New to this board
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Hello to everyone I’m new here and hail from Ridgefield Washington which happens to be the fastest growing city in the state. People are flocking here for the relaxed country way of life. Houses are expensive but many are on acreage although some subdivision style homes are being built but the pace of life is relaxed and still feels like a small town in the countryside. Downtown Ridgefield is like walking back in time with a grocery store with wood floors and a hardware store where the owners actually help you find what you need and are knowledgeable.
Enough about where I live but now my story.I played violin viola and cello all through middle school and into high school. Was good at it being the concertmaster. But in HS I decided that my friends in the band were having more fun with playing at ball games and an annual home and home band trip. All things the Orchestra didn’t do in HS . Since I was well known within the school music department the band director knew me so one summer I asked him if I could borrow a tenor saxophone over the summer and if I could play it in the fall could I have a place in the band. He didn’t think I could do it but he needed more saxophone players so he said yes. By fall I had earned a spot in the band and played in all the school bands until graduation also picking up the clarinet as well. Got a tuition scholarship for college to play both strings and sax and clarinet which I did until graduation and then didn’t have time for music as family and career took most of my time. Missed the music world and figured I would get back to it later in life.
However a cruel thing happened I had a stroke at age 48 and lost the use of my left hand and arm and was forced to retire early. Wanted to get back into music but my paralysis made playing what I knew impossible so I looked to what I could play with one hand and decided trumpet so I bought a nice used Blessing trumpet and like the saxophone years ago proceeded to teach myself how to play it.
I’m not great but can get by and play in tune but I am happy to be back sort of. I’m hoping to get good enough to play with a community band. It’s going to take more work but I’m okay with that.
Looking forward to learning from everyone here. -
Welcome to TrumpetBoards. You apparently have been on a challenging journey. Hopefully we will be able to help you along the way. While a few self-taught trumpet players, such as Uan Rasey, have succeeded tremendously, most self-taught trumpet players develop habits that must be unlearned and relearned properly in order for them to advance without undue difficulty. Feel free to ask any questions you might have.
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Glad you're here. Do some mouthpiece buzzing and long tones.
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@marty-hahn said in New to this board:t.
I’m not great but can get by and play in tune but I am happy to be back sort of. I’m hoping to get good enough to play with a community band. It’s going to take more work but I’m okay with that.
Looking forward to learning from everyone here.Marty,
One way to get “good enough to play with a community band” is to play with one. Specifically, if there is a New Horizons Band near your community, join it. They accept individuals at all levels of experience from the very beginner, to the comeback players, to the more experienced players. I joined one of these bands after a 44 year layoff and worked my way from last seat third trumpet up to first trumpet. I have now been playing seven years and play in multiple community bands, big bands, and have played in orchestras as well. This process began with the New Horizons Band. Below is a link of the locations of the three active New Horizons Organizations in Washington.
Even if one of these is not convenient to your location, with your musical knowledge, you could
join a local community band, start at the bottom, and play what you can. With practice and experience, your skills will improve and you will advance.
The best of luck to you on your journey, and as promised, here is the link: -
Welcome
You are facing some obstacles
My thoughts are with paralysis of your entire left arm then you need a substitute for holding the instrument.
A possibility is some kind of jury rig strapped to you like movie camera rigs as in this on ebay
I think you will need to work on playing with very low mouthpiece pressure.
I usually advise new players to practice making pitches as beautiful as humanly possible, to practice striking pitches confidently and strongly on pitch and practicing smooth unwavering tones.
If you can master these or at least work on them then you have a good chance of sounding at least as good as others in your community band and possibly better than many.
Range of course is always a challenge
My advice here is to practice musical phrases that include pitches at the upper end of your range and at the lower. This should see your range develop and gradually extend.
If you can play confidently and sound good at articulating and sounding pitches then you will win a place in the band and the respect of the other musicians.
Uan Rasey has been mentioned and he overcame disability to reach the very top.
It might seem like an impossible task at first to overcome your disability and reach a high standard but remember this, everything is impossible until you know how to do it.
I love your can do attitude.
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Welcome to TB! I admire your indomitable spirit, and your unquenchable thirst for music. Feel free to ask any question you might want answered, even if the question sounds stupid to your ears - there is a saying in Vienna, "You can only get cleverer by asking stupid questions."
As to holding the instrument: ErgoBrass have a very nice contraption that might suit your needs.
