What about non-trumpet Brass players

[GeorgeB]

Many of the brass players ( French Horn, Euphonium, horn, tuba, etc ) I have made friends with in two bands started out as trumpet players but moved to other brass instruments to help meet the needs of their respective bands. Just a thought, but maybe a room for these folks could open the door for more members to join here.

[Kehaulani]

I don't think you're going to attract more members until you can provide a core of more helpful and applicable information for brass players of any walk. To me, this forum focuses more on non-musical things. It seems more of a glorified Lounge. It's a matter of proportion. I think people need a more tangible reason to frequent the site.

There's nothing that says members can't joke, post pictures, and other leisure things. It's just a matter of priorities. If I wasn't already a carry-over, I would have a hard time finding reasons to be a forum participant.

[A Former User]

Hi GeorgeB,
That's a great idea but I don't know if many non-trumpet brass players are going to jump aboard because of the websites name. TRUMPETBOARDS.COM
In addition, the instruments you mentioned have their own dedicated sites. One site that comes to mind that covers many different instruments is Sarah's Horn Hangouts. She plays French Horn but interviews an array of people such the unbelievably talented Hakan Hardenberger.

[GeorgeB]

@Dr-Mark
I wasn't aware of those other sites. And yes, I did wonder about the problem of the name

[A Former User]

@GeorgeB said in What about non-trumpet Brass players:

I wasn't aware of those other sites.

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Sarah Willis is a top shelf French horn player and (I think) the first female to play a brass instrument in the Berlin Philharmonic. She was born in Maryland and has a show on YouTube called Sarah's Horn Hangouts. Quite educational!

[A Former User]

@Kehaulani said in What about non-trumpet Brass players:

I don't think you're going to attract more members until you can provide a core of more helpful and applicable information for brass players of any walk. To me, this forum focuses more on non-musical things. It seems more of a glorified Lounge. It's a matter of proportion. I think people need a more tangible reason to frequent the site.

There's nothing that says members can't joke, post pictures, and other leisure things. It's just a matter of priorities. If I wasn't already a carry-over, I would have a hard time finding reasons to be a forum participant.

So.....what percentage of your posts have added any value to the site? Content is important I agree. If there aren't more posts relative to some aspect of the subject of the site it isn't going to get much attention. There have to be more posts that are more than just another look at me post of some sort.

[A Former User]

@Kehaulani said in What about non-trumpet Brass players:

I don't think you're going to attract more members until you can provide a core of more helpful and applicable information for brass players of any walk.

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Very good point. I'm one of the biggest contributors of non trumpet stuff. However, I'll try to put a little something together that addresses different aspects of trumpet playing. The question is; What should be the first topic?
Range, sound, endurance, sight reading, articulation, trumpet care, improvisation, ensemble playing, how to approach Bach, types of trumpets, brands of trumpets, mouthpieces, job opportunities, how to prepare for an audition, trumpet injuries, breathing, posture, mental approach to trumpet, were should we start?

[Shifty]

@Dr-Mark said in What about non-trumpet Brass players:

What should be the first topic?
Range, sound, endurance, sight reading, articulation, trumpet care, improvisation, ensemble playing, how to approach Bach, types of trumpets, brands of trumpets, mouthpieces, job opportunities, how to prepare for an audition, trumpet injuries, breathing, posture, mental approach to trumpet, were should we start?

That'd be perfect, Dr-Mark. Can you whip up something on all of those by tomorrow?

Seriously though -- the mental approach to trumpet would be novel; not just rehashing old topics from oTHer forums.

[A Former User]

Shifty asks;
That'd be perfect, Dr-Mark. Can you whip up something on all of those by tomorrow?

Now that's funny. How about we start with "breathing" and crack the others off once a topic is satisfied. Basically a repository of trumpet knowledge.

[Richard III]

I play french horn, or "horn" all the time. I see people all the time that should be switching to other instruments. I have a trumpet playing friend who plays baritone much better than trumpet. I could go on, but imagine beating your head against the wall for years on one instrument and then you try another and all things come together. Do you stay playing mediocre with the original instrument or excellence with the new one?

[djeffers78]

I’m going to try a lower brass this season with the brass band. It might be nice to not have join another forum to discuss

[Kehaulani]

@Richard-III said in What about non-trumpet Brass players:

Do you stay playing mediocre with the original instrument or excellence with the new one?

I think you should do what makes you happy, if you're an amateur. If not, you might want to do what's expedient. I knew a girl who was an excellent trumpet player, but she switched to Horn and wound up at The Royal School of Music (London).

I played trumpet in school and when I went to university, at the suggestion of my teacher, who was also the band director at the university, I switched to Horn. I, frankly, had great potential on Horn and wound up playing First Horn my first year at the university. I loved it, especially the chamber music (woodwind quintet).

But I just missed playing in big band and other jazz and pop, so I switched back to trumpet. My teacher was livid and threw me out. It saved my life, though, because I was getting drafted (Viet Nam) and the only opening, worldwide, was for Horn. I playedHorn for two years, then switched back to trumpet when there was an opening. Mercenary. (If I did it today, I'd just double but I wasn't that flexible, then.)

Since then, I've been a multi-instrumentalist. I say do what you love.

[stumac]

25 years ago I was having trumpet lessons from a retired brass teacher whose principle instrument was horn, he did not have any horn students, in a fit of mental abberation I bought a horn and had him teach me, joined a community symphony orchestra where the horn section was a girl playing an Alto Saxophone and a friend playing an Eb Tenor horn neither fitted in.

Eventually a couple of horn players joined I convinced the Eb player to go back to trumpet that was his prime instrument. After the concert tomorrow I will change to trumpet to balance the brass a little more, we will then have 5 Horns and 4 trumpets having lost 2 in the last year.

Sunday I have a 2 hour gig playing 2nd trumpet in the Big Band I have played in for 20+ years.

Regards, Stuart.

[ButchA]

I am slowly doubling on "treble clef" Baritone, as I am succumbing to assorted lower dental problems, which is starting to affect my trumpet playing - especially in the upper register.

The bigger MP of the Baritone (and Trombone as well) are both incredibly different and (obviously) need a new approach to trumpet embouchure.

[Richard III]

@ButchA said in What about non-trumpet Brass players:

I am slowly doubling on "treble clef" Baritone, as I am succumbing to assorted lower dental problems, which is starting to affect my trumpet playing - especially in the upper register.

The bigger MP of the Baritone (and Trombone as well) are both incredibly different and (obviously) need a new approach to trumpet embouchure.

I have a friend that was gifted an Eb Tuba from around 1885. We took it to the repair store and they concluded they couldn't make it playable. While there we tried an old baritone. We also tried many tubas. Both of us were surprised that two trumpet players could easily play the baritone. My friend is still playing it. The baritone is very forgiving. Have fun with it. Baritones have a beautiful sound.

[A Former User]

@Shifty said in What about non-trumpet Brass players:

Seriously though -- the mental approach to trumpet would be novel; not just rehashing old topics from oTHer forums

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As you suggested, there's now a post addressing this issue.

[djeffers78]

Today was my first run with the baritone. It is a Besson compensating baritone.
So far so good. I think I’m going to enjoy the change.
I’ll still be playing trumpet in regular band but as for the brass band things are a changing for me.
Maybe one day I’ll try playing bass.
Right now recognizing the pitch is challenging for me

[Jolter]

I sometimes play in a locally traditional brass sextett. Depending on who shows up for rehearsal, we pick up whatever part we feel like, or which is available. Cornets in Eb and Bb, alto horn in Eb, tenor horns 1 and 2 in Bb, or tuba. Everyone has developed some proficiency on each horn, but we tend to stick to our "end" of the ensemble. The Eb cornet takes more high-end chops than the trombonists can handle, normally.

I play anything except the tuba - I would, but I would have to learn to read bass clef first! I'm sure I'm a pretty mediocre tenor horn player but since the music is written in treble clef, I can just sit down and play the same way as on a trumpet.

Alto horn would probably be my favourite instrument if it wasn't for the rather dull parts you get. It's nearly all accompanying figures on the backbeat. The pah in ompah, if you will. I gather it's the same if you play french horn in a band. Horn parts in a symphony, though, that would be something...

[djeffers78]

@Jolter
Horns in the BBB setting always seem to have lots of the melodies

[stumac]

Except for the 3rd horn where I started in 1946, only plays the off beats and when I get them in orchestra I feel I have not progressed.

Regards, Stuart.