coming back after a long layoff

[chuck in ny]

i have adopted the simple plan to bring my chops to a reputable state. i initially tried doing this on the trumpet, and doing a lot of slurs, and it was hit or miss. the plan now is playing flugel, playing scales and allowing the beautiful flugel tone to develop. it allows the player to easily ascend and descend within current range. overall musicianship is one thing and just having reputable range and strength, another thing. the beauty of the flugel is that it requires more embouchure strength with the super deep mouthpieces i use, and doesn't tempt you to seek the extra partial or two and that sort of impatience. it's a psychological phenomenon really, as the trumpet both tempts and mocks me.
after the scales get far enough above the staff i should be strong enough for etudes. again the simple plan. i might wind up a flugel player doubling on trumpet.

[Andy Del]

I think you know what the answer is: You need to develop the patience to practice what you need to and not push too hard. Simply moving to another instrument which limits you in the search for range is not an answer - you are still pushing things too far, but in a compressed environment, speaking range-wise.

Many people have extended time off the horn: I've had a few, such as when I started my conducting studies, on a 6 week road trip, and during after radio/chemo-therapy.

My comeback following medical treatment was the hardest, as I had lost a significant amount of facial tissue (weight loss / radiotherapy) so I had to build up that, as well as my skills, in short order as well.

That took care, time and a degree of not rushing things. First days were like learning to play again - and knowing what do do. So I took my own teaching advice and didn't force things. It worked, but was challenging to do: I had 6 weeks to go from zero to Christmas Oratorio.

It's possible to do, but if you are not getting the right results, change teachers to a better one. You know what I mean!

cheers

Andy
_________________
so many horns, so few good notes...

[chuck in ny]

andy

the flugel is nice now because it only encourages me to seek half steps and not partials. it's providing steady embouchure strength that will benefit the trumpet when i get back to it. a lesson will be in order when range is recovered otherwise no teacher for now. the couple of lessons with pops really cleaned my clock.
adversity teaches you stuff in odd ways. i may remain a flugel player. you get a whole fresh perspective after laying off over a year.

[kehaulani]

[chuck in ny]

on the flugel i do scales, and getting happy with one scale will do the next scale a whole or half step up. it's really gradual. with the trumpet i can't help myself and do slur work. i haven't grown up yet apparently. it's not possible to avoid the temptation of hitting Bb and high C and it is a strain. the flugel encourages me to be satisfied with beautifully slow progress. the instrument is not at all about range. when i can do high C on flugel, okay, that may be a good time to practice trumpet.
there is a certain perverse psychology to the whole thing but hey, i follow my muse. the exact same thing could be done on trumpet if i were mentally composed.