And I take this as a chance for a rebirth. gmonady is now Dr GO.

Prior to my retirement from my professorial gig at the medical school this past December, I taught muscle physiology in the first year medical student curriculum. We are at the mercy to the laws of physiology of muscle fiber development. So it takes about 2-6 weeks for muscle to adapt to new stress without damaging fibers. At the end of that 2-6 week span, one can add another 20% duration to the work out. So if 45 minutes is all you can do at this point, continue for several weeks at 45 minutes, than in that new week add 45 x 0.20 or about 10 minutes to the next week (55 minutes) and stay with that for another several weeks. Then advance another 20%. Keep doing this at these intervals until you reach your goal.

Let fatigue be your friend. When you loose control or start leaking air, step away from the horn for the day and start back at it tomorrow.

Let me know how this works out.

I was walking by a brown stone in New York and heard jazz streaming from a window. Door was open so I went in to find a band playing in an open loft. Asked if I could listen to which a band member replied sure then asked if I played. Said yes, was a trumpet player. They asked if I had my horn with me and told them in the building down the block. They asked me to get it and sit in as their second trumpet would not be there. I did. Turned out it was the 9 lives jazz ensemble, Mingus's band just after he passed. Wound up being bands sub and this launched my music career in NYC.

AND to the Chemists out there:

HAPPY EASTER from:

The Ether Bunny

A mechanic was removing a cylinder head from the motor of a Harley when a heart surgeon walked into his shop. As the surgeon was waiting for the service manager to look at his bike, the mechanic called to him: "Hey Doc, can I ask you a question?" The surgeon, a bit surprised, walked over to the mechanic working on the motorcycle.

The mechanic wiped his hands on a rag and asked, "Doc, look at this engine. Like you, I can open it up, take valves out, fix 'em, put in new parts and when I finish this will work just like a new one. So why do I earn a pittance and you get the really big money, when we are doing basically the same work?"

The surgeon smiled, leaned over, and whispered to the mechanic: “Try doing it while the engine is still running.”

By the way, I believe it was the Yamaha 631 that Chuck Mangione used, and word on the street was it Feels So Good.

If TrumpetBoards had an award for most creative and artistic design, I know you would get it! So amazing, functional and esthetic, and a heck of a lot more economical then getting a hand surgeon consultant.

Playing a big band gig tonight and the director passed out the charts to sight read "Feel So Good" giving me the solo flugelhorn part. That one was for you Chuck.

May I suggest directly contacting Charlie Melk (https://charliesbrassworks.com/) or Tom Green (https://www.facebook.com/GreensBuffingAndInstrumentRepair/) by contact information on their website for more specifics. For personal advice: "Not in mint condition" makes it difficult for me to advise.

They may suggest a cost as well to have it refurbished. That cost may well be recovered in selling a repaired horn. In my case, I bought my Olds Super Recording through (ANA Mandez) on TrumpetMasters and an early member but without recent posts on TrumpetBoards. He is a good resource for Super Recordings, and sold me a Charlie Melk refurbished (secondary to significant bell damage) and unlacquered horn for $3,000. I was very pleased with that price and Charlie did an excellent repair on the bell. Maas brass polish is used once a year and keeps it as shinny as all my remaining horns with lacquer.

As for your kidney transplant, I do hope all is going well. As a physician, I care for several patients undergoing kidney transplant and they do very well with very long lasting transplant renal functions. I do not see many complications at all with the anti-rejection medications that are needed to maintain function.

I play two 4-Valve Flugelhorns, a Getzen and a Kanstul. For the flugelhorn, the 4th valve provides better intonation for 1,3 and 1,2,3 valve configurations all such combinations starting from the first D below staff. It also eases the bridge between lower register and pedal tone and does get me to harmonics that I could not reach easily on a 3 valve flugelhorn. My experience is unique however to a flugelhorn, not a trumpet.

