Starting Late in Live

[Melissa P]

I am an avid music lover. I played piano (a little) and clarinet when I was a teenager. I read music. I am considering trying a new instrument and am interested in knowing if anyone thinks this instrument can be learned later in life. Were any of you later starters or do you know of a late starter who was successful? Thanks!
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Melissa

[jhatpro]

Trumpet is a great instrument to start anytime! Beginning later in life actually offers some advantages because you may have more time to devote to learning the horn.

Plus, with your musical background, a lot of things about trumpet playing will come much easier.

I strongly recommend you find a good teacher, preferably one with experience teaching adults.

Hope you decide to dive in - the water's fine!
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.� Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

[Grits Burgh]

Melissa P,

With enough motivation and effort, you can do anything. Well, at least that is what I am telling myself after not touching a horn since college, many decades ago.

I have a love/hate relationship with the trumpet. For me, it is only fun if I have the time to devote to practice and am meeting my own standards. On days when my playing is off or on days when I do not have time to practice, I get frustrated.

But, on days when I am on and have a gig to play or other musicians with whom to play (very rarely), I love the trumpet. The truth is, I even enjoy practicing exercises by myself. There isn't much in life that is more fun than making beautiful music. The more beautiful the music, the more fun.

Warm regards,
Grits
_________________
Bach Stradivarius 37 (1971)
Schilke HC 1
Getzen 3810 C Cornet
King Master Bb Cornet (1945)
B&S 3145 Challenger I Series Flugelhorn
Life is short; buy every horn you want and die happy.

[kehaulani]

How do you define, "late in life? (Trumpet's a very physical instrument.)

Whatever, the answer to your question is that you should play what you want.

E.g. with your background on clarinet and the fact that you have less of a embouchure challenge with a woodwind, and considering the reduced demand on the sax vs. clarinet (for beginners), sax may be the better choice. But if your passion is more for the trumpet than sax, then you should consider going with the trumpet anyway.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[1jazzyalex]

Just not a problem if you're fit enough to take up, late in life, walking, Frisbee golf, paddleboarding, any sort of sport of moderate difficulty that's easy to begin.

Keep in mind trumpet's as much a sport as a musical instrument. It requires breathing, some mid-body fitness, and learning to use some muscles in a way you're not accustomed to, a sort of rubbing your belly while patting your head sort of thing. It takes time.

But you'll make progress faster than the average 11-year-old in intermediate school Band. Always keep that in mind.
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Yamaha 8335LA with Blessing 3C, 5C, Schilke 11A4A

[Brad361]

No reason why not, it does also depend on, to a degree, how you define "successful."

Do yourself a favor though, find a qualified private teacher, it's makes a LOT of difference in how quickly you progress. That and how much individual practice time you devote to it.

Best of luck!

Brad
_________________
When asked if he always sounds great:
"I always try, but not always, because the horn is merciless, unpredictable and traitorous." - Arturo Sandoval

[HornnOOb]

I began learning the trumpet from scratch, 1 week before my 55th birthday. Could not real music either. I found a decent enough Bach TR300 at a pawn shop for $89 bucks and I started on my own, learning how to play long tones. I picked-up the beginner's book "Trumpet Essentials 2000" and a couple of weeks later, I signed-up for lessons at a music shop just 4 miles from my house. Ended-up with an outstanding trumpet teacher.

After taking weekly lessons for about 7 months, I continued mostly on my own (with occasional coaching sessions and eventually, bought a professional level trumpet. I can now play almost anything I set my sights on and have developed an excellent tone quality. Staying motivated enough to practice 2 hours a day +- is challenging at times, but it is so incredibly satisfying when you can play your favorite tunes and/or participate in a good ensemble or symphonic band. Go for it!
_________________
I rode in on a horse and can't seem to get out of L.A.

Severinsen Destino 3*
1971 Getzen Eterna 900S Severinsen Model
1984 Getzen Eterna 896 Flugelhorn
1951 Olds Special Cornet

Denis Wick 1C Heavytop
Getzen Flugel 3C

[HERMOKIWI]

Trumpet is a wonderful instrument. If your breathing is OK and you don't have any detrimental structural/muscular issues which would compromise your ability to form a trumpet embouchure there's no reason why you couldn't learn trumpet at any age.

The biggest difference between piano/clarinet and trumpet is that on trumpet you have to make the sounds yourself, you can't just press a key or depend on a reed. So the trumpet is a very physical instrument compared to piano or clarinet. It can take a long time and a lot of practice to develop the physical ability to play trumpet at a good level.

How proficient do you hope to become? That's an important question to consider. There are 5 year old piano prodigies. Mozart was such a prodigy. There are no 5 year old trumpet prodigies. The instrument is too physical. If Mozart had been a trumpet player we might have never heard of him.

It's important to understand that proficiency on trumpet can take a long time. So it's important to have a good grasp of your goals before you embark on your trumpet journey.
_________________
HERMOKIWI

[JetJaguar]

Go for it. Have fun. Set goals you feel comfortable with. Push yourself as you see fit.
_________________
1938 Martin Handcraft Imperial #2 bore, 38 bell
Bach 7C mouthpiece

I'm looking for a Connstellation 5C-N or 5B-N mouthpiece
www.jazzscales.org
The Coady Strengthening Exercises: http://coady.coolwarm.com

[1jazzyalex]

Exactly this.

