Playing whlie driving???

FBCR_TRPTR · New Member Joined: 31 Jul 2006 Posts: 7 Location: KENTUCKY

I've been dormant on the trumpet for almost 10 years and finally picked it back up about 6 months ago. Now I can't get enough, it's like I'm catching up from the past 10 years.

I found myself desperate for playing time, and on my way to work (about a 45 min drive) and my horn was in the passenger seat. SO, I decided to get it out and play some. Of course hiding it when an oncoming car came in my direction.

Now its like an everyday occurance. Am I psycho or does anyone else do this???

And yes I know it could be dangerous and my insurance company does not know that I do this!! But I'm careful.

area51recording · Veteran Member Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Posts: 480

My only problem with this is I see people doing all sorts of multi tasking while trying to drive....for myself I like to concentrate as much as possible on the task at hand (driving) to give myself the best chance of arriving at my destination in one piece. I guess it's ok as long as we don't share the same highway

Jeff_Purtle · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:18 am Post subject:

I have done it in college when I was driving back to college (at Cal. State Univ. Northridge) from Bakersfield, CA. That was over a 100 mile trip and lots of straight driving. I remember doing my Range Study (i.e. Claude Gordon's Systematic Approach book) while driving my '65 Mustang Fastback with the windows down because of no A/C and playing Double Cs into the windshield. It was not very productive, but I did it because I was crazy.

Now, playing as a passenger in the car is another story. My mother put-up with me doing that one Summer when we drove to the World Expo in Canada. I played several hours and actually had some good practice.

I know a couple guys that practice with pocket trumpets when they commute.

Jeff
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carltrumpet · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:50 am Post subject:

I have my pocket trumpet with me on my drive to work sometimes. I can't really play it WHILE driving, though. I've been stuck in some horrible traffic jams, though --- and want to be sure I have the trumpet next time it happens.

Also, since the distance between the trumpet bell and streering wheel is greater on a pocket trumpet, there is less likelyhood of getting a mouthpiece through the front teeth.

StevenPSparks · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:04 am Post subject:

Several mornings a week on my way to work with the pocket horn; Most every stop sign and stop light, and sometimes long tones on the long straight final stretch approaching the office. Eyes never leave the road, and long tones require no concentration. You just have to be smart about it. Not everyone has the ability to do it, though, and if it makes you the least bit uncomfortable, you probably should not do it at all.
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John Mohan · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:09 am Post subject:

I've often played through parts of my routine while driving - sometimes even my whole practice routine.

For the first 6 months I played on Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (Der Glöckner von Notre Dame") in Berlin we still lived in Lübeck because my fiance was finishing her education there. This was a commute of 200 miles each way 5 to 6 days a week!

One hasn't lived until one has played "Systematic Approach" exercises to Double C at 140mph on the Autbahn.

Sincerely,

John Mohan
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WxJeff · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:09 am Post subject:

Welcome to Trumpet Herald... and we're especially glad to have you here in the Comeback Forum!

Good responses to your question so far, and I can't disagree with anything that's been said. I used to carry a mouthpiece in the car for some buzzing. I probably need to do that again... I have a nice, clean, new pencil for that drill and will do some off-mouthpiece buzzing from time to time.

Are there places at work where you can play during lunch hour or for thirty minutes or so after work?

John Mohan · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:09 am Post subject:

I've often played through parts of my routine while driving - sometimes even my whole practice routine.

For the first 6 months I played on Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (Der Glöckner von Notre Dame") in Berlin we still lived in Lübeck because my fiance was finishing her education there. This was a commute of 200 miles each way 5 to 6 days a week!

One hasn't lived until one has played "Systematic Approach" exercises to Double C at 140mph on the Autobahn.

Sincerely,

John Mohan
_________________
Trumpet Player, Clinician & Teacher
1st Trpt for Cats, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Evita, Hunchback of Notre Dame,
Grease, The Producers, Addams Family, In the Heights, etc.
Ex LA Studio Musician
16 Year Claude Gordon Student

FBCR_TRPTR · New Member Joined: 31 Jul 2006 Posts: 7 Location: KENTUCKY

WxJeff · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:58 am Post subject:

Aaaahhh.... so does FBC stand for First Baptist Church (and then I guess the "R" the name of the town in which you live?)

If not, my sincere apologies for once again tryin' to figure stuff out when perhaps it's none of my business (well, that's what my teenagers accuse me of, anyway!)

DaveH · Heavyweight Member Joined: 20 Nov 2001 Posts: 3861

plankowner110 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Jun 2003 Posts: 3621

pedaltonekid · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1711

I used to do it all of the time, but no more. I used to like to try and get all the way through a movement of the Haydn between putting the horn down. Made it many times on the toll road (interstate). Older and wiser now.
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ejrdog · Regular Member Joined: 10 Oct 2004 Posts: 98 Location: DC

I do play in the car often because I travel from Bloomington, IN to Chicago often. I just drive left handed and play with my right hand. Although it isn't the best practice because its hard to sit up straight and how often do you do one handed playing? But I do it to keep my chops in shape on those long drives.
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John Mohan · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 8:52 am Post subject:

Benji · Regular Member Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 44

Play while driving? Of course not.

Use my cell phone while driving? Maybe.

Eat a Whopper and fries with a carefully balanced container of catsup on my knee? Uhh, no.

Buzz on my mouthpiece while driving? Why not?

What burns me is these women applying their makeup in their rear view mirror while driving down the interstate at 70 miles per hour.

(I shave and shower before ever getting behind the wheel). But then I'm just your average guy, never been very creative.

Benji · Regular Member Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 44

Play while driving? Of course not.

Use my cell phone while driving? Maybe.

Eat a Whopper and fries with a carefully balanced container of catsup on my knee? Uhh, no.

Buzz on my mouthpiece while driving? Why not?

What burns me is these women applying their makeup in their rear view mirror while driving down the interstate at 70 miles per hour.

(I shave and shower before ever getting behind the wheel). But then I'm just your average guy, never been very creative.

Benji · Regular Member Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 44

Play while driving? Of course not.

Use my cell phone while driving? Maybe.

Eat a Whopper and fries with a carefully balanced container of catsup on my knee? Uhh, no.

Buzz on my mouthpiece while driving? Why not?

What burns me is these women applying their makeup in their rear view mirror while driving down the interstate at 70 miles per hour.

(I shave and shower before ever getting behind the wheel). But then I'm just your average guy, never been very creative.

Benji · Regular Member Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 44

Play while driving? Of course not.

Use my cell phone while driving? Maybe.

Eat a Whopper and fries with a carefully balanced container of catsup on my knee? Uhh, no.

Buzz on my mouthpiece while driving? Why not?

What burns me is these women applying their makeup in their rear view mirror while driving down the interstate at 70 miles per hour.

(I shave and shower before ever getting behind the wheel). But then I'm just your average guy, never been very creative.

jpetrocelli · Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 9:10 am Post subject:

I play long tones and range studies in the car. I use a pocket trumpet. I got pulled over last year because the cop thought I was smoking weed out of some really wierd looking pipe. He recognized me from a wedding he was at the week before that I was playing. There is nothing illegal about playing while driving he told me. It's a good thing that he didn't notice that I was playing a double C into the phone at my friend Eric. It is illegal to talk on the phone at the same time without a handsfree device. (I was in NJ).
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