I have never played a 4 valve trumpet and not sure the upper range argument would be reasoning for me to have such a horn after watching the Stomvi's 4 valve video. The double high C played by the 4 valve trumpet on the last note is performed with no valves used (standard key use). So I am not sure why they would make such a claim. I have not trouble incorporating the double high C on my Harrelson, Martin Committee and Olds Ambassador trumpets, all with 3 valves.

Again, I love the 4 valve feature on the flugelhorn for intonation and lower note bridging features. Also hate the idea of playing the fourth valve with the index finger of the left hand. Many people use 4 valve horns this way. I like keeping the right hand in charge of all the valve work so have no pinky finger ring on the 4 valve Getzen (which is the standard issue for that horn) and had Kanstul not install the pinky ring ring on their flugelhorn (which was their standard feature).

So since my last post a while ago, my first valve on my Kanstul has gotten a little "wonky" with occasional slowing of response. Immediately after using my standard valve oil (Ultrapure), the wonkyness continues. Robert Love of Brasswind research loaned me a valve lubricant called: Rouge Lube. Worked like a charm, but did need additional application in about a month. Robert said the magic ingredient was transmission fluid (added to a valve oil at a 1:2 ratio) by his analysis.

So again works like a charm, but only rarely does go into reverse unexpectedly.

I have been "semi" retired. I left my medical practice the end of May, and have been doing 2 months of home tasks, such as building a washer/dryer counter top for my wife, wainscoting our dining room, rebuilding concrete lawn sculptures, mulching 9 cubic yards of our home gardens, staining decks, power washing concrete walls and gutters. And after all of that... I am ready to go back to work so have an interview with the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine to go back into an academic practice in a rural community.

Also due to my retirement, I have been playing more gigs with multiple bands. I have been sitting in for vacationing friends in civic bands, playing some nice paying gigs with two big bands, working regularly backing up a female jazz vocalist in her quintet, and was recently added to an "Elvis Presley" 10 piece Vegas style band that plays fairly regularly.

Then there were days like today were I had a day of doing nothing other than dog sitting 4 Schnauzers for my wife and mother in law while they were out and about only to get a call at 2 pm to play a jazz fusion gig at 7 pm.. Just got back from the gig and feeling kind of energized from the vibe. And the Schnauzers are still alive! Picture of the Jazz Fusion Band (Mosaic) I sat in with:

So overall life is good!

Thanks for asking Shifty. Hope all is well with you as well.

I do not have a Callet trumpet but have one of his mouthpieces that he hand lathed for my Olds Recording in his studio when I lived in New York City. An amazingly wonderful individual.

My reply is more however based on you noting the more recent maker of his trumpet, Kanstul is now defunct. I have a Kanstul that recently had an issue that I was unaware a valve cap had fallen off. I tried on line to find a replacement and had a heck of a time (I have had no problems for instance finding parts for my 1946 vintage Martin Committee).

So out of desperation, I contacted Jason Harrelson to see if he has machined caps for the Kanstul, and he did. So I got a complete set of valve caps from him and they fit and work perfectly.

So if you doe need any replacement parts for your Callet, do contact Harrelson Trumpets and they would most likely accommodate your needs.

@administrator Watch the video. There are studies that compare different wind instrument effects on ocular pressure.

I am a physician and see the "red eye" as a common presentation. The fact that you do not describe seeing "floaters" makes it less likely (but does not rule out) a retinal detachment or hemorrhage. The red eye is caused by many benign conditions, so yes it can be common. But it can also be a sign of conditions that need investigation if lingering more than a couple days.

I am concerned regarding sensation you feel with air vibration causing pain. Red eye and pain with pressures suggests glaucoma, and continued playing would not be recommended with glaucoma. This would be my most likely concern. So I would recommend scheduling a visit with an ophthalmologist to get at a minimum, ocular pressures measured, as well as a slit lamp exam.

I am also sharing a video that discusses trumpet playing with eye disease. Hope you find this information useful: