Starting over from square 1 on Trumpet

[LyonLover]

no

[JayKosta]

[mafields627]

One of the things that I hear frequently in all-state auditions is a tone that is very airy, not very flexible, poor response and not very accurate. It becomes strained and strident above the staff. I can recreate that sound by using a mouthpiece that is the wrong size for me, pin the lips open with the inner rim of the mouthpiece, and stretch the corners back.

I like to start with the lips lightly touching inside the mouthpiece and practice breath attacks to keep the vibration started. Remember, we cannot buzz our lips -- try doing it without blowing! The lips respond to the air and the lips have to be the right position to respond. Think about an oboe reed -- if the tip is too open the pitch is wrong and the reed doesn't respond to the air. When the tip is the optimal size the pitch comes up and the reed vibrates easily.

I used to be a lot like the first example above, except I had a really good tone -- the rest stunk though. Balanced Embouchure helped fix the other issues.

Completely starting over may not be necessary, but it sounds like a change in approach might be.
_________________
--Matt--

No representation is made that the quality of this post is greater than the quality of that of any other poster. Oh, and get a teacher!

[Vin DiBona]

Are you at Ohio State?
If so, call and seek a qualified teacher at the university and there certainly should be one there.
You won't solve this yourself or merely reading about it. This type of problem calls for a one on one with a good teacher.
Regardless of where you find a good teacher, get one!
R. Tomasek

[jscahoy]

[Robert P]

Post a link to video of you playing.
_________________
Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C

Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo

Chinese Flugel

[kehaulani]

You have gotten, and might get more, good but varying technical advice, but I think there is really only one recommendation for you:
Get a good, effective teacher, one with a proven track record. And preferably one with whom you can have personal study with.
A distant second are Skype lessons.

DO NOT rely on the internet. There's some great stuff out there but it's lethal if you don't know what you don't know.

Could you tell us what kind of ensemble you want o join? What style and at what level?
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[huntman10]

So, how is your air flow? All those problems can be related to your breath control, and air use. Especially under stressful situations, getting free flow of air becomes difficult. Most people think breathing is just "natural", but for a wind instrumentalist, it is a real skill to pursue.

Don't trash everything you have done till you can single out the real culprits. Which brings me back to what everyone else has said. Get a good teacher or even a good (and experienced) mentor.
_________________
huntman10
Collector/Player of Fine (and not so fine) Brass Instruments including
Various Strads, Yammies, Al Hirt Courtois, Schilkes,
Selmer 25, Getzen Eternas, Kanstuls (920 Pic, CG)
Martin Custom Large Bore, Lots Olds!, Conns, etc.

[Robert P]

It sounds like you've got fundamental problems with the mechanics of your playing - I can tell you from frustrating personal experience if you don't make some fundamental changes just "grinding it out until next year" is going to yield similar results. I'd say your teacher isn't getting it done for you.

Post video of yourself playing to get meaningful feedback here.
_________________
Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C

Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo

Chinese Flugel

[Billy B]

Let's get down to some basics.

How old are you?
_________________
Bill Bergren

[LyonLover]

[JayKosta]

[kehaulani]

[LyonLover]

here is a video of my playing https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xWL2L4q7N1c

[donovan]

You must have had a bad audition. Listening to your clip, there's no way you couldn't handle the third part in any marching band.
_________________
Donovan Bankhead
donovan@erniewilliamson.com
www.erniewilliamson.com

[Dayton]

What does your teacher think is going on, and what does he/she recommend you do about it? That is the most important conversation you can have right now.

Work with your teacher to put together a plan to get ready for the audition next year: What needs to change? What should you practice, and how should you practice it?

Good luck!

[Brassnose]

Could it be that your issue is more on the psychological level? Afraid of exposed situations like an audition? I was a solid player but never made first chair because I would get nervous, lose range, and get tired very quickly due to overtightening everything. Since my return around 2014, I have spent significant (!!!) amounts of time working on being cool and relaxed. And look at that, I made first chair and do get asked to sub in a number of local groups. Tadaa
_________________
2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Frate, Klier

[stuartissimo]

[LyonLover]

[LyonLover]