My Introduction - Long Read

[EDP™]

Hello fellow player. I'm new to this site and wanted to share my story. Reading all of your comeback threads have really inspired me to get serious again about my horn. Past frustrations have had me in a wurlwind the past few years but I can't supress my passion for this instrument.

I started playing in 3rd grade. The clarinet was actually my first instrument. In the elementary school I went to, students couldn't take band until grade three. Anyhow, I signed up for the clarinet and stayed on it for a few days. Our teacher needed more trumpet (cornet actually) players so I volunteered to switch. This would turn out to be one of the biggest decisions I made. I continued to play on throughout elementary school. I was eeventually one of the better players my instuctor has tought (those were his words).

Once getting to middle school, I would began a development phase that allowed me to grow tremendously as a trumpeter. My instructor's name was Maurice Davis. Although not a famous name to most, he is one of the best trumpeters I've heard to this day. He spent his eraly years in the Motown machine playing on some of the greatest motown hits we know today. Name any motown great and he was probably the lead horn on the album.

I never took one-on-one instruction from him, but in the classroom, he was the reason I continued to progress with my abilities. During this time, I went through a major embouchure change (on my own) that turned out to be for the better. I was not the best player in grades 6 through 8 but I was the most improved every year. I practiced around the clock and kept improving.

After middle school, I went to a high school across town where it turned out, my band direcor there (a percussionist) was also a former student of Mr. Davis. I never took any private lessons but being pretty much self-taught, I continued to progress. Our director was in the phase of building our band program into one of the best in Detroit. Barry Greer is his name.

Mr. Greer was a jazz guru. Our marching band was one of the top in the state and our jazz band was on it's way. With the contacts Mr. Greer made over the years, I was introduced to some of the top horn players that Detroit had produced...Herbie Williams and Marcus Belgrave are just a couple. My parents could never afford private lessons for me, but the cats that I was fortunate enough to have met, gave me pointer and instuction that I remember to this day.

High school was ending soon. It was now time to pick a college. This is were I probably made one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made in life. I was a pretty good baseball player and got one offer from a Div-III school. This was a major let down so I decided to pursue music as my career path. Not having the slightest knowlege of schools with great trumpet instructors, I had narrowed my chioces between Wayne State University (Detroit), a historically black college in Nashville, TN that I will never speak or write the name of as long as I live and Jackson State University (Mississippi) where Mr. Greer attended.

I chose the school in Nashville. In Detroit, marching bands are the big deal and that's what guided my decision. Not ever knowinf anything about the overall state of the music department, off I went. The band director and trumpet instructor did come to my high school and heard me play. They offered a "full" scholarship. That's all me and my parents needed to hear. Turns out, during the first days of registration I had to call home for $X,000.00 because my full scholarship wasn't excactly that. My parents and I take the blame for not doing our research and having everything in order before I left, but that didn't take away from the lies would later find out we were told.

During my freshman year, of course I wan't one of the best anymore. I was an average player among better than average players. Only a four or five of us (of 30 trumpets) were music majors and looked at things beyond football season. Our trumpet instructor (god rest his soul), was not a music major nor a professor of trumpet. He was a trumpeter who accomplished some things in his career as a player and was employed by his alma matar.

Now, it turns out this is the same school Mr. Davis went to and was in the band with my instructor. A series of coincidences throuout my education. Wow.

By the end of year two in college, I was now $15000.00 in debt to student loan companies after receiving my "full" scholarship. I decided that since my playing skills had hit a stand still, and I could not afford this school anymore, it was time to leave. I left for what I thought would be one semester (work to pay the stupid loans then go back to to Detroit and attend Wayne State). Didn't work that way.

I ended up joing the Army in hopes of taking advantage of the money they give for college. That plan back fired. I was honorably discharged afte two years. During my two years in the reserves, I played everyday and worked a reular job. The gigs stopped coming and my contacts were out of reach. I went into seclusion to work on my chops. Hoping to emerge with a new sound and better skills. Did not happen.

Because I could not afford lessons, my skills diminished. I could not do it on my own anymore. My embouchure was shot to hell and I was too frustrated to keep trying. A lot has happend between 2000 and 2006 but I want back. I want my chops back. This time around I'm doing what ever it takes.

At age 29, I don't hink I've missed the boat. In fact, with the right instruction, I think I can surpass my former self. Being able to finally afford lessons, I am really motivated. I have began to buzz again but don't want to get too far ahead of myself without an instructor. I have contacted the trumpet professor of a nearby university and hope he gets back to me soon. Maybe he can take me under his wing or make a recommendation.

