Posts made by Rapier232

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.

My favourite is the Armed Man by Karl Jenkins, particularly Sanctus. His Orchestral Amadeus is fantastic too.

@Dr-GO said in Professional musicians on this board question:

@Rapier232 said in Professional musicians on this board question:

Sorry Doc.,, You are not a trumpeter that plays doctor.

You sir have not seen me when dating my girlfriends from the past!

No, that’s Doctors and Nurses. We’ve all played that.

@Dr-GO said in Professional musicians on this board question:

@Rapier232 said in Professional musicians on this board question:

...a professional musician, I’d think that was their job. The only source of income.

If you have a job, but get paid for musical performances that, to me, doesn’t make you a professional musician...

Let me give you an example of a performer that is near and dear to my heart: Eddie Henderson. He is a well know and respected professional jazz musician (Roy Hargrove references him as a mentor and refers to him as "Doc").

Eddie Henderson is also a psychiatrist and as I recently have read is still practicing psychiatry, which is recognized as a medical profession.

That makes him a dual professional, musician and physician. I consider myself the same, as some of us (As Old School Euph) has noted have "other lives" as well to our musical lives. As I noted above, some years I made more as a musician, some years as a clinician. In so doing you do not turn one profession off then turn the other on. Both flow at the same time just as hot and cold water from separate handles can be turned on at the same time to run through a common spicket to produce the same, but warmer result that is still called water.

Sorry Doc. You are a Doctor, who plays trumpet. You are not a trumpeter that plays doctor.

Funny thing, language. If someone told me they were a professional musician, I’d think that was their job. The only source of income. If you have a job, but get paid for musical performances that, to me, doesn’t make you a professional musician.

I get paid a couple of times a year to play in a pit band and I’m definitely no professional. I’m not even a good amateur.

My scales go up when I stand on them and the reading never seems to go down.

@Dr-GO said in The One:

That horn really understands me.

I’m glad something can.

@Kehaulani
My Cleartone mute actually says on the label, ‘Corks may need filing’.

Mutes, the bane of my life. Most of my playing is in theatre pit bands. I’ve probably spent more money on mutes for shows than I’ve been paid. Hat mute, Cleartone, metal and fibre straight mutes, metal and fibre cups, plunger, felt mute, even an extra Harmon because there wasn’t enough time to remove and replace stem between use. Sometimes I feel more like a juggler than a trumpet player. Why those that write scores don’t understand the player’s time requirements is a mystery. The puzzled face of an MD when you ask "Do you want this passage with a cup, or straight? Because you can’t have both. I physically cannot change mutes on a quaver rest".

@Kehaulani said in Playing Like A Girl:
. I never had a fight as an adult.

I had lots. But that happens when you’re a cop for 30 years. Especially in the UK, where we don’t have guns.

Having taken Judo when young, and then Karate for 4 years, I found the best defensive moves were from Akido. Which was easy to learn and remember without hours of practice.

My tongue does what I need for articulation. What that is, I have no clue, but pretty sure there isn’t much tongue arch stuff going on.

2 harmons, cup, 2 straight mutes, bucket, plunger, derby hat, felt mute, not so much of a mute bag more of a mute holdall.

"To be born an Englishman, is to be a winner in the lottery of life". As someone famous once said.

When I was around 40, I went into a music shop and bought a trumpet and Tune a Day book 1. I couldn’t read music. Never had a music lesson and never played any musical instrument. I taught myself to play and read music at the same time. 20 years later I get paid to play in the pit for musicals twice a year. My biggest regret is not being taught properly at a young age. There are so many gaps in my knowledge and ability, but I learn a little more as I go along. Although most weeks I decide to give up, I never do.

Update. While I’m still convinced I won’t gain the G in time to be able to play it well enough, or reliably enough, to perform it in the show, I am making more progress than I expected. I can, at least, hit it occasionally. Something I couldn’t do at all when I made the original post. And when I do get it, it’s a real note that I can hold for 8 or more beats, not just a weak squeak. There’s hope for this old man yet.

@J-Jericho
Fair comment. The timescale is not my choice, but that of the requirement for the show. I played all of the the show today, as part of my practice and did hit the G successfully once or twice, mainly by trying to play it softly. It gave me hope that I might get there, eventually.

Thanks for the replies. I’m even more convinced it’s not going to happen for me in the timescale. The Charlie Porter video showed exactly what I do but shouldn’t!

Is it possible to increase my range from comfortable C/D’s above the stave to a G in 6 weeks? I can get a decent E on occasion but not reliably. Playing 2nd trumpet for the show Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the part requires a high C,D,E,G,F run. Neither I or the first trumpet can get the notes, but the MD thinks I can ‘get it’ in time for the show. I’m not so sure.