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Cuso
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Joined: 04 Apr 2023
Posts: 44
Location: Cologne, Germany
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 Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 7:22 am Post subject: "It" Happened. |
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Last week during a rehearsal where I was competing with amps which went to "11", a drummer dressed in a loincloth and 4 singers screaming "More of me" to the mixer, I decided I'd had enough and turned on the afterburners. Then it happened.
I felt nothing more under or in the mouthpiece, and this huge sizzling sound (me!) bounced off the back wall of the auditorium and b***h slapped me right in the face.
I've been practicing my Clark's at ppp, my Iron's nice and controled getting everything so close together as possible, and Arban etudes until my tounge felt like a piece of raw liver. But my sound had never really opened up.
After about 3 minutes it was gone.
During the time I was working in the golf industry, sometimes players would talk about that "lucky round" last week where everything clicked and they played the best they ever had. Then they promptly defeated themselves by claiming it was just "luck".
I know what happened to them wasn't luck, but a true reflection of their potential. What I experienced wasn't just wild abandon, overblowing, new horn etc., but I'm on the right track and the rewards are slowing starting to show.
Sorry I took those 2 minutes of your life away to read this, but this is the only way I can tell myself; Don't stop now and keep up the good work.
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kehaulani
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| Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 7:49 am Post subject: |
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Or you could play at a reasonable volume into a mic and turn it's amp up to 11.
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cheiden
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Joined: 28 Sep 2004
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Location: Orange County, CA
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| Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 11:57 am Post subject: |
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| kehaulani wrote: | | Or you could play at a reasonable volume into a mic and turn it's amp up to 11. |
Agreed. Trying to complete with loud electronics may sound like a win but I guarantee you in the long run it'll cost you. I'd advise working on making a sensible effort and then using the mic and hearing protection so you don't blow out your chops or ears.
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Tivolian
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Joined: 22 May 2018
Posts: 84
Location: Upstate New York
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| Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 1:48 pm Post subject: Re: "It" Happened. |
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| Cuso wrote: | Last week during a rehearsal where I was competing with amps which went to "11", a drummer dressed in a loincloth and 4 singers screaming "More of me" to the mixer, I decided I'd had enough and turned on the afterburners. Then it happened.
I felt nothing more under or in the mouthpiece, and this huge sizzling sound (me!) bounced off the back wall of the auditorium and b***h slapped me right in the face.
I've been practicing my Clark's at ppp, my Iron's nice and controled getting everything so close together as possible, and Arban etudes until my tounge felt like a piece of raw liver. But my sound had never really opened up.
After about 3 minutes it was gone.
During the time I was working in the golf industry, sometimes players would talk about that "lucky round" last week where everything clicked and they played the best they ever had. Then they promptly defeated themselves by claiming it was just "luck".
I know what happened to them wasn't luck, but a true reflection of their potential. What I experienced wasn't just wild abandon, overblowing, new horn etc., but I'm on the right track and the rewards are slowing starting to show.
Sorry I took those 2 minutes of your life away to read this, but this is the only way I can tell myself; Don't stop now and keep up the good work. |
I, for one, really appreciated reading about this experience. Sounds like a magic moment or three.
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abontrumpet
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Joined: 08 May 2009
Posts: 1784
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| Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 2:05 pm Post subject: Re: "It" Happened. |
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| Cuso wrote: | | I know what happened to them wasn't luck, but a true reflection of their potential. |
Awesome! Those are the moments that make you believe. Keep chasing that moment |
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Cuso
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Joined: 04 Apr 2023
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Location: Cologne, Germany
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| Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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| kehaulani wrote: | | Or you could play at a reasonable volume into a mic and turn it's amp up to 11. |
Got it. I just put a 12 on my Rolls PM 351. You probably know better than most how to get through a 4 hour soul or salsa gig, by not confusing volume with intensity.
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Cuso
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Joined: 04 Apr 2023
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Location: Cologne, Germany
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| Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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| cheiden wrote: | | I'd advise working on making a sensible effort and then using the mic and hearing protection so you don't blow out your chops or ears. |
Got it. Already invested in a good clip-on, a more-of-me personal monitor and IEM system. I've blown my chops out enough in my life to know how to protect myself.
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Cuso
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Joined: 04 Apr 2023
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Location: Cologne, Germany
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| Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 11:48 pm Post subject: Re: "It" Happened. |
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| Tivolian wrote: |
I, for one, really appreciated reading about this experience. Sounds like a magic moment or three. |
The problem I have now is trying not to reproduce what happened in those 3 minutes without changing anything, or forcing something.
Coming back on the trumpet will make you develop buddhist like patience. Got to stay in the moment instead of trying to get ahead of myself.
"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." Budda
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Cuso
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Joined: 04 Apr 2023
Posts: 44
Location: Cologne, Germany
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| Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 11:55 pm Post subject: Re: "It" Happened. |
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| abontrumpet wrote: |
Awesome! Those are the moments that make you believe. Keep chasing that moment |
Will do! Not going to stop halfway there, and I fully plan to enjoy the trip.
Regardless of how many pitfalls I have to work through.
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Cuso
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Location: Cologne, Germany
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| Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for your input guys...it goes a long way.
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Crazy Finn
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Joined: 27 Dec 2001
Posts: 8336
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota
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| Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2023 1:56 am Post subject: Re: "It" Happened. |
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| Cuso wrote: | I felt nothing more under or in the mouthpiece, and this huge sizzling sound (me!) bounced off the back wall of the auditorium and b***h slapped me right in the face.
...
I know what happened to them wasn't luck, but a true reflection of their potential. What I experienced wasn't just wild abandon, overblowing, new horn etc., but I'm on the right track and the rewards are slowing starting to show.
...
Sorry I took those 2 minutes of your life away to read this, but this is the only way I can tell myself; Don't stop now and keep up the good work. |
| Tivolian wrote: | | I, for one, really appreciated reading about this experience. Sounds like a magic moment or three. |
| abontrumpet wrote: | | Awesome! Those are the moments that make you believe. Keep chasing that moment |
Indeed! Nice and glad you enjoyed it!
I will echo that competing with amplified instruments acoustically is a losing proposition, but regardless, nice moment.
Not a comeback player (yet - I've taken about 4 years completely off, now), but I'll share a moment like that back in the day playing in the college orchestra during our annual Christmas festival. There were always times in those arrangements when the trumpet(s) had to play over the 80 person orchestra and the nearly 500 voice assembled choirs. We had most of those concerts in the cavernous college fieldhouse, though a pair of them were at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis (about 3-4 hours away). Anyway, my last year I was principal and after one of the shows (there were 6), I asked my friend who was ushering in the very back if he could he me. He said "Well, I feel like the choirs needed just a little more volume to balance you out."
When you can get relaxed and really play without tension, projection comes naturally.
(of course, sometimes it's tiredness masquerading as being relaxed when you're on show 2 of the day and only get a 35-40 break in between)
Good times.
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kurth83
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| Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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If you are still in the comeback phase (meaning growing stronger), that magic moment may return, and gradually more often and stronger.  |
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