Why did you “come back”?

[MarkD]

[spitvalve]

I never quit completely, but after leaving the music business I practiced a lot less, sometimes going several weeks without playing while working two jobs to raise five kids. But it always called me back. It's too much a part of my identity to not play. Practice now is to hang on to what I have left and try to get back some of what I used to have. My range is better than it was before, but much of the technical stuff is rusty. Don't do much classical stuff any more, mainly jazz now.
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Bryan Fields
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More horns than my wife knows I have...

[Rhondo]

[chase1973]

I hit a major wall at age 34 in 2004. Long story short, I quit for 18 months and started playing again late in 2006. I started studying w Chris LaBarbera who graciously took me under his wing and helped. It took exactly 2 years to come back but, I came back stronger. I was able to play lead on a working rock/blues band when I was still living in S. Fl. by the fall of 2008.

Why did I come back? Because I'm mentally ill and I don't know any better.

[MarkD]

[MarkD]

[Fritz of WA]

I'd played a lot through high school, both in concert band and leading a small group. The latter was good enough that we cut two LPs (early 1960s media, for you youngsters) my junior and senior years for private subscribers from our school and our sister school. But once I got to college, it was all guitars, rock, and the British invasion, so my horn gathered dust until a few years later, really down and out, I sold it to help with the rent.

Fast forward 50-some years, and I have a grandson for whom I played some of the recordings from my HS years especially the ones that featured . . . me and my trumpet. Next thing I know, he signs up for band in the 6th grade, and wants to play the trumpet. So I help get him one, and after their first concert, he was so excited he said he was "sticking with this!" So I went out and bought myself a new Jupiter JTR1110S, and started practicing.

He's in 7th grade band now, and I have a year under my belt. Each week or two, we get together and play, usually whatever his school band is working on. Great fun! And I practice every day as I enjoy it plus, never having had a hobby as such, it really motivates me. I am up to Lesson 18 in the Mitchell on Trumpet, Book One. I have Books Two and Three in reserve for when I get the chops to be able to play them.

[Cuso]

Played professionally about 20 years, had a breakdown and quit. It was so deep that I even stopped listening to the radio. This musical self flagellation lasted 27 years, and then one day it was over.

I could try some self analysis as to why or get philosophical about missed chances, but maybe some rocks shouldn't be turned over. So in my eyes I'm not making a comeback, but maybe fixing something that got broken along the way.

I don't know where the journey is going, but this time I'm staying on the train.

PS: I got a lot of inspiration right here. Thanks on the community.
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YTR 8310Z III
YTR 8335 LAS II
'72 Benge 3X
Couesnon Flugelhorn
Yamaha YTR-9820 Piccolo

[Croquethed]

The kid took up the French horn in 5th grade and I wanted to make music again after a 40-year break. Just wanted to be able to play Taps on Memorial Day, Auld Lang Syne on New Year's, and Jingle Bells on Christmas. Ordered a Getzen 900 and when I picked it up I reached for an Arbans and put it back. After 6 months put all the sheet music away. Just noodling and simple improv. No bands, no teachers. Just bought my 5th B flat.

Just playing as an intellectual exercise in melody. I understand it also helps the brain stay strong. An indispensable part of my life. 10 years and counting.

[mograph]

I didn't really come back, but started taking it seriously during lockdown.

In the ten or so years between the folding of our R&B band and 2020's lockdown, I only played once a year at Remembrance services in November. Looking back, and considering how much I'm practising now, I'm ashamed at the time I wasted without playing those years. But hey.

Now, I've been trying to make up for lost time, and going to Tritone Jazz Camp in June. Should be fun.
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1985 Bach 37
1980 King 601 (it's bulletproof!)
1978 Couesnon flugelhorn
Playing for fun since 1979.
Fmr member 48th Highlanders of Canada Mil Band
Into that jazz devil music

[MarkD]

Thanks all! It’s very interesting to hear all your stories which boil down to just loving to play music.

[silverstar]

I keep coming back...and life keeps interrupting!

Honestly, I miss it. I was full of hot air and big dreams in high school and college - but never really had the work ethic or stick-withitness to keep improving. The downfall to my 'talent' in high school was that when the going got tough (aka - I wasn't immediately good at it), I just stuck to what I could do and didn't really stretch myself to keep trying when I couldn't!

Now with a little bit of life perspective (I've still got a long way to go) - I come back to it because the music, and making it, is what settles my brain and brings me joy - and now I have two babies of my own, I hope to maybe share that joy with them, too.
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I <3 my Bb Eclipse MR!!

I may falter, I may fall, but I will get back up and keep at it. Fall down 7 times, get up 8.

