@Kehaulani

Yes, I bought one a few months ago. No trumpet valve combinations to worry about, just slide positions. Much easier to move my arm.

I have the same problem. I cannot play fast passages. I’ve tried playing then slowly etc. Nothing seems to work, but I think I have an answer. When I’ve played Sister Act in April, I’m going to give up the trumpet and teach myself the trombone. No valves, no more problem.

@Bertie

Maybe it’s just that ‘they’ can’t quantify talent.

@Bertie

Well, for what it’s worth, I was a National Police Firearms Instructor for 20 years. I taught people with absolutely no experience whatsoever from basic level all the way to very advanced close protection and hostage rescue teams. I found some people, including me, were absolute naturals at all shooting disciplines. Others found the skills difficult and some found them impossible and failed to reach the necessary standards required. So I’d disagree, natural talent/ability does exist, and those with it will out perform those without.

@Dr-GO

I’m sorry. I only speak English.

Very nice.

Surely there is also a talent/aptitude element involved?

No matter how much I trained/practiced could I ever beat Usain Bolt in a race? His natural ability would never be challenged by any training regime.

I think it might be the case with instruments. I know young people that can play better than I can even dream of doing. Playing with ease, things I struggle with. And they can’t have practiced more hours than me because they haven’t been alive long enough.

Another problem I see is that Teachers are generally people that are naturally good at their subject, and find it difficult to teach someone who doesn’t have their natural skill. Experience helps certainly, but it’s still tough. At school I was useless at Maths. Still am. No matter how my teachers used to try to explain things to me, using every method they knew, I could never grasp their meaning. The point of that example is that the good young trumpet players I know, tend to have ‘mathematical brains’. I wonder if that lends itself to natural talent/ability aspect of Trumpet playing?

I did. When I was around 38, I got some unexpected overtime and my wife said I could treat myself to something. I’d always fancied playing a trumpet, so I went into a music shop and bought a trumpet and Tune a Day book 1. I taught myself to play and read music at the same time. Never had any lessons. After a couple of years I joined a local Brass Band, where I discovered that what I thought was an A was an E. who knew? Anyway I gradually learned the correct fingering and improved. 30 years later I’m still playing. And sometimes get paid for theatre shows.

Still no lessons. However that is my biggest regret. There are huge gaps in my knowledge, range and skills that I lack. I was on shift work in the police, so rarely had the same days off, which, along with the cost, made lessons impossible.

Same as every year. Going to bed around 10.30-11pm. Last time I saw the New Year in was 1999/2000.

@ButchA said in Not really a "mouthpiece safari" but the need for a "saving grace" type of mouthpiece...:

Thanks, everyone!

One more question: Does anyone have experience with Denis Wick mouthpieces?

I have a Trumpet 5x. Wick. Very uncomfortable. And yet I can happily play on the 4M or 5 on cornet.

One not on your list that is worth a look is the Smith Watkins Mike Lovatt mouthpiece range. The Lead and Studio versions are very comfortable to play for long periods. You can get 3 different weight boosters too, that screw fit. If you don’t know of Mike Lovatt, check him out on YouTube. Awesome player and much in demand as a lead player for films, shows and orchestra. Flies to the US to play for Seth McFarland and Michael Buble regularly.