Playing again after 39 years

ghunter280 · Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 6:28 am Post subject: Playing again after 39 years

Hello y'all! So, I've lurked for a few weeks, joined and read a lot of the posts here. You sound like a VERY helpful bunch! I'm glad I'm here - there looks to be something for everyone in the trumpet playing scene.

To give some background - I played trumpet obsessively from the time I was in 5th grade until I graduated high school in 1978. I didn't have too much in the way of lessons (we didn't have a lot of money), but I got some from various music teachers through school. When I first heard Maynard Ferguson in jr. high, I was hooked badly. I wanted to play like that. By the time I was a senior in high school, I played lead in the jazz band and soloed in the marching band. My band director that year bought an MF Holton (?) out of the school funds for me to play and tossed me a Schilke 13A4a mouthiece he had kicking around. This was a combination that really worked for me! We covered several MF charts my senior year. Playing trumpet was the only thing that kept me in high school - I wouldn't have graduated otherwise. But after high school, I didn't see an opportunity to go to college; I didn't have the grades to be accepted anyway, so I put the horn down. But I couldn't get it out of my heart - I felt a tug whenever I listened to those old jazz charts I loved.

Anyways, fast forward to present - I now have a full set of really good dentures. I have mostly English parentage, enuff said. I bought a flugelhorn about a month ago (a cheap Chinese Bach Prelude) and started playing again. I love it, and practice about an hour a day so far. All I really want to do with it is play for my own personal pleasure, play a prelude occasionally in church, and maybe do a little brass ensemble stuff around Christmas. What I'd like to know, is there anyone out there in Trumpetheraldland who has any experience with this denture situation? I can't be the first guy to try to work this out. I appreciate any advice anyone can give me. Also, I'm looking for a reasonably priced good used trumpet (a grand or less all in). Advice in this regard would also be very helpful.

I thank you in advance for any replies! Thanks for being here.

Greg

GeorgeB · Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 6:44 am Post subject:

I was away from the horn for 50 years, so my situation is similar to yours. I also have upper dentures now. They are really not a problem for me, other than the mp I used back then didn't work for me now.
My bottom teeth, what few I have left, are crooked and that presented a problem right in the area where the mp sits on the lips . The lower lip is being pushed forward by one tooth in particular, causing extra pressure on that spot. I was using a Bach 10.5C, but after a lot spent on various mps I discovered the right mp for me now is a Bach 5C. The rim has very little bite so there is no excessive pressure on that problem spot. But you do need a strong embouchure when using the 5C.
I'm not sure what kind of problems you are having with dentures, but it appears you are a high range player, and perhaps the extra pressure needed at times may be causing your dentures to slip.
As for a good used trumpet, check out Trent Austin's store at
austincustombrass.com
I bought three horns from Trent and was never disappointed.
_________________
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

Billy B · Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 10:11 am Post subject:

What is the problem with the dentures?
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Bill Bergren

ButchA · Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 4:27 pm Post subject:

Greg,

You sound a lot like me (similar situations, similar age, also from upstate NY, etc..)

Check out my You Tube video on the "Comeback Players" forum down below on this site. It's humorous, and might give others a little hope of getting their chops back.

Like GeorgeB, I also have an upper denture plate, and my bottom teeth are still real (thank God!). In my predicament, I unfortunately had an ice hockey accident years ago back in the 80's, and lost all my front teeth from eye tooth to eye tooth. I crashed into a defenseman on the other team while playing right wing (not looking where I was going). Anyway, we both went down on the ice, and out of sheer dumb luck, I landed on his hockey stick with my face!

Anyway, Billy B asked "what is the problem with dentures?" Well, you have to completely redo your embouchure and carefully work your way back. Any pressure while trying to hit the high register, and you'll pop the denture plate loose every single time. Then, that's it... It's all over... and you can't play until you try to pop it back in place, or grab some more Polygrip or whatever and adhere it back in place again.
_________________
1967 Holton Collegiate Trumpet --> my grade school band trumpet. I just can't part with it!
1975 Olds Ambassador Cornet --> my new/used eBay special. Sounds great!
2018 Regiment WI-800 Bugle --> my inexpensive Chinese made bugle from Amazon.

ghunter280 · Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 2:33 am Post subject:

When I knew I had to end up with a complete denture (upper and lower), my wife and I decided I should get a VERY good set. It took a year do do all the work. I had implant pins placed in my lower jaw, so the lower denture is pinned in place and doesn't move at all. The upper is molded so closely to the roof of my mouth that I haven't had it move at all when I'm playing (or eating, or anything else).

Butch, I think you hit the nail on the head when you wrote about the embouchure change. I saw it written on another post that many professional players with extraordinary high registers have unconventional or weird embouchures. Not that I EVER really considered myself very good, but I had a good high resister, especially for a high schooler. I had buck teeth, with a decent sized chip out of the corner of one of them (toward the center). So yes, it's the embouchure change that's the crux of the issue. I see that after practice, I'm a bit off-center. Given my playing history, I'm not too worried about that. But, if it should be changed to close to dead center, the time to do this is sooner rather than later. Oh, and my apologies. I see that I should have posted this under "Comeback Players". I flat-out missed it. Thanks for pointing this out!

Greg