[LarryL]

The "simple" reason is as I said in my recent comeback post (my granddaughter took up trumpet in 5th grade) but there's a lot more story sitting in my new trumpet case... 1 1/2 years ago I was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer at age 73. Never being one to sit back and let life just pass me by I rode 40 miles in a local bike ride (Maine Lighthouse Ride) after my daughter signed me up just before being diagnosed. We formed a team (A Wee Ride) and used the event to raise over $15,000 for my charity (ZERO Prostate Cancer). So after that event in September 2023 and then my granddaughter taking up trumpet it seemed getting my horn out of the attic after 57 years could support my journey and keep positive. When my wife suggested I look into finding a local community band and then seeing the "no audition required" I joined what has been an incredible experience with the Maine Pops Concert Band. Sitting in my 2nd trumpet seat and re-experiencing what it was like following an incredible director and blending in with a 100+ member group just kept adding to my positive outlook. Needing a bit more challenge, I volunteered to play the 1st trumpet part for the 1812 Overture in last Spring's concert as several of the 1st's were doing double duty on the flugelhorn. I passed that challenge. This year our Team A Wee Ride (including my radiation oncologist) rode in the metric century ride (62 miles) and surpassed our fundraising goal and achieved $30,000 and still counting.

So why did I come back. It's complicated but it has been one of the best decisions of my life. I have even suggested to my director that if he is looking for a soloist to play the Haydn Trumpet Concerto, I've already started to practice the solo I last did 57 years ago in high school.

I'll leave you with one thought from a saying ZERO PC uses - BE LOUD, BE BOLD, BE BLUE. LOUD - no problem there now that I have my chops back, BOLD - new Back Strad, 1812 and hopefully Haydn, BLUE - that's the PC color but if I keep playing enough you may just see my face turn a shade of blue.
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Larry L

Bach Stradivaris 180S37
Conn 22B Victor

[MarkD]

Thanks Larry- that’s very inspiring! Glad to hear you are doing well.
Mark

[MarkD]

[rhatheway]

For me, I more or less quit playing trumpet after my fisrt child was born. Parenthood took over (many of you know about that) and then life followed. Before I realized it, more then three decades had flown by.

While I didn't play trumpet during that time (with the exception of the occasional version of playing Happy Birthday), I did play bass guitar, guitar, picked up mandolin, drums, and a few other instruments, so I didn't give up music.

But..., in my mind I've always been a trumpet player. I love the fact that the trumpet sings the meloday in almost any piece of concert band music, so I always wanted to come back to it. So almost a year and a half ago now, I finally made the decision to pick my horn back up and see if I could still play. Even during the thirty-some-off years that I didn't play, I always practiced fingering notes as I listened to music, and always rehearsed scales and such in my head, so I kind of kept a little contact with my trumpet during that time.

And now that I'm back, I know I'm a better student of the instrument, and my approach to playing is (I hope) a bit more mature than it was in my teens and twenties.

[rmunson]

I haven't read all the replies yet - but I wonder if there are any who have a similar story -

Why I'm (trying) to comeback -
By me, a 54 year old balding former drum corps member...

Kids all raised and out of the nest, my wife and I started watching BritBox shows in our free time at night. There's a great show from the 80s/90s called Hetty Wainthropp Investigates - like many TV shows from that era it has a really good theme song -

That brass band style song took me down a rabbit hole of learning about British Brass bands.

Watching those everyday normal people in those ensembles make such incredible music inspired me to try to make a comeback.

If it weren't for youtube and all the inspiration out there - drum corps, regular band, brass bands ect - I probably wouldn't be attempting a comeback - instead I'd suffer through Easter and Christmas services, silently sinning by criticizing the trumpet players, knowing I couldn't do any better if I tried since, I didn't have chops - but still being critical of their efforts.

My goal is to get back to a place where I can contribute decently in church - I'm enjoying playing in a community band - it's hilarious how playing 3rd trumpet humbles the old ego!!!

[cbtj51]

[SteveM]

I stopped playing in 1975 when I joined the Navy. I was living in cramped quarters with no privacy to play.

I retired from everything in 2010 and broke out my old trumpet to begin wrangling with my old Arban exercises.

Last month I was asked to play at my 50th high school reunion. I contacted my old band director and he agreed to play with me. We seemed to be a hit. Everyone stood up and clapped while we played.

Now I'm back on the trail reliving my old playing days. I'm dedicating an hour or more a day and just love it.

I have another gig Monday night to play at a VFW verterans day celebration. Can't wait.

[cgaiii]

I stopped playing before college and (probably dumbly) focused on sports. About 10 years later, well after grad school, I was teaching at a small college in northern Japan. They were starting a concert band but did not have enough students to fill all the parts. My wife picked up her clarinet again and I picked up the trumpet again to help out. We played the third parts and let the students have the fun. I continued to dabble in the trumpet off and on while focusing on banjo and bluegrass for some time. Since I returned to the States in the early 90s, I played continuously at a low level until time freed me up to work harder on my playing. So you can say I have had one extremely long gradual comeback.
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Bb: Schilke X3L AS, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Bb Cornet: Getzen 800 DLXS
Pic: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Std
Bass Tr: BAC Custom
Nat. Tr: Nikolai Mänttäri Morales Haas replica