Think about it, hardly anyone can play like Dizzie Gillispie. But a well-played "Amazing Grace" will always get to people.

An awful lot of music is "popular" or from church, or is folk music. It has to be easy to play/sing. The Kingston Trio have raised more tears than Wagner ever did.

Your average kid who got to start early was maybe starting at age 10, and probably still just OK, nothing special, at age 15. That's 5 years. Then, a few will get more interested in their playing and go on to become excellent players, spending another 5 years, finding themselves in a college music program. That's 10 years.

This isn't the piano or the Hammond Organ. It takes time. On here we pretty much agree it's time well spent.
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Yamaha 8335LA with Blessing 3C, 5C, Schilke 11A4A

[GeorgeB]

It's never too late Melissa. I am 81 years old and started playing again last year after a 50 year hiatus. And having that music background is a huge start for learning as new instrument. Go for it, and good luck !
George
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GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet

[dstdenis]

[JetJaguar]

And if you would like 15 pages of content written just for you in the space of 30 minutes, just ask "what kind of trumpet should I get?"
_________________
1938 Martin Handcraft Imperial #2 bore, 38 bell
Bach 7C mouthpiece

I'm looking for a Connstellation 5C-N or 5B-N mouthpiece
www.jazzscales.org
The Coady Strengthening Exercises: http://coady.coolwarm.com

[Bflatman]

I started from scratch very late in life, I am now successful and both receive great pleasure from and give great pleasure with my trumpet.

I have appeared in a small movie, countless videos, on facebook, snapchat, in a local newspaper, and I have gone viral on the web. I have a large fanbase locally, I am a local celebrity, and I have a global fanbase stretching from Canada to Russia. I have received countless invitations to join bands and an orchestra.

By any and all measures I am successful and highly respected among musicians and loved in the community.

The answer is yes to all questions.

[chuck in ny]

couple small points. first you have to want to play trumpet because you have an image of its unique sound in your head, and you are compelled to replicate it with your life's breath. it is a very visceral and personal thing. you have to really want the trumpet sound. presumably this is the case. if not, the clarinet is also a good avenue.
then you have to have a ton of patience and the taste for a good fight. there is no polite way to convey this. it's a pretty good fight which doesn't have to be only a bad thing.
if you aren't dead yet, that's a good age to start having some fun with wind music. enjoy.

[blbaumgarn]

I just picked it up again about 10 days ago when I took a gift horn out of the packaging it was sent in and worked on cleaning the horn up. It is an early 70s King 602 cornet. I have it cleaned up (the silver is over 95% good, and now the valves and slides work fine. At least good enough to blow into. So far, all I have been doing is blowing long tones and going up and down the scale. It is ironic that now I have no muscle control going down the scale rather than up. Slow going, but I plan on giving it a few minutes a day until it comes around and then gradually challenging myself. At 67, I don't think it is too late to take it up again, and I enjoy the re-learning experience. Keep a positive attitude and don't give up.

[dcjway]

I started playing again when I was 49, which is old for some and young for others. Playing has improved my health, physically and mentally. Go down to the local music store and take some lessons, it's good to have some guidance to start you on your journey. Locally I have met some really good people, some that play casually and a few that are pros and what they all have in common is the love of making music.
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Shires Destino III
1971 Bach Vindabona
1947 Martin Committee (Large Bore)
1935 NY Bach 26-59 silver plate

[trickg]

After doing some digging, it appears that our OP is around 58 years old - is that correct?

There are a couple of answers to the question regarding whether or not this instrument can be learned "later in life."

The first and simplest answer is, of course you can! However, it should be pointed out that trumpet, even for young people, can be a daunting instrument to get control of, so you'll have to think about a few things:

1.) How much time are you willing to put toward it?
2.) How dedicated will you be over a long period of time, say, 3-5 years.
3.) Expectations/and goals - how good do you want to get, and do you want to play for your own enjoyment, or do you eventually want to perform in some capacity?
4.) Are you a person who frustrates easily and doesn't have patience?

Learning an instrument is challenging, particularly for adult learners. Adults often think that they can develop faster because they believe that discipline, dedication and focus will automatically reduce the time it takes to learn.

Looking back at my own development, although I didn't really get focused on it until I was in my 3rd year on the instrument, I was 5-6 years into it before I was considered to be "good for a high school player" and 8-10 years into it before I was playing on what could be considered a "professional" level, and making my living as a trumpeter for the US Army.

You absolutely can do it - but it's going to depend on what you want to get out of it, the amount of time you are willing to put toward it, and all of that will combine with how much natural aptitude you have for it.

Don't be discourage though - I once bumped into a wonderful flute player who was teaching at a collegiate level, and she'd had about a 25 year break off of the flute from the time she stopped playing after HS (she got married and had kids right out of HS) and the time she decided she was going to go to college after her last child had graduated HS. She picked the flute back up because she thought it might be fun to play in the college's community band, and the rest grew from there.

Good luck and keep us posted!
_________________
Patrick Gleason
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