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My Mini Comeback



 
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INTJ
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Joined: 25 Dec 2002
Posts: 1986
Location: Northern Idaho

PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:04 pm    Post subject: My Mini Comeback Reply with quote

My big comeback was 20 years ago after a 20+ year gap. But.........

My last time playing with a group was Feb 2020. I was playing big band lead for a Valentine's Day concert in a resort town. I kept up with lessons until Jan 2021, when we moved. I practiced only a handful of times over the next nine months. Then I was called and asked to come play with a community college big band, so I am back at it.

I am about three weeks back to regular practice. My accuracy has fallen off the most, followed by endurance. Range is only a little off. It's coming back pretty quickly.

I am taking it slow retuning, making sure I play correctly and to remember what the high notes feel like. I survived 90 minutes of the second two-hour rehearsal, and was playing strong lead until I crashed. If fact, the entire trumpet section crashed. I am not the only one who hasn't played a lot the past year.

I am trying to be mindful of the bad habits that can creep in like over blowing or being impatient when I stumble over a lick or an exercise. Seems to be working.....
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WxJeff
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Joined: 10 Dec 2002
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Location: Atlanta GA

PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 4:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hear ya.

The additional challenge in "things starting back up" is that some of the non-brass-player band leaders/music ministers don't understand that our chops have deteriorated with the layoff. The music selections put in front of us (church orchestra is in "Christmas program prep mode" right now) don't always fit the "take it easy, phase back in" process.

Stay flexible, my friends.
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INTJ
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Joined: 25 Dec 2002
Posts: 1986
Location: Northern Idaho

PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 7:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would love to be able to play in a church Christmas concert. Those concerts seem t have gone the way of the dodo around here
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Mark_it_8_dude
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Joined: 09 Aug 2021
Posts: 2
Location: Cleveland, OH

PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 7:14 pm    Post subject: well done Reply with quote

This instrument seems so much harder to jump back into than many others. So kudos for putting in the work. Keep the positive momentum going!
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INTJ
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 25 Dec 2002
Posts: 1986
Location: Northern Idaho

PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 7:32 pm    Post subject: Re: well done Reply with quote

Mark_it_8_dude wrote:
This instrument seems so much harder to jump back into than many others. So kudos for putting in the work. Keep the positive momentum going!


I think trumpet is just hard period. Fortunately, I built a lot of good habits over the last 19 years, so my mini comeback as been fast. 20 years ago it was more painfully and slowly scratching out everything......
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gwood66
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Joined: 05 Jan 2016
Posts: 301
Location: South of Chicago

PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The instrument is a challenge, but that why we are trumpet players. We all have an ego big enough to think we are the one that is going to tame the thing. Good luck with your mini comeback.
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ECLtmpt2
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Joined: 21 Feb 2021
Posts: 147

PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 7:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gwood66 wrote:
The instrument is a challenge...We all have an ego big enough to think we are the one that is going to tame the thing...


I like to blame age related memory lapses for thinking like that!
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trickg
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Joined: 02 Jan 2002
Posts: 5675
Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland

PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 10:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've had two mini comebacks in my time as a player. Kind of 3 if one includes my overall lack of playing during the Covid lockdowns.

The first one started in late 1999 when I left the Army band program after 10 years. At the time I thought I was "stick a fork in me" done with playing in general. I was really burnt out, and looking back, I now know I was more burnt out on Army music rather than just music.

The second one was after I got fired from the wedding band I'd been playing in. There was a really long, dumb story about how and why that came about, but ultimately it wasn't really my fault, me and the bandleader patch it up and I found myself back in it for the long haul.

Each episode lasted about 18 months, and each time back, I was 3-5 months into it before I really settled into consistency again. Each time the basics of range and endurance came back pretty quickly, but consistency with accuracy suffered a bit.

My chops are still coming back after the Covid layoff, but I'm almost back to normal.
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INTJ
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Joined: 25 Dec 2002
Posts: 1986
Location: Northern Idaho

PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2021 1:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think 3-5 months is about right. It's been about a month for me now. Range is almost completely back but my extreme range is still coming. By that I mean my High Gs and As (4 ledger lines) are strong and stay with me until I hit fatigue and everything crashes. Above that, which I have never really owned, isn't available even for the last show off more of a song. That said, I don't work much up there because a High G and good swing style are way more important for a lead player that showy DHCs.

Accuracy is mostly back, endurance is lagging a bit. My swing style, tone, and intonation were back in about a week.

I am seeing a couple things pay off. First, the year I wasn't playing with an ensemble I worked hard on swing style and learning to play with more ease. That is making a noticeable difference.
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