Either way, I plan to be the best student my instructor (whom ever it may be) has ever taught.

Wish me luck guys, I'm going to need it. My emboucher is my biggest hurdle at this point. If I can get past that, I can make things happen.

Sorry for the LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOng read, but I've been away too long and needed to get this off my chest.

[Mr. Semman]

Well EDP, it sounds like you are going in the right direction. Working on your chops is critical, along with intonation. Whenever you do get an instructor, I am certain, that we will be reading about your success. You definitely have the correct attitude for the comeback.

We all have similar stories and I am sure that you will find the support and assistance that you need from the forums here.

The best of luck and wishes in your endeavors. Remember, "surrender is not an option".

Gary Lapine
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________________________________________
"Let your words be soft and sweet. You never know when you will have to eat them!"

[Mnc]

EDP,
Yeah, it's a long post and I enjoyed reading it. Welcome to the
comebacker's club and TH! You'll make it just fine with an
attitude and motivation like that. Look forward to your "progress
reports"

Mnc

[EDP™]

Hey, thanks for reading my post. And bigger thanks for the encouragement. I've sacraficed a lot over the years (wife, kids, work). Now it's it's time for me to utilize my "gift".

I'll be sure to keep posting about my progress.

[plp]

We share similar stories up to the second year of college. When I left school, the trumpet went in the case and didn't come out for 23 years. I don't know if that was a mistake or not, and it really doesn't matter.

Don't waste any more time on regret or bitterness over anything that happend before. Every time we take it out of the case, we can either move ahead with a positive attitude or we can dwell on past frustrations. Only one of these leads to relaxed mastery and control.

The Science of Breath is a great read, and I recommend it to every wind player. It deals with the physical aspects of Hatha yoga from a Western scientific approach, and no, you don't have to worship cows, wear red dots, or even sacrifice live chickens. That doesn't happen unless you are a Reinhardt student. (just kiddin', Rich!)

A positive attitude is your best weapon against failure or frustration. You have a room full of cyberbuds to hash out the details with, but there is no substitute for a live teacher. Even an average instructor will do you more good than all the online advice we can offer.

[EDP™]

[Rich G]

Geez, a "comeback" at age 29... I "hate" you!

My comeback was 29 years after I stopped playing in my 20's.

Good luck on your way back. It's amazing what can happen with a good teacher guiding you!

[maeissin]

[LittleRusty]

I never really quit, I ended up better on voice than trumpet. So for many years, 20+, I have either used my voice or directed choirs.

But from what I read in your story, you were missing a mentor. Not a teacher but a mentor.

There are many trumpet teachers out there and I have taken lessons from a few. But there are few mentors out there.

Let me explain. At the age of about 26 I started voice lessons. When I signed up I was very clear about my goals. I worked full time in the software industry and was not pursuing a career in music. The amount of time spent on practicing would be minimal.

My instructor, Bill Schahn, was one of the best teachers in my life. When I left my lessons I felt like I was the king of the music industry. My vocal abilities grew in leaps and bounds.

I never experienced this in my 17 years of musical instruction previous.

If your instructor doesn't leave you feeling good about yourself, either find a new instructor, or evaluate your abilities. (sometimes you will deserve to feel bad, but you will know when)

Good luck, with your commitment to practicing you should do well with a mentor.

[EDP™]

Once again, thanks for the ecouragement.

LittleRusty, maeissin and Rich G... The few years I was off seemed like an eternity. As of now, I still haven't found an instructor but the emails and voicemails have been sent. I expect to hear from someone by the end of the week. If not, I'll be making visist to their offices, studios, classrooms, where ever.

Good luck with you guys' comebacks!

[Trumpeter58]

EDP,

I'll echo that you have the right attitude and a good vision of the direction you need to go.

I'm just over 2 1/2 years into my comeback, which began in July 2003, shortly before my 57th birthday. For the first two years I practiced religiously twice per day, two hours per session, working a lot on embouchure redevelopment, and alot of relearning to read music.

Regaining the old chops has been the greatest challenge, but now, since discovering what I believe to be the right mouthpiece (Monette STC1-B4S) I'm finding that everything I know about playing trumpet is becoming progressively easier to execute where for a while I thought I had hit a brick wall. If I, at age 59, with two years of private instruction during elementary school and limited high school band experience, can work my way back to where I can hold my own playing in a college concert band, two volunteer community/municipal bands, a community jazz ensemble and a college jazz ensemble, at age 29 you can do it, too.
_________________
"Blowing" my retirement away.
"All that we know is infinitely less than that which we have yet to learn."

