Question about Taking Lessons

[Craig S]

I'm beginning my journey along the road back to the trumpet after nearly two decades. I'll be taking my first lesson this coming Saturday. From what I was told, the teacher is primarily a french horn player (not there's anything wrong with that ). I'm curious if you trumpeters think this will be a problem in the long run? I'm not trying say anything negative about him. Heck, I've not even met him yet. I'm just wondering if I should look for someone who is primarily a trumpet player? I know that my teacher will be able to help a huge amount, especially with the basics. The town in which I live is smallish (only about 50k residents when the university here is in session, ~35k during the summer). There's only one music store that has ANYTHING for wind instruments, let alone offers lessons. The only other music store is dedicated to guitars. So, my options are limited, which means finding another instructor could be a problem. Thanks in advance for any wisdom you can impart to me!

[zaferis]

Could be ok, but IMO Horn and Trumpet are significantly different in setup, approach and literature... Horn is the "odd-one-out" brass instrument.

I'd be more inclined to direct you toward a Trombone player vs. a Horn if you can't locate a trumpeter.

I see nearly no one that doubles on Trumpet & Horn (and good trumpeters usually aren't great on horn).. but I see Trumpet & Bone doublers that are very successful..
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[Craig S]

Those were kind of my fears, but I figured at least it's a treble clef brass instrument. I know they are quite different. I played double horn and trumpet in hs. I'd think it would be closer to a trumpet than a trombone would be, but I've never played a trombone.

I may have to see if any of the faculty at the local university give lessons and talk to one of them next fall (the school year is almost over).

[kehaulani]

Well, if you never met anyone who played horn and trumpet you have now. .

Matter of fact, I played in an Air Force band for two years as a horn player and then two years as a trumpet player. Trumpet and horn in college before that. BTW, I played trombone in one of the Lab Bands my first year at North Texas, also.

It's personal, but I would much rather study with a horn player than a trombone player. I just think you move less muscles with horn rather than trombone. Horn has to deal with three valves, trombone a slide. Horn has a more comparable written range than trombone. And as an aside, I prefer much more playing in a woodwind quintet {horn) than in a brass quintet (bone).
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[Craig S]

That's true, kehaulani. A trombone player moves a lot relative to a trumpet or horn player. The biggest difference between those two is right hand vs left hand (as far as moving the body), especially if you were to contrast a horn and rotary trumpet.

[khedger]

I would be wary. There are significant differences in the embochure used and the sound conception between a french horn and a trumpet. If it were me, I'd investigate getting some skype lessons with a real trumpet teacher. Just my .02 cents worth.....

[Craig S]

Skype lessons is an option??? How does one go about finding a teacher for that sort of instruction?

[Craig S]

Just to kind of clarify. I am under the assumption that the teacher will be using a trumpet during our lessons. It's just that his primary instrument is the horn. So, wouldn't he be showing me the skills for the trumpet? My initial hesitation was due to mastery of those trumpet skills. I hope this makes sense...

[HaveTrumpetWillTravel]

You really can learn from any teacher, but you may max out what they can teach you faster. For me, I realized two of my big problems are intonation and timing. Both of these were helped by doing violin for a while. I was not really aware I had these problems until I did that.

At the same time, a trumpet teacher will know repertoire a lot better and as others said maybe they will be better on things like embouchure. There's a lot of debate about how good a teacher has to be as an instrumentalist. I would say go to the first lesson and then go from there. "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."

[WxJeff]

Have you checked into the possibility of a trumpet instructor through Ball State? (perhaps even a student that is pursuing a music ed degree?)

My trumpet-specific instructor helped me work through an embouchure change, which was fundamental to un-doing terrible habits / technique I had picked up in high school and carried with me when I began playing again 25 years later. He was also able to make specific mouthpiece size recommendations for an adult player, which your Fr horn person may not be able to do.

[oxleyk]

[scottfsmith]

I would go to the first lesson and while you are there figure out how much trumpet they play. They may in fact have quite a bit of experience on trumpet.
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[JoseLindE4]

It depends on how they teach. I wouldn't worry about what they play but how well they teach. In one of his books, Keith Johnson tells a story about teaching horn players in his first college job. He taught them differently (less trumpet geeky) and they seemed to progress more than his trumpet students. The point was that lots of trumpet-specific information isn't always the best way to go.

Brass instruments aren't all that different from each other. I'd go into it with an open mind.

Edited to add: Three of the dedicated forums on this site are non-trumpet playing teachers.

[Craig S]

WxJeff, I've thought about it, but have not checkled into it at this point. The school year is over in a couple weeks. So, I doubt there'll be many left on campus. It is something I'm going to research, though.

I do plan on going with an open mind. It was only later, after having signed up for the lesson and started actually practicing and researching that these doubts came to mind. I have no doubt that I will be able to learn from him. I just wasn't sure how much i needed to worry about his specialization not being the trumpet.

The teachers at this particular music store do rotate. People come and go. I had looked into lessons some time ago, and there was an actual trumpet player who was giving lessons at the time.

[Heim]

[Craig S]

[JoseLindE4]

Either.

[trickg]

[JoseLindE4]

Jacobs, tuba; Reinhardt, trombone.

[AJCarter]

Hi Craig, I sent you a PM!
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