So how did you start out to learn the trumpet?

Dr GO

My first Rock Band paid my room/board and tuition for 4 years of college at the University of Cincinnati as a chemistry major:

We played 4 nights a week (3 school nights) which is why my Student Adviser recommended instead of continuing on as Pre-Med, that I go into Oceanography, as my grades were all below "C"-level.

[Which sadly, they were... but I get the last laugh as I now sign my name as Gary M. Onady MD, PhD]

Newell Post

@Kehaulani

LOL. Oh, how I wish I had a photo of my old rock band! Those were the days of horn bands, and we pirated tunes from BS&T, Chicago, and even a couple of simplified Chase tunes. The horn section (me plus one other trumpet and one t-bone) played on about half of the songs. I was even the emergency, back-up keyboard man. The other songs were R&R standards, but they let us play tambourine and cow bell on those. More cow bell! More cow bell!

chelpres

@Rapier232 Our parallels are so similar, albeit I was slightly older than 40. Someone gave me the loan of a trumpet, never having touched one previously!! Set about teaching myself to both play and read. Financial priorities meant that a teacher was out of the question, so it was a long, slow and painful process, however I am now in 2 community bands, (and president of one).
The downside is that as I progress I inevitably compare myself with other, more accomplished players. It can be frustrating, but ultimately rewarding,so they say!
Regards

oldpete

I taught myself ow to play, beginning in 7th grade. I was sick at home one day and listened to some Bix on old records. We had an old trumpet around the house. Off I went. Our school hired a band director when I was in 9th grade. I went on to major in music and teach it for 40 years

GeorgeB

@Kehaulani Calamity Jane

Oh, yeah, I have that movie, too. Even playing a tomboy Doris was hot.

Kehaulani

@Dr-GO said in So how did you start out to learn the trumpet?:

. . but I get the last laugh as I now sign my name as Gary M. Onady MD, PhD]

You know what they call the guy who finished last in medical school, right?

Newell Post

Hey, even Carlos got a turn on the cow bell.... while on cigarette break.... in the middle of a song....

Dr GO

@Kehaulani said in So how did you start out to learn the trumpet?:

You know what they call the guy who finished last in medical school, right?

The do call them doctor. However, having just left a medical school as a Professor and teaching in all four years of the curriculum, graduating last is still graduating above a 70% level AND passing the USMLE (our Federal licensing exam). Compare this to how often physicians (who have ALREADY graduated) actually choose the best outcome for their patients (numbers published in Advances in Health Sciences Education):
Internists 57%
Family Physicians 50%
Surgeons 45%
Pediatricians 38%

During Graduate School, I actually kicked my academics into high gear and gradated from the City University of New York with a 4.0 average and from medical school number 7 in my class (out of 108) and received the Outstanding Senior Student Award. So I rallied significantly after under graduate years, in part, due to playing in a working band on 3 school nights. Would I do it different.y. Absolutely not as my life was truly enriched with all of these experiences!