• FAQ  • Search  • Memberlist  • Usergroups   • Register   • Profile  • Log in to check your private messages  • Log in 

Coming back after a lip injury



 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    trumpetherald.com Forum Index -> Comeback Players
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
bnbechtel
Regular Member


Joined: 26 Oct 2021
Posts: 66
Location: US

PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:25 pm    Post subject: Coming back after a lip injury Reply with quote

I hadn't played in years, but I would sometimes pick up a horn and just check to see if I could still make a sound.

Then, about a year ago, I walked out the back door at night, tripped on a rug, and fell face first onto the concrete patio. Short version: my teeth went most of the way through my top lip, right where I play cornet. After it healed (leaving some nasty scar tissue) I was unable to buzz my lips. So I gave up on playing forever. But then about four days ago, I tried alternate positions, and was able to make a sound. Two days ago, I was amazed that I could bow buzz and play in my old embouchure position. I have no idea how. The scar tissue makes a line right about where I buzz. Anyway, I could try to develop an off center position, but I think I'm making progress despite the injury.

The easiest thing to play on at the moment is this beat up Besson Prototype cornet that I fitted a Holton Farkas MDC to. (I wanted to make it really conical.) I'm ordering a 3B I think to play with my Olds Ambassador, that will be my typical set up, I think. Unless ... Can I use a short shank Yamaha 14E with the ambassador? Regardless I'm five days into playing, and I thought I'd share a clip of my Besson with a horn mouthpiece in it, just for fun?

Anyway, hi to everybody.

[url]
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVitflQlcPO/?utm_medium=copy_link [/url]
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
royjohn
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 12 Jan 2005
Posts: 2272
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee

PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 2:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey, Man!
Glad you tried again! You don't sound half bad for someone who's not played in a while and has had a serious lip injury.

I know from reading Doc Reinhardt that he worked with a number of players who had a lip injury and had to move their placement thereafter, so that's an option if the original placement doesn't work out for you.

Let us know how this works out for you!
_________________
royjohn
Trumpets: 1928 Holton Llewellyn Model, 1957 Holton 51LB, 2010 Custom C by Bill Jones, 2011 Custom D/Eb by Bill Jones
Flugels: 1975 Olds Superstar, 1970's Elkhardt, 1970's Getzen 4 valve
Cornet: 1970's Yamaha YCR-233S . . . and others . . .
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
bnbechtel
Regular Member


Joined: 26 Oct 2021
Posts: 66
Location: US

PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 4:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

royjohn wrote:
Hey, Man!
Glad you tried again! You don't sound half bad for someone who's not played in a while and has had a serious lip injury.

I know from reading Doc Reinhardt that he worked with a number of players who had a lip injury and had to move their placement thereafter, so that's an option if the original placement doesn't work out for you.

Let us know how this works out for you!


Thank you so much for the encouragement. I was overjoyed when I was finally able to get a note to sound again. Being able to play cornet or trumpet -- or at least pick it up and play a scale after years of not playing -- always made me happy. I guess in a year of healing, and with some effort, I was able to buzz again. I may have to move to one side or the other; my range is best in the center, so much muscle memory I guess! But the scar seems to interfere with buzzing on some notes. It's too early to tell yet, though.

So, this was two days into going back to my original lip position -- I'll keep practicing, and I'll post another clip to this thread in about a month; we'll see how I'm doing. Maybe it would be inspiring for other people with mangled lips.

Best,
Brent
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
royjohn
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 12 Jan 2005
Posts: 2272
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee

PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Brent,
And I forgot to say that you have great courage to put your video out there in front of all us self-appointed experts! Good luck! I predict success!
_________________
royjohn
Trumpets: 1928 Holton Llewellyn Model, 1957 Holton 51LB, 2010 Custom C by Bill Jones, 2011 Custom D/Eb by Bill Jones
Flugels: 1975 Olds Superstar, 1970's Elkhardt, 1970's Getzen 4 valve
Cornet: 1970's Yamaha YCR-233S . . . and others . . .
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
GeorgeB
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 20 Apr 2016
Posts: 1063
Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

PostPosted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 12:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Playing the trumpet with healthy chops is difficult, so it takes a lot of determination to do it with damaged chops. Good luck.
George
_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
bnbechtel
Regular Member


Joined: 26 Oct 2021
Posts: 66
Location: US

PostPosted: Fri Nov 05, 2021 9:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

royjohn wrote:
Hey Brent,
And I forgot to say that you have great courage to put your video out there in front of all us self-appointed experts! Good luck! I predict success!


I think I'm about 12 or 13 days in now. I'll post maybe weekly updates for the first month -- it would be interesting to research how long it takes to come back.

And yes ... I realized that this is a forum full of actual professional trumpet players a bit after the fact of posting a video. Oh well. I swear! I used to be quite good; I'm hoping I make mucho progress quickly. It has to partly be muscle memory, right?

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CV5uecDsrmE/?utm_medium=copy_link
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
gwood66
Veteran Member


Joined: 05 Jan 2016
Posts: 301
Location: South of Chicago

PostPosted: Mon Nov 08, 2021 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good luck with your comeback.
_________________
Gary Wood (comeback player with no street cred)

GR 66M/66MS/66**
Bach Strad 37
Getzen 3052
Yamaha 6345
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
bnbechtel
Regular Member


Joined: 26 Oct 2021
Posts: 66
Location: US

PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2021 7:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gwood66 wrote:
Good luck with your comeback.



Thank you. I'm getting a little bit better every day! (And I'm putting in a few hours every day, which likely has something to do with the progress.)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Mike Sailors
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 30 Oct 2012
Posts: 1838
Location: Austin/New York City

PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2021 9:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You should reach out to Brad Goode or Rich Willey. Both had similar experiences and play great now.
_________________
www.mikesailors.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    trumpetherald.com Forum Index -> Comeback Players All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group