Blessing ML-1S
Olds Special NA 100ZU
Holton Collegiate cornet (circa 1953)
Olds NF13MRT Flugel
Monette STC1-B4S

[Bill Scott]

Don't let the bad things of the past weigh you down. You've put ink to paper and told how bad things were---now look to the future. Let me tell you why I say this...

I started playing at age 10, played through about my sophmore year in the high school band. Switched schools, didin't have a band at the new school, so about 6 years of playing was it. I wasn't very good, my range topped out at about the 'G' at the top of the staff.

Wound up with mononucleosis and asthma at 19. It's hard to play when you can't breath! But, (a few years later)I heard a pretty good jazz ensemble at the local college and the local jazz teacher had a small class teaching trumpet. This class was a big mistake as he should not have been teaching. No, I wasn't a very good player----but he said I was a 'lizard' with no hope of playing the trumpet well. Needless to say, I didn't go back after that session.

So, not being able to breath well, I didn't play for a lot of years. Then, I found a good pulmonary doc who figured out that I was very allergic to smog and SoCal was not a good place for me to live. So, I moved to Ohio.

At age 37, I picked the horn up again just to teach my oldest daughter the basics of how to play. Living in Ohio, with no smog, I could breath just fine. Hey---playing the trumpet is kinda fun! My daughters school had a community band made up of students and parents of the students. I started playing there and found I could keep up---certainly with the third section anyway.

I stumbled onto a pretty good trumpet teacher from the 'old school'. He'd played with Tommy Dorsey and Count Basie, to name just a few. I studied with him for about six months on just easy, basic stuff. He started having heart problems and the lessons ended, I moved back out west to where there was no smog.

I kept on practicing the basics, working on sounding good---picking up playing tips off the TH/TM forums. I found a community band to play in. I occasionally would do special pieces for a church. All in all though, I was pretty much self taught. My only 'claim to fame' was that somehow I had developed a big sound that really projected. My range was decent--D's, occasional Ebs above high 'C'. Anyway, I figured I was pretty average but wanted to get better. I found out that the principal trumpet player for the local symphony (who is also 'first call' for any shows that hit town) gave lessons through a local music store.

So, I signed up and began lessons about three months ago, and it was the best thing I've ever done. I was headed into my 8th year as a comebacker and I was ready for the next level of playing.

I was shocked to find that my instructor doesn't consider me 'average' at all. He teaches students majoring in trumpet at the local university and he's still trying to figure me out! He says that my sound is one of the best he's heard. I can follow him on most pieces, matching his rythmn and playing in tune with him---which he says is a skill many trumpet players can't do. He's taught me a lot in the last three months and I look forward to every lesson. He also has a nickname for me 'Enigma'---because where my skills came from is a 'mystery'.

So, don't focus on the past. If you get a bad teacher, ditch 'em and keep on looking for a real mentor. You might be surprised at how good a player you can be!

Bill
_________________
There are two sides to a Trumpeter's personality: There is the one that lives only to lay waste to the woodwinds and strings, leaving them lying blue and lifeless along the swath of destruction that is a trumpeter's fury. Then there's the Dark Side"

[Trumpeter58]

After reading Bill Scott's post, though I probably shouldn't be, I'm a little amazed how closely his story parallels my own. After beginning to learn I, too, played for about 6 years before a family move to a small rural community that had no school band took me out of the loop of organized instrumental music. After joining the Air Force instead of waiting to be drafted into the Army I passed up the opportunity to become a member of the Air Force Drum and Bugle Corps and wound up as a telecommunications technician, which I pursued through a four-year active duty enlistment, and on into a career with SBC that spanned 34 years and 10 months before being diagnosed with cancer mandated my retirement. Two months into my pre-retirement disability leave I was compelled to pick my horn back up after over 20 years since I last played it. My primary inspiration was and remains using the old skills in the music program of my church. The opportunities to play in a college concert band, two community concert bands, two jazz ensembles, and to voluntarily assist with the begnning and advanced band programs at a private Christian school have been doors opened to me as challenges to bring my skills back to where they were when I was 15 and could play most any composition that was put in front of me. Congrats to Bill for overcoming the asthma and returning to the horn.
_________________
"Blowing" my retirement away.
"All that we know is infinitely less than that which we have yet to learn."

Blessing ML-1S
Olds Special NA 100ZU
Holton Collegiate cornet (circa 1953)
Olds NF13MRT Flugel
Monette STC1-B4S

[bilboinsa]

EDP:

Hey, we live in the same neighborhood!

