endurance and age

[Pete]

Sooner or later you have to play more efficiently. Too many overblow and it catches up with them. I’ve gone from playing Benge MLP’s and CG’s and mouthpieces with 23 throats in them to the 8310Z, 1600i and the Conn 38B as well as mouthpieces with 27 throats over the last 40 years. My range is better, endurance is a question of pacing yourself better.

As far as glasses, I never use progressive lenses to read music. I have a prescription for reading music specifically. I do a lot of sight reading gigs so I can’t chance missing stuff with the progressives. I don’t even like driving with them. I use distance prescription sunglasses while driving during the day. The progressives are great for reading printed text, but when you have to move your eyes all over a few pages of music...

Pete

[RussellDDixon]

[murph66]

I am 81 and still play with three groups. As you get older you will find that nothing works as well as it used to. While I can handle the parts I play, my endurance and range have decreased. You may also find that medical issues may cut into practice time. I had a femoral bypass in January and along with an infection that set in missed three months practice. I am back to almost where I was, but as you get older, these things will occur. But I still enjoy playing and have often made the comment that the only things keeping me going are my trumpet and my wife--not necessarily in that order.

[geigerjt]

I'm still always amazed by Doc Severinsen when thinking about age and playing, he's a great example so nothing much more to say. Except, has anyone suggested yoga? I'm sure at any age it not only helps breathing but core strength as well.

[Al Innella]

First I am amazed by all the people who say, if I did lung exercises or went to the gym and practiced more I shouldn't feel the need to go to a smaller bore horn.
I currently play lead with a big band performing arrangements by Don Sebesky,Willie Maiden,Bill Holman,Frank Foster,Ernie Willkens, arrangements recorded by Buddy,Woody Doc,Basie etc.. I don't see anything wrong with switching from a lightweight reversed lead pipe 468 bore trumpet to a standard weight and lead pipe 460 bore.So I guess it's safe assume everyone who responded is playing on a 468 or larger bore ,lightweight, reversed lead pipe.

[RussellDDixon]

[GeorgeB]

[freimers]

I'm 67 and getting back to playing more after retiring last year. I made a couple of failed attempts to get my playing back to a higher level but made it even worse by hurting my chops. Failures were mostly due to looking for shortcuts, like the miracle mouthpiece or embouchure change that would get me screaming like never before. I watched way too many videos.

What got me turned around was watching this video by Jon Lewis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oP08Fh5L9E where he talks about building a good foundation, getting your body into a position of readiness by paying attention to the small things, preparing yourself before you pick up the horn to play, continuous air stream, attacking notes.

I finally sat down in front of a mirror and took a couple of videos of myself playing, just like I do with my golf swing. What a mess! I was now looking at myself as a student and wondering if I would agree to teach what I was seeing. Bad posture, barely taking a breath, no support, too much support, very inconsistent with everything even holding the trumpet. My problems had nothing to do with age.

I'm making progress now that I'm focusing on the fundamentals to build a repeatable, consistent trumpet technique. It's fun and exciting again, I'm sounding better, missing less notes and am playing higher, louder and faster than I was before but with control.

I think if you follow Jon's advice your playing has to improve regardless of age. Endurance, etc., will decrease eventually, but you should still play well enough to perform and enjoy it. Even Doc can't do everything he did 30 years ago and he's aware. The last video I saw of Doc he was playing some solo licks and having fun directing the band, but it was Wayne Bergeron playing lead and doing the heavy lifting. Playing 2nd fiddle at 92 isn't so bad.
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S.E. Shires CVP Bb Trumpet
S.E. Shires 5S C Trumpet
S.E. Shires CN7A Cornet
Getzen 4-Valve Flugelhorn

[deejaymushone]

Wow - just saw his documentary for the 1st time - mind blown - this guy is a monster, w/ a huge heart !

He is also using what is now referred to as “TCE”. With this technique, one uses almost no air, & literally, as long as your lips & toungue still work & you can literally still “spit“ (or “spit buzz”), you can still do what Pauly is doing at 90+, even of the rest of your body is collapsing, ie: Harry James & Charlie Shavers.

Also - before people start dragging me over the coals for even *thinking* this, Pl remember that back when Pauly learned the trumpet (by word of mouth - from his dad), this was a much more common way of playing brass instruments.

Long live Pauly!
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1924 Besson Rapuwano
1941 Martin HCI / 1949 Committee Deluxe
1947 Chicago Benge
Conn 1929 2B / 1924 22B / 1934 8B / 1956 10B / 1967 20A / 1958 38B / 1952 48B
1965 Olds Recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC1993QIK7E

[Andy Cooper]

Well - yes - getting older certainly can effect your playing in negative ways.

1. Chairs are much harder than they were in my youth... Solution - always take a dense foam stadium cushion. (The backside gets tired before the chops.)
2. Eyes do not refocus quickly. Makes no difference whether I use single vision or progressive lenses. You just can't look back to check the key signature. Solution - pencil in a lot of accidentals and endure the ridicule of younger players. (Yeah kid - someday you will understand.)
3. Not as much muscle strength for support. Slower fingers from arthritis. Solution - move to small bore Conn horns with light valve action.

[Bill_Bumps]