · Posted: Tue May 07, 2024 10:46 am Post subject:

cgaiii · Posted: Tue May 07, 2024 4:31 pm Post subject:

Great to hear that you are enjoying playing and have got your chops back.
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