Posts made by TrumpetLearner

@georgeb You are right. I am definitely going to focus more on getting a better sound, than trying to get higher notes. Thank you for sharing your advice and practice routine. I still have a long way to go!

@georgeb I actually had an online lesson with a really great teacher. Well, it's hard for a complete novice to know whether a teacher is good or not, but let's just say it was the right fit for me, as things were explained in a way that I could understand easily, and there was plenty of theory discussed.

So, I had the lesson 2 days after laying eyes on a trumpet for the first time, and during the lesson I managed to hit that G (first note above the staff). Obviously it was an accident - after playing the low C and next G up, I was asked to give the next C a shot (3rd open harmonic) and I over-compensated and fired as hard as I could, getting 2 harmonics above the intended note.

Although I had never touched a trumpet before last week, I had been studying videos on YouTube for 2 weeks, and had been using a visualiser to work on my embochure. Also, I don't think it's that impressive to get a high note if a) You have absolutely no control over the quality/volume of the note & b) You use such an awful technique that you nearly pop an eye out of your head!!

So, the notes up to the top of the staff have become more manageable since then. But the G above high C was a result of me deliberately making my aperture as tiny as possible, forcing as much air as I could into the mouthpiece, and pushing the trumpet up against my lips as hard as I could. I don't think I will be playing comfortably up there for a while.

Edit: About the fingerings above high C - I didn't touch the valves when I was trying this. I was simply forcing air into the trumpet. Oh, and you're right, I would not have been able to identify the notes by ear. I sit with a keyboard, and play back notes there, where I can recognise what they are. I do this all the time while playing the trumpet, as I need an audiable cue to start my first note accurately.

@j-jericho So, I was counting Low C as the lowest note on the open harmonic scale, the one above that as 'middle', the next one as 'high', and I expect the one after that is what people call 'double-high C'. Although it does seem that people refer to different notes differently.

@georgeb Thanks for the advice George - I'll be trying all of the things you suggest. I've been practicing in small bouts of 5-10mins, and things are progressing nicely. I do find it difficult to play a crystal clear note, without any air sound. I'm making small adjustments to my embouchure in order to fix this. Range-wise, I can comfortably play up to the G above middle C, and I find those notes tend to be clearer than the lower ones. I've managed to hit as high as G above high C, but it wasn't with any finesse or good technique - simply the childish temptation to see how high a sound I can make out of my new toy hahaha.

Ok, so I managed to find a video of a 1st valve slide trigger. So, it basically does the same job as a saddle, it just operates in a slightly different way.

1st day of having a trumpet has passed and my lips feel swollen today! Think I must have been pressing the mouthpiece too hard against my mouth.

@newell-post Thanks Newell, I probably won't buy it anyway. And I did get a Yamaha, which arrived a few hours ago haha. But out of curiosity, what's the deal with the first slide saddle on that one? Do all trumpets not have them?

I'm using this video to learn with at the moment:

I decided it was worth getting a visualiser, and working closely on embouchure right from the start. I am sure there are many different approaches, but this one seems good so far.

I'm just starting out learning the trumpet, but an instrument caught my eye - the King Silver Flair 1055T. I have done a bit of research, and apparently it was the top pro model for King from 1964 to 1979. So, I've seen one for sale, but have no experience in buying a used trumpet, so I thought I had better get some advice.

Two things spring to mind - There is no 1st valve slide hook. Is it supposed to have one? If not, how does one operate the slide during playing?

The other thing is, one of the buttons is not original. I was wondering why this could be. Is it common for them to be damaged? If the button has had a knock, could the valve be damaged too? Also, it appears to be the middle button - so I would expect that one to be less likely to be knocked. I thought I'd ask here before I put this question to the seller.

Here's a link to the listing: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-king-silver-flair-trumpet-Pre-UMI/154306356346

I look forward to hearing from more experienced eyes. Thank you for looking!

Thank you all for the suggestions and advice. I will definitely check out the Standards of Excellence.

I agree that it's difficult, or perhaps impossible, for a beginner to determine which YouTube posters are posting the best learning methods. A similar problem arises when trying to select a teacher for proper lessons. Everyone will have varying opinions, and therefore a different approach to teaching.

For example, from what I've seen on YouTube, there seem to be some who don't believe that the lips need to produce a buzzing, and that simply blowing air through the horn will work. Of course, I have never even touched a trumpet, so I have no idea what works best, but isn't buzzing the commonly accepted method?

None of my equipment has turned up yet - can't wait to get going!

Does anyone else have this issue? When I post a new topic, it doesn't appear in the forum that it has been posted to. It must be visible to others, because I have received replies. The only way I can find one of my own topics is to go through my profile.

That's brilliant! Thank you!

That's great - thank you!

So, the original Selmer is not to be confused with instruments from Conn/Selmer? They seem to own a lot of brands, including Bach and King.

Trumpeter: Did you hear my last recital?
Friend: I hope so.

Hi Newell,

Thanks for taking a look. I do play the piano, and I'm able to read music, so hopefully that will help a little bit. Mostly I am focussing on the mechanics of playing the instrument for now, rather than the musical side of things.

Hello,

I have decided to have a go at learning the trumpet. It took a while to finally choose an instrument, and it will apparently arrive within the next two weeks. I spoke to some teachers, trying to find one to teach me, but it seems that opinions and teaching styles vary quite a lot. It is also quite a difficult time to start learning, as lessons will only be conducted remotely.

So, I am going to try learning on my own, with the aid of YouTube videos, and other online resources. While I await the arrival of my instrument, I decided to buy an embouchure visualiser, and to start working on this area, as it must be the most basic and fundamental part to get right. This is the video I plan to use for this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLE_-ly8hrQ&t

I was wondering if anyone had a better idea of where to start, or perhaps recommendations for some books or other learning materials that are considered standard/compulsory learning.

Thanks for any advice!

Martin

Hello all,

I am completely new to the Trumpet, having just ordered my first instrument!

I did a lot of research to decide which trumpet to get (I went with a Yamaha Student model in the end), but I became curious to know which brands were played by famous Jazz musicians. Is there a list somewhere? I am thinking of musicians like Louis Prima, Louis Armstrong, Harry James, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Ennio Morricone etc. Have these famous players historically stuck to one instrument throughout their careers? Have they remained loyal to one brand? Is there a brand that is considered to be the 'Rolls Royce' of Trumpet makers?

Coming from a piano background, I am familiar with the different brands, and who played what. So I was wondering if these things are also discussed in the Trumpet world.

Best wishes

Martin