Lip Piercing for a trumpet player

[John Lamkin]

Guys I need your advice on this one. Without telling you what I told a student of mine who is into the Gothic Style with all the facial piercings, I want to know what you all think about a student who has their lower lip pierced. The ring is placed to the right of the lip a few centimeters away from the corner. The ring goes under and through the lip area a few centimeters below lip, which of course is definitely part of the embouchure. Let me know how you would advise this student. What would you say?

[RandyTX]

What I would want to say is probably not suitable for a young student to hear, or even be posted on this forum.
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"Music is like candy, you throw the (w)rappers away."

[Don Herman rev2]

I have enough holes in my head. Why add one that makes it impossible to play well? Sounds like your student has made his/her/its decision...

You could discuss the playing impairment and/or discuss with the parents (maybe they did not realize it would be an issue). Or, just get a another student.
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"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music" - Aldous Huxley

[ConnArtist]

I'm pretty sure there is nothing an adult can say to a kid caught up with trying to fit in with peers and fads that will dissuade them from piercings, tattoos, and STDs.

And frankly, if kids can learn to play with braces (thank goodness I never had to!), they can learn to work around their trendy piercings.

I guess I would just tell them, "It is going to limit your potential in terms of range, endurance, and timbre. How serious are you about playing this thing [trumpet, flute, etc.] well?"

Give 'em the honest facts and let them choose. It's not your decision to make.
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"Stomvi" PhrankenPhlugel w/ Blessing copper bell
1958 Conn 18A cornet
1962 Conn 9A cornet (yes, the Unicorn )
Reynolds Onyx cornet
c. 1955? Besson 10-10 trumpet
1939 Martin Imperial Handcraft “Model 37�
1986 Bach Strad 37 ML

[lh]

Inside, I would seriously want to quote Samuel L Jackson's "hold-up man" character from "Coming to America".

Outside, I would try to follow ConnArtist's advice.
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Eclipse Enigma Bb trumpet 2011
Olds Super Bb trumpet 1958
Eclipse Red Flugelhorn 2011
Selmer Paris model 59 Piccolo 1977
Conn New Invention Cornet 1913

[J_Mase]

[Retlaw]

Jeff.... a very pragmatic approach.


Pierce the tongue and you can clang the metal ball against the mouthpiece and be a living metronome for the clarinets when they lose time.

I know of several kids who couldn't wait to get the piercing done and were even faster removing them after infection set it.... from swollen (puss discharge) belly button to a nose that made them look like old "Schnozzola".....Jimmy Durante...... (I thought I would reveal my age on this) like it or not there is always a risk. In spite of risks there is nothing new about body piecing and even society girls in Victorian culture pierced their nibbles. From keeping evil spirits away...or not..... to tribal status.....to sexual enhancement......who knows...get an infection and it might drop off....

If someone is determined then I suppose it comes down to damage limitation.... It is very easy to take the high ground on the whole issue but in a PC culture there is very little you can do or say if a student turns up with a piercing that affects his playing. If advise it asked for then the common sense approach is probably all that can be offered..... for the young..... the final decision might need to be negotiated with parents.........I would wonder if a highly talented, motivated young trumpet player would risk "voiding" all his hard work....just to join a club (tribe).

For the young ones reading this.... make sure you get to the Doctor quick if you discover yellow-green puss....Septicaemia can be life threatening. Have I put you off yet?..... I know...I am an old fashioned old poop.

Walter
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"Amazing how many people listen with their eyes."
"Life is short....play nice."

[Craig Swartz]

I'm fortunate enough not to have any of my HS trumpet players with lip piercings but I do have 2 flute, one sax, a clarinetist and a percussionist with them. One flute player also has a large, silver tongue stud. It's one of her "17 piercings", so she says; I have no interest in knowing where they all are nor have I tried counting what is visible. I've had college students in the past pierced lower lips. None of them were headed for the pro ranks.

In all seriousness, I don't believe this thread needs to be in the Lounge, it is some important food for thought for many of us who attempt to educate others. Seriously...

[John Lamkin]

Thanks Guys for all your comments. They were right on point. I told her that if she wanted to study with me, she HAD to take the ring out of her lip and let her lip heal, or else I wasn’t teaching her. She didn’t and went to my department head instead! But he supports recommendation that she take the ring out. I want her to read all your comments so she can hear it from the trumpet community. She heard it from me, but I'm just her teacher. If she still insists on the ring, then I know what I’m dealing with and the drop slip is next.

Thanks.

[RandyTX]

By use of "department head" are you implying this is a college student doing this? I could sort of see a middle school or even high school kid, not planning on playing later in college onward doing something this asinine, but not someone studying trumpet seriously in college. That's beyond stupid.
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"Music is like candy, you throw the (w)rappers away."

[John Lamkin]

Yep, she's a college student>\.

[etc-etc]

Suggest she changes to a tuba. The ring will nicely fit into the mouthpiece.

[LittleRusty]

I can hear the ring hitting the inside of mouthpiece now.

[J_Mase]

[etc-etc]

And if she tears her embouchure muscle due to the ring, she can sue you because you did not prevent her from keeping it, even though as a professional you should have known better.

[Crazy Finn]

[Capt.Kirk]

Absolutely stupid they have so many places ont heir body that could be pierced and not affect their playing what where they thinking??????? I mean ear's top and bottom, face, forhead, nose, nipples and so on...........

I had a band teacher in middle school that would toss batons, music stands or water ballons at us when we consistently did not get it and would scream like a Drill Sargent if we did something mind numbingly stupid! I once got a 5 minute verbal beat down in her office when I hurt my hand at a Karate demonstration.........It was the classic " What the bleep where you thinking with all the Christmas Concerts a week away and festival around the corner.......????" It worked out because I was born left handed and forced to become a righty by my Old School Raised by Nunns Grandmother that thought the left hand was the hand of the devil! SO I just played left handed for 2 weeks! I still got the lecture though about being stupid!

When I played sports most coach's did not let use where any jewelry at all no bracelets, no necklaces and no ear rings......Lip, tongue and face piercing where not in yet so those did not have to be dealt with!

Most kids have no idea what Gothic really is or that it has it's own religious practices and idea's! Most kids just like the look but I think the school should have a policy about what piercing can be worn at school! I think when I was in school you could not have more then 3 piercing in your ear. So you might have 7 holes in your ears but only 3 of them could have anything in them!

Have you talked to this kid? What is more important an extra whole in his lip or music? I would not hesitate to make the kid remove it for band and then he could put it back in after class!
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The only easy day was yesterday!

[John Lamkin]

Capt. Kirk, this is a college student!

[Maarten van Weverwijk]

I'd suggest her to make a choice here (don't open the link if you think you're not ready for it):
http://www.bodypiercingland.com/lip-plate/

MvW.

[John Lamkin]

But these people are not trumpet players!