Starting again after 40 years

[Back of town]

I was listening quite avidly to a recording with Ron Miles and I found myself thinking seriously about picking up horn again. I played through high school, where my horns were first a Buescher cornet, then a York Custom trumpet. So I went out and rented a Getzen 481, which I like a lot. My thought is, maybe I can move on to a Getzen Capri. After about a week, I am making good progress getting lip back after horrible fifteen minutes on first day. When I was playing, long time ago, my favorite players were Bix, Miles, whom I followed all the way to his passing. I later became a fan of Don Cherry, whom I met when he was with Old and New Dreams. I just loved that street horn. Liked a lot of other players, but these were the ones which entranced me. At any rate, I'm having a good time with this. I'm thinking about getting a darker mouthpiece, maybe a Wick, which maybe would be easier (wider rim) than the Getzen 7C which came with the horn.

[plp]

Welcome to TH, and welcome back to the world of trumpet playing. There is a great deal of good information here, and some really good people as well. If there is anything you want to know in particular, try the search engine as well as posting your question. We have some great educators here who have devoted a lot of time, and the forum archives are chock full of good stuff.

[beakj01]

Welcome back ! I quit in 1950, and picked it up again in July 2002, so I can appreciate what you're going through right now. But it's worth all the work - in spades ! If your experience turns out to be anything like mine, you'll be having even more fun with the music now than you did back in high school. In a relatively short time, you'll reach the level of proficiency you had when you quit, and from then on it's onwards and upwards.

This web site is extrodinarily helpful. You won't find anywhere a more helpful, generous bunch than those who post here.

One suggestion I might make: look in on the Forum found immediately below this one - The Balanced Embouchure. The title refers to an embouchure-building program that is in every way remarkable. It's author, Jeff Smily, has developed a system of exercises that, in the author's words, "... is easy to learn and works for every trumpet player." That's a bold statement, but truer words were never written - at least with regard to my experience with BE. I've been at it for eight weeks and I'm playing stronger, longer, and better; extended endurance, range up 3 partials, and tone much improved. I won't bore you trying to explain more - just read some of the early postings on that Forum, and check out Jeff Smiley's web site. I'll bet you can short-cut your comeback considerably with the BE program. I wish I had known about it a year ago. And the folks who post on the BE Forum are extremely helpful - like having a dozen private teachers working on your case daily.

Again, welcome back. I can't wish you more than that you have as much fun with the music as I am having.

Jim
_________________
Sterling Virtuoso Cornet
Olds Mendez Cornet
Denis Wick 4B Heavy Top

[Matsumike]

I know this follow-up post is a bit late, but I have to chime in here. I too put down my old 60's Busher 400 back in 1973, picked up playing again only a few months ago. I am not only having a blast, but I have exceeded the PLAYABLE range I had when I quit. The BE forum as well as Rick's book has helped me more than I can say. I quit more out of frustration than anything else since I was not able to expand my usable range in any meaningfull way. I now believe I will not only play the way I always wanted to, but better........ we'll see. At any rate, I find my approach to be more serious, more intensity and with much more zeal do I approach the fun task of playing this damn instrument...Trumpet pnd this intrument to be facinating. There is something terribly wrong with us...........don't you thinK? Herv.
_________________
Music is a moral law.
It gives a soul to the universe,
wings to the mind, flight to the imagination,
a charm to sadness, gaiety and life to everything.
-Plato