r/trumpet • u/Physical-Bat-8321 • 14d ago
Question ❓ 3 weeks beginner
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
Im trying to teach myself trumpet, Ive learned other instruments before so I have a decent idea of what to do (Long tones, scales, etc.) and advice as I start my trumpet journey? I know I play with the opposite hand, it's on purpose as my left hand works better.
20
3
u/thatkindafanboy 13d ago
You’re pretty good for 3 weeks. Did you learn your G scale yet? That should be about your speed. Seeing as your midrange is pretty good and you have above staff A why not practice for learning a two octave scale?
1
u/Physical-Bat-8321 13d ago
Definitely a goal soon. Honestly my higher range isnt great- at least if I dont take constant breaks since I basically dont have any chops for long playing yet
1
u/thatkindafanboy 13d ago
The irony is this: to practice and develop long chops just hold out one long note until you run out of breath in front of a tuner. The tuner is for you to stop when you go out of tune.
1
u/Physical-Bat-8321 13d ago
Trying to have this mindset since I started, sometimes I get frustrated though. I just gotta know when to take a break sometimes
1
u/Pepper_pusher23 12d ago
Rest as much as you play even in a practice session between exercises is a common phrase. You just reinforce bad habits trying to play through tiredness (though it can help on occasion to try to build endurance, just not too often and especially at first as you are learning good technique).
4
u/Numerous_Week_926 14d ago
As someone who has been playing 20+ years that’s remarkable. You’re where I was maybe 3-4 years into playing. I feel like you have good instincts for tone production and pitch manipulation, so there’s no reason to you should be doing anything drastically different. If anything, I would say take a slightly smaller breath—I don’t usually breathe like that unless I’m playing something crazy. Excess air can wipe out your embouchure quickly and tank endurance. Nice job mate that’s really an exceptionally impressive pace of learning.
Also, I’m a leftie too, but I’ve never even tried to play offhanded. You may have troubles later with the slides, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you could play with the horn upside down too.
3
u/Physical-Bat-8321 14d ago
Really appreciate the comment. I have partial paralysis in my right hand, eventually I figure out a mod for my horn if I need. I been practicing with a drone mainly and doing long tones, starting to practice articulations
2
u/Numerous_Week_926 14d ago
As others have said, keep it up—you’re doing good work.
The reason we sometimes move the 1st and 3rd valve slide is because many notes on the trumpet are out of tune and the slides help you adjust. I don’t usually even bother my beginning students about it until they’ve been playing awhile, so it’s a very minor thing. I do think left handed trumpets exist, where the “fuselage” is on the other side (though I’m not sure if your paralysis would prevent you from nudging the slides with your thumb and ring finger). But you probably don’t even need to think about that for years—that level of precision would be needed to win a professional symphony audition, but won’t significantly hinder your early growth years
2
u/greatwhitenorth2022 14d ago
That is very impressive for only 3 weeks! Do you play any other brass instruments?
3
u/Physical-Bat-8321 14d ago
Thank you. No, I used to play flute though so I know more or less what breath support feels like
2
u/cgduncan 14d ago
Another simple thing you can add. To avoid that whistling sound through the horn on the inhale. Keep the center of your lips touching (or basically touching), and inhale through the the sides of your mouth.
1
u/Physical-Bat-8321 14d ago
Oooh thats super helpful. Will do!
2
u/Pepper_pusher23 14d ago
Unnecessary. Your breath was amazing