Any stats on comeback players who give it up?

[Croquethed]

I drove past the store where I picked up my first comeback horn eight years ago. I remember taking the horn into the practice room and realizing 40 years of layoff meant a pretty serious effort was going to have to be made to become even marginally acceptable.

I wondered if the guys at the store heard my awful honking and thought the horn would start gathering dust soon.

So I got to wondering when we drove past the place yesterday if there are any stats on those who pick up an instrument on a comeback and decide at some point they just weren't that into it. It might be a hard thing to quantify.

[cbtj51]

Don't know how those stats would be collected, but for my own experience, I am at least as committed after 7 years comeback as I was when I was a much younger man!

Just finished an out of town Show Choir Competition the for the 2nd Friday/Saturday in a row! 3 more straight weekends ahead including a trip to Orlando, FL for the "Fame" competition. At 70, playing the book is not the only challenge!

Great to be back at it!

Mike
_________________
'71 LA Benge 5X Bb
'72 LA Benge D/Eb
'76 Bach CL 229/25A C
‘92 Bach 37 Bb
'98 Getzen 895S Flugelhorn
'00 Bach 184 Cornet
'02 Yamaha 8335RGS
'16 Bach NY 7
'16 XO 1700RS Piccolo
Reeves 41 Rimmed Mouthpieces

[RC Horn]

My first comeback attempt failed 25 years ago. I didn't have the discipline or perseverance to fight through the endurance and range limitations/frustrations.

I started again a week ago, because I've finally developed self-discipline through fiction writing and believe I can now make a successful brass "restart."

I am starting with flugelhorn, which limits my range somewhat by virtue of what it is. This will keep me within the staff, or not much above it, which should minimize any range-related frustration and help me focus primarily on tone and endurance.
_________________
I play JK USA mouthpieces

[GeorgeB]

I am 6 years into my comeback after a 50+ year hiatus. I am 85 now and I intend to keep on playing as long as I am able. I know it is a short road but I intend to enjoy of minute of the journey.
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

[RC Horn]

[Andy Cooper]

Biggest danger is if you had a lot of technique when you stopped playing, it will come back sooner than your embouchure strength and endurance.

Find a community band to play third chair in - then hold your ground and do not be pressured into playing 1st for at least a year.

[GeorgeB]

[quote="RC Horn" ]

I love your attitude. I am 60 but feel more like 45. I have a lot left in the tank and intend to use every bit of that fuel. [/quote]

Good for you. Go for it.
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

[Notlem]

I don’t think you can quantify it. It’s like gym equipment, you may start hanging clothes on your weight bench, buts eventually you will likely gain interest again later and work out.

The last time I put up my horn for seven years ago was due to frustration with it and an interest in learning guitar.

This has to be the second or third come back for me at this point. Luckily I’m older and wiser and got professional help, knowing that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.

I would expect a higher drop rate for those coming back without guidance. I think my comeback would have lasted less than a month without help this time. At the end of week one, I could not keep a steady note and knew I needed help or I needed to pick my guitar back up and put the horn back in it’s case!
_________________
-marc melton
48 years young
Comeback player since November 2021!
Georgetown, TX
2022 Bach 190s37 artist select
1976 Schilke X3lb
Jupiter 846l black lacquer

[RC Horn]

YouTube is helping me a lot already. If it had been around in 1997, my first comeback attempt might have succeeded. The Chet Baker transcriptions are fun to play along with. Lots of video lessons there also.
_________________
I play JK USA mouthpieces

[TrumpetMD]

[cbtj51]

[cheiden]

I'd guess that relatively few find motivation and opportunity to continue for long. Especially with trumpet which I consider uniquely cruel and unforgiving compared to most other instruments.

I started in the 5th grade and had a 10-year break soon after high school. Since then my opportunities have been somewhat intermittent but I've learned that I can keep my technique up enough to weather most of the gigs I get called on to play. I consider myself fortunate that I don't need to play every day. I could definitely use more range but for me practicing more often doesn't really help in that department. I try to stay aware of my limitations and while I'm frequently asked to play to my limits and a bit beyond I've learned how to deal with that well enough that folks don't seem sorry they called me.
_________________
"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

[BGinNJ]

Yes, 90% of comeback players pull the horn out of the closet, play a few notes, and then sell it online. 5% quit after a few weeks of frustration and/or complaints from their family. Hello to the rest of you!

[gpena73]

I’ve been back for 6 years after a 14 year hiatus. During these 6 years, I’ve quit many times, but I’m back at it the next day. Brush it off and get back at it. I read the introduction to the Smith’s Top Tones often to ground me. It is real talk. No days off!

[john4860]

I have been tempted to give up playing many times.
If I had it to do all over again or if I had time on my side I would probably play keyboards or a stringed instrument.

However, one of the reasons I kept trying to play the trumpet was I knew the fingering and the basics, and (unfortunately?) told myself to stick with it.

There are definitely some counterintuitive things about playing the trumpet.

The only way to gain any proficiency is to practice and attempt to figure things out for yourself.

I've had a couple of teachers but no one can really see what you are doing inside of your mouth or knows what the mouthpiece feels like on your face, there are many helpful tips but you really have to figure it out for yourself and the only way to do that is to practice.

Having said that watching players on YouTube is also very helpful.

Having gained some proficiency playing out of the Arbans Book is now fun and not excruciating drudgery, however you have to get past that point and the way there is not necessarily easy.

Just my two cents...
_________________
Staying relaxed is 90% of trumpet playing

[cbtj51]

I should have mentioned this earlier:

Committing to public performance from almost the very beginning of comeback has been a driving force for me. I connected with a local MSO member early on and ended up with a public schedule that, at times, is almost overwhelming.

I do have a certain amount of personal pride seasoned with the humility that regularly videoing and recording my sessions brings. The reality presented by that drives me to play my very best all of the time, even in private practice sessions.

The challenge of finding a public performance outlet (sort of) during the worst of Covid was answered by many "livestream" Prelude performances at my church, and "post-whatever that was" has kept me in many rehearsals and performances for the many past and coming months, a continuation of my pursuit for daily improvement no matter how small!

Regular public performance with younger, talented musicians is not for the meek, but can be found!

Mike
_________________
'71 LA Benge 5X Bb
'72 LA Benge D/Eb
'76 Bach CL 229/25A C
‘92 Bach 37 Bb
'98 Getzen 895S Flugelhorn
'00 Bach 184 Cornet
'02 Yamaha 8335RGS
'16 Bach NY 7
'16 XO 1700RS Piccolo
Reeves 41 Rimmed Mouthpieces

[CMitchell]

The most difficult thing for me was accepting the fact that, after 20 years off, I'm not going to sound very good for a while. I still remember that I used to be a fairly good player and it's kind of depressing that I sound so bad.

Best of luck to all comeback players.

Cindy

[Croquethed]

Stick with it, Cindy. It shouldn't take as long as you think it might if you have a solid background, no matter how far back that was. Like John, I was tempted to buy a Telecaster instead, but I had retained all the technical knowledge of the horn and rationalized that it was making music I needed to do, and learning a new axe by scratch was not going to help me get there with any speed.

I know a lot of folks will say to get a teacher or find a group to play with, but my experience has been that exactly what keeps us motivated varies from person to person. I had a couple negative experiences, but rather than let them set me back for any length of time, they compelled me to re-define exactly what I wanted from playing and to dedicate myself to that, no matter how modest those goals might seem to others.

[RC Horn]

[Bill_Bumps]