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Three weeks in. How am I doing please?


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cooperd
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Joined: 23 Sep 2018
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 1:55 pm    Post subject: Three weeks in. How am I doing please? Reply with quote

Hi Everyone. I just had to sell my trumpet for financial reasons as I had hardly touched it for twenty years. However I realised that I would really miss it so bought a tatty Martin Handcraft Standard medium bore for a very good price. Long story short I love the horn and it has inspired me to learn properly. Three weeks in this is where I am at.
https://youtu.be/iDqVQwAQBrs
Please can you tell me how I am doing. I cannot afford lessons at the moment so I am just practicing long notes and slowly trying to increase my range. Any pointers to a proper practice regime would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Dave
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1937 Martin Handcraft Standard medium bore
Bach 1 1/4C
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PaulyC
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Joined: 21 Sep 2018
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 2:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi There,

I tried to view your video, however, it doesn't appear to be working.
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cooperd
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Joined: 23 Sep 2018
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 2:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PaulyC wrote:
Hi There,

I tried to view your video, however, it doesn't appear to be working.


Thanks PaulyC. I think it might be because i had it set to private. Does it work now?
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1937 Martin Handcraft Standard medium bore
Bach 1 1/4C
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PaulyC
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 2:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep it works now. Sounding good!
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cooperd
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Joined: 23 Sep 2018
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PaulyC wrote:
Yep it works now. Sounding good!

Thanks Pauly. I love the horn. You just joined too?
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1937 Martin Handcraft Standard medium bore
Bach 1 1/4C
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PaulyC
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 3:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cooperd wrote:
PaulyC wrote:
Yep it works now. Sounding good!

Thanks Pauly. I love the horn. You just joined too?


Yeah, I am also a newbie to the board. I am falling in love with the horn.
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GeorgeB
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Joined: 20 Apr 2016
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Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 4:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds pretty good for 3 weeks after a 20 year hiatus. But I can tell you I didn't sound anywhere near that good 3 weeks in after a 50+ year hiatus. But I'm no spring chicken ( 82 ) and even now after 2 and 1/2 years in I am still working on things. Sure I can hit an F above high C on a good day, but in my local community band I play 1st trumpet and rarely am called on for more than an occasional G above the staff, and that is a good thing because my biggest battle is with endurance. During my younger playing days ( 1953 to 1965 ) I recall the odd wedding gig that could sometimes run for 3 hours and endurance never seemed a great problem. Today I am good for about 90 minutes and after that all bets are off.


But I am an old fart and not looking or miracles. I just keep plugging away.

Welcome back cooperd, you are well on your way.
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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
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richardwy
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 7:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Three weeks? THUMBS UP!
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cbtj51
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Joined: 24 Nov 2015
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Location: SE US

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome back! 4 years back after 14 out for me! Performing often and enjoying the ride immensely.
Suggestions:
1. Find a teacher as soon as you can work it out. This will help you avoid developing bad habits, as well as providing you with direction and feedback.

2. Determine where you want to go with your playing. Plan your progress realisticly and map out short term steps to get you there. Be prepared for challenges, plateaus and setbacks. This will help you to recognize the victories. Your teacher can help here.

3. Get involved in as many playing situations as you can; Community Band, Church Ensemble, etc. This can be a serious booster to your enjoyment of playing again. Your teacher can help here as well.

4. Playing is supposed to be fun. Take your time and enjoy the experience. You will meet many fellow travelers, and some really great friends on the road back if your experience is anything like mine.

Best wishes!

Mike
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trickg
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Joined: 02 Jan 2002
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You sound pretty good. I know people who have been actively playing for years who don't sound that good.

Just keep doing what you are doing for now. There doesn't seem to be anything funky going on in your sound, but you could probably stand to do some more work on your focus and articulation, which would all come together with some straight forward articulation exercises.

Nice stuff!
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Patrick Gleason
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"95% of the average 'weekend warrior's' problems will be solved by an additional 30 minutes of insightful practice." - PLP
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gstump
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 2:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are getting a nice big dark sound. That is good!!!

Gordon Stump
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cooperd
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Joined: 23 Sep 2018
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

GeorgeB wrote:
Sounds pretty good for 3 weeks after a 20 year hiatus. But I can tell you I didn't sound anywhere near that good 3 weeks in after a 50+ year hiatus. But I'm no spring chicken ( 82 ) and even now after 2 and 1/2 years in I am still working on things. Sure I can hit an F above high C on a good day, but in my local community band I play 1st trumpet and rarely am called on for more than an occasional G above the staff, and that is a good thing because my biggest battle is with endurance. During my younger playing days ( 1953 to 1965 ) I recall the odd wedding gig that could sometimes run for 3 hours and endurance never seemed a great problem. Today I am good for about 90 minutes and after that all bets are off.


But I am an old fart and not looking or miracles. I just keep plugging away.

Welcome back cooperd, you are well on your way.


Thanks George. First of all I couldn't manage five minutes endurance at the moment so 90 minutes is way impressive. Second I can only reach G below top C at the moment and not even that without the occasional fail. I'm only 56 years young. How did you start to build your chops up after so long please?
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cooperd
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Joined: 23 Sep 2018
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gstump wrote:
You are getting a nice big dark sound. That is good!!!

Gordon Stump


Thanks Gordon, that is the sound i am trying for and the Martin seems to make it easy. Dave
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cooperd
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

richardwy wrote:
Three weeks? THUMBS UP!


Thanks very much
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cooperd
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Joined: 23 Sep 2018
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 10:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

trickg wrote:
You sound pretty good. I know people who have been actively playing for years who don't sound that good.

Just keep doing what you are doing for now. There doesn't seem to be anything funky going on in your sound, but you could probably stand to do some more work on your focus and articulation, which would all come together with some straight forward articulation exercises.

Nice stuff!


Thank you very much indeed. I will take your advice. If you have any favourite articulation exercises please feel free to pass them on?
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Bach 1 1/4C
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cooperd
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Joined: 23 Sep 2018
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

cbtj51 wrote:
Welcome back! 4 years back after 14 out for me! Performing often and enjoying the ride immensely.
Suggestions:
1. Find a teacher as soon as you can work it out. This will help you avoid developing bad habits, as well as providing you with direction and feedback.

2. Determine where you want to go with your playing. Plan your progress realisticly and map out short term steps to get you there. Be prepared for challenges, plateaus and setbacks. This will help you to recognize the victories. Your teacher can help here.

3. Get involved in as many playing situations as you can; Community Band, Church Ensemble, etc. This can be a serious booster to your enjoyment of playing again. Your teacher can help here as well.

4. Playing is supposed to be fun. Take your time and enjoy the experience. You will meet many fellow travelers, and some really great friends on the road back if your experience is anything like mine.

Best wishes!

Mike


Thanks Mike, The advice makes sense to me. I am scared of learning bad habits but at the moment I cannot afford lessons. Hopefully I will be able to soon. In the meantime my main problems are endurance and range. My range and endurance are pathetic at the moment. I can only get to G below top C at the moment. I am doing about an hour a day with lots of rest, only about twenty minutes actually blowing. My regime is to do long notes including pedal notes for five minutes then rest, Then do five minutes of scales then rest. Then some slurs without moving the valves, rest and finish up with some tunes until I lose it. Thanks again Dave
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GeorgeB
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Joined: 20 Apr 2016
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Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 3:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

cooperd wrote:
How did you start to build your chops up after so long please?



These days I do a 60 minute ( 45 horn on chops ) practice daily each morning doing technical stuff only, then a 60 minute practice every afternoon doing tunes only. But back when I started the comeback, I practiced 2 hours ( half of that on the chops ) each morning and repeated that in the afternoon. After some good advice I started cutting back to where I am now.

Technical stuff includes Flow Studies, long tones, lip slurs, intervals, arpeggios, articulation exercises and 2 octave scales. I don't do all these every day, but I do a 20 minute Greg Wing routine that has a little bit of everything, then do expanded versions of certain exercises ( a different one daily ).


As far as building range goes, I was pretty much playing up to D on the staff the first month, then after that I worked at adding another note higher as soon as I could do it cleanly. It took three months to get to a rather thin high C. The C sounds much better these days, and as I said I can hit an F on a good day.

Endurance is a battle, but the chops are 82 years old so I have to realize I will never have the endurance I had when I played in my younger years ( '53 to '65 ).

Just keep plugging away at it and I'm sure you will slowly improve. Just don't expect too much too soon.


Good luck and all the best.

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
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Harry Hilgers
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Joined: 16 Jun 2015
Posts: 637

PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

trickg wrote:
........ but you could probably stand to do some more work on your focus and articulation......
+1

I am a comeback player at age 75. I started again about 3 years ago after a 25 or so years layoff.

About a year ago I started the balanced embouchure (BE) method.

At first somewhat irregular, but then during the past 6 months pretty consistently.

Yes, I do have a BE teacher.

One of the very first results for me was a very improved focus and articulation.

So you may want to consider looking into the Balanced Embouchure method by Jeff Smiley.
If you do, Jeff's book is a must.

The BE link is on this forum. Check it out.
https://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=29
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cooperd
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Joined: 23 Sep 2018
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 5:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

GeorgeB wrote:
cooperd wrote:
How did you start to build your chops up after so long please?



These days I do a 60 minute ( 45 horn on chops ) practice daily each morning doing technical stuff only, then a 60 minute practice every afternoon doing tunes only. But back when I started the comeback, I practiced 2 hours ( half of that on the chops ) each morning and repeated that in the afternoon. After some good advice I started cutting back to where I am now.

Technical stuff includes Flow Studies, long tones, lip slurs, intervals, arpeggios, articulation exercises and 2 octave scales. I don't do all these every day, but I do a 20 minute Greg Wing routine that has a little bit of everything, then do expanded versions of certain exercises ( a different one daily ).


As far as building range goes, I was pretty much playing up to D on the staff the first month, then after that I worked at adding another note higher as soon as I could do it cleanly. It took three months to get to a rather thin high C. The C sounds much better these days, and as I said I can hit an F on a good day.

Endurance is a battle, but the chops are 82 years old so I have to realize I will never have the endurance I had when I played in my younger years ( '53 to '65 ).

Just keep plugging away at it and I'm sure you will slowly improve. Just don't expect too much too soon.


Good luck and all the best.

George


Thank you George. That is very helpful and an insight into the sort of timeframe I might expect improvement. I am working on the long notes and the high G is beginning to get there now. An hour in the morning and one in the evening is realistic and that is what I did today. I will keep it up. Thanks again Dave
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GeorgeB
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Joined: 20 Apr 2016
Posts: 1063
Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 4:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good for you, Dave. I will be pulling for you.
Keep us In tune as to how you are progressing.
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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
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