You seem ahead of the game. Keep it up. The amazing thing to me is that I remember playing the trumpet in Band, and it was, well, no biggie--just a fun thing to do. "Challenges", Solo & Ensemble, etc... were all ways to pass the time at HS. When I got to college, the sheer talent of some friends and casual acquaintances (I went to NTSU in Denton, TX) was downright scary. It scared me into putting away the horn--seriously. I dropped out of the marcjhing band over it. Like you, I had never been able to have lessons, played on Dad's old horn, etc, etc..

While the horn was away, I continued to mature. I learned what was important--as we all do for each of us. After awhile(too long of awhile), the investment of time and effort to learn something SCREAMED at me, "HEY, I'M OVER HERE!!! WHY DID YOU FORGET ABOUT ME???"

Getting back into a band--any band--was one of the best things I ever did. That fear about the great players? Well, I have learned that humility serves several great purposes, and destruction of that fear is one of them. Besides, after spending 46 years on this earth, I have seen what justifies real fear, and playing the horn isn't one of them.

Welcome back my friend to the show that never ends.
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[EDP™]

bilboinsa, Trumpeter58, Bill Scott:

You guys stories are motivating. I'm glad things worked for the best with you all. As for my update... I still haven't found a private teacher, BUT I've talked with a few "band teachers'' and have been given permission from a school principal to sit in with the concert band when I can.

For the last month or so, twice a week I've been at a local high school playing with the kids. In addition to my practice at home, things are going pretty well.

One college trumpet prof I spoke with wasn't taking new students (busy schedule) but he's given me names of some players who may be able to take me.

I've bought a new horn (see sig box). It feels so good to be playing again. I hope to find some sort of community band in my town.

Again, good luck with you guys and thanks for the support!

[shastastan]

Very inspiring stories, guys. Thanks for sharing with us. I think a mentor is a great idea. I have a friend who is sort of a mentor but doesn't live in my town. I wish there was someone here that could be more than a teacher. My teacher is okay, but he's very busy. I also think gaining self-confidence that comes from playing in groups is really helpful. I've done a lot of playalong stuff which was helpful but didn't tell me where I was at in relation to other musicians in groups until I joined in. Another thing that has helped me is getting a workable perspective. For me, it's just to keep plugging away with exercises to build endurance and range and to concentrate more on dynamics and musicality. Just the simple thing of remembering to breath deeply and push from the diaphragm has really helped me a lot.

Stan

[Bill Scott]

Another thing that will help is if you can record yourself with some good equipment. It doesn't have to be all that expensive---a Shure 57 mic and a mixer that can record to a mini-disc or CD will do the trick.

One of the first things that my new teacher did was strongly encourage me to change to a bigger mouthpiece. I had been using a Kelly 5C for about a year, but then wound up having wierd pitch and loss of range problems. To solve it, i'd gone up to a 14A4A---which gave me almot no notes below the staff and a shrill sound. So, over about a months time I went first to a Curry 3Z, then to a Curry 1DE.

Recently, I heard my recorded sound for the first time since making the swtich and couldn't believe it was me! To me, (since the switch) my sound is quite bright with lots of power behind it and seems very directional. The recorded sound was dark and rich with tihis big core of sound to it. It wasn't anything like I thought it would be.

I also found it was really easy to hear when the attacks weren't clean, or my breath support and/or dynamics were off.

So, recording yourself can surprise you as to what you really sound like, and it can also help you to hone in on problems with pitch, attacks, dynamics and all of those other often missed problems.

Bill
_________________
There are two sides to a Trumpeter's personality: There is the one that lives only to lay waste to the woodwinds and strings, leaving them lying blue and lifeless along the swath of destruction that is a trumpeter's fury. Then there's the Dark Side"

[shastastan]

Hi Bill. I'll bet you have had 1 or 2 snowflakes in the past couple of days. McCloud got 3 ft. Must be nice to run over the Mark's place to try mp's?

Stan

[Bill Scott]

Yeah, the snowflakes have been around just enugh to be pretty and not enough to be a nuisance. Mark isn't doing consults at his home anymore as there was a zoning problem. He can't do a commercial business out of his home in that section of Reno.

I go over to Sparks Music which is a small, family owned store. They know Mark and carry all of his products, so that' where I buy 'em!
_________________
There are two sides to a Trumpeter's personality: There is the one that lives only to lay waste to the woodwinds and strings, leaving them lying blue and lifeless along the swath of destruction that is a trumpeter's fury. Then there's the Dark Side"

[richardwy]

[quote="EDP™"] but I can't supress my passion for this instrument. /quote]

well said edp.

richard
_________________
1972 Selmer Radial