Quickest you've seen a beginner get a decent sound?

Robert P · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2594

What's the fastest you've seen a beginner go from their first honking attempt at playing to having a usable trumpet sound?

Primarily wondering about kids who've never played anything before but go ahead and include those who already played another instrument - specify the circumstances.
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Brad361 · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 4:03 am Post subject:

One 7th grader who began lessons with me last year as a beginner (in 6th grade) started producing a fairly clear and surprisingly centered sound in about four months. No prodigy for sure, but he is still making very steady progress, he had not played another instrument before starting on trumpet.

Off topic a bit, but I do have an 8th grader at the same school who started lessons with me this year who has a LOT of natural ability, if he continues he could be VERY good. I don't know for certain, but talking to the band directors there it sounds as if he may have an unusually high IQ; he seems to do very well in other areas in school as well. The downside for him is he becomes easily frustrated when something is difficult for him, I do approach lessons somewhat differently with this student, it seems to be working. I have had conversations with his mother about this also, she is aware of his talent and his lack of patience, she is very realistic about it and so far things are going well with his progress.

Brad
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Andy Del · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:57 am Post subject:

Day 1. Part of our music program is a year of wind or brass at year 4 level. (Elementary school)These kids have already done 2 years of strings, many learn piano, some sing in a choir.

The kids learn weekly in groups sessions, up to 6-8, depending on class sizes and who opts for what and what we have handy. As they are working in a group, they can bounce of each other, get practical demonstrations (the teacher is a player) and ar encouraged to make a good sound from the outset.

One kid who started last year made a huge fat sound on day 1, enrolled in private lessons 2 weeks later, sat and exam a few months after that (passing with honours) and got his own horn for Christmas. Keen as anything, and making steady progress. I'm finding this is just as common as the ones who simply can't make a great sound. The thing that really makes a difference is parental support and encouragement. This kis it in spades, as does one on rom one who is using his Dad's old axe.

The ones made to use a mute, ar restricted in their noise making, etc seem to do not so well...

Cheers

Andy
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furcifer · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 10:19 am Post subject:

Within about 15-20 minutes, if by "usable trumpet sound", you only mean on one note.

Oddly enough, I pulled this off with a volunteer who had no intention of ever playing any instrument as part of an assignment for my "Speech for Teachers" class. This class was on the Secondary Ed track and scheduled at night, so I was the only undergrad music major in that class. I got an "A" for the "beginner" getting a "G", LOL!

It's possible that everybody felt a bit sorry for me, since I had lugged a Trombone, a French Horn and my Trumpet to that class, so I define this sound as "usable" by the culmination of an in-tune triad from the 3 volunteers. Keep in mind that I also had to go over how to hold the horns, breathe, tongue the note, etc., within that time, and I was graded on each step. It's all about setting them up for success in an environment where they can't really fail.
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ATrumpetBrony · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 10:33 am Post subject:

I had trombone student once in high school- a girl maybe 3 years under me. The band director mentioned that we needed bones, so she switched from alto sax.
In our first (and unfortunately, last - she quit shortly after) lesson, I had her play a lot of long tones, and at one point got her to hold out one note while I egged her on to double the air and double the air, until she FINALLY got a good trombone sound.
It was AWESOME to see that it's possible for even the very first beginners to make good sounds right off the bat. There are of course MANY students for whom it's very difficult, especially those who might not necessarily have an 'ear' for good tone.
I've got another beginner on trombone right now and I'm having a tough time finding the method to teach her with because she is one who doesn't seem to quite have an 'ear' for great tone yet.

But I think most of all that it can be developed!
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BeboppinFool · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 2:43 pm Post subject:

I had the son of one of our area's best saxophonists, and when he came back after a week he actually had a mature trumpet sound (no kidding, it was a beautiful sound), even though it was only from about a low C to the G above the staff.

I started him in Doc Reinhardt's Beginner's Book and had him buzzing his lips before ever trying to play a note.

He did great for about two years and then got into skateboarding and then girls. He quit because of a lousy band director and his other interests which got in his way. Oh, well!
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Bflatman · Heavyweight Member Joined: 01 Nov 2016 Posts: 720

A complex question.

The problem as I see it is a teacher will not stress tone production but instead will teach everything else. It therefore takes many years for a beginner to develop a good tone.

I know a student who 4 years down the line sounds like a beginner.

Raw minimum timings

To develop a useable note 1 day

To develop a useable range 1 week

To play well and sound good 1 month

To sound lyrical and professional with good timing phrasing and articulation 3 months

If you give them lots of other things to work on, that divert them from working on phrasing tone and musicality and you should, then it can take up to 8 years to reach that same 3 month standard. Life is choices.

ATrumpetBrony · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 6:30 pm Post subject:

Robert P · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2594

furcifer · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 1:50 pm Post subject:

dershem · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 6:19 pm Post subject:

My great-nephew got a sound almost immediately, and a decent one within 10 minutes. It took him another 15 minutes or so to be able to play 2 different notes (C and G). His grandpa was overjoyed, and then started wondering why he'd wasted the years he didn't play. Grandpa started at 4, grandson at 2 1/2. Grandson is now 4 and plays occasionally, but grandpa died and isn't there to give lessons any more. (I'd step in but they are 1200 miles away).