Blowing the Dust Off

[ashenfang]

New member here and excited to find a forum full of trumpet players!

A little background: I played trumpet from middle school all the way through high school - working my way up to lead playing positions in concert band, jazz band and marching band. Toward the end of high school I also played soprano in Drum and Bugle Corps.

Shortly thereafter, I met my wife, we had kids and the horn was put away for many years where I eventually sold it, thinking I would never pick it up again. Fast forward 15 year later, I am now 37 wanting to play again. The urge was sparked when my church's music director approached me, wanting to add more elements to the music program. He had heard (through my wife) that I played trumpet. Now I am excited to get back into it.

Apparently they have a Bach 37 that is being cleaned/serviced for me to play on, but I also wanted to have a horn that I knew would be 100% available to practice with at home. Yesterday, on a whim, I was able to find a Yamaha YTR 2030. Not a professional trumpet by any means, but a solid horn for practicing with. Best part was I picked it up for $100. It's a little rough on the exterior but after a bath, plays very nice.

Anyway, like others who have returned from a long hiatus, building the chops/endurance back up is what I am working on now. I was actually fearful that after 15 years, I would place the horn to my face and nothing would happen. But, like riding a bike, you never forget - just rusty To my surprise, I was able to perform a few scales taking me just below the staff to just above (G). Ten minutes into it and my lips were numb but at least I knew the ability was still there.

What I am struggling with at this point is mouthpiece selection. When I played previously, I typically played on a 5C for concert band and a Schilke 14A4A for Jazz/Marching. I was able to get excellent tone and volume from both of the pieces but certainly used the 14A much more - it just felt "comfortable" to me because I have thinner lips. The only reason I used the 5C was because my director at the time referred to these as "cheaters" and prohibited their use. With the thinner lips, the C cups made my lips feel like they were "flapping in the breeze" and would tire easier. I know our body/faces change physically as we age and I am not sure if going back to this mouthpiece is the best idea or if I should explore other alternatives.

[Brad361]

The infamous “cheater mouthpiece” has been discussed here many times, there is even a recent thread about it.

If there was a mouthpiece that enabled you to “cheat”, and do things that you were otherwise not capable of, many of us would buy two of them, I would buy three.😎 It’s certainly possible that your past director did not like the sound you were getting on the 14a4a, but it’s also very possible that he based the “cheater ban” on nothing more than the fact that you were using a mouthpiece category that he thought was inappropriate. There’s a good chance that had a blind comparison been done, the results may have been different than his assumptions.

It sounds as if the 14a4a worked well for you in the past, that’s probably a good place to start again, and a bonus is you no longer have that director telling you not to use it!

Good luck, welcome to TH!

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

[ashenfang]

[ohnecael]

[cheiden]

The Schilke 14aA4a may have its place for some players in some settings but there are a great many settings where most players truly don't sound their best with these shallow pieces. At the same time, I consider the Bach 5C rim to be relatively uncomfortable. I'd hazard that you will be able to find a better option than either of these. A Schilke (or Yamaha) B cup might be a place to start.
_________________
"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart

[ashenfang]

[cbtj51]

[Denny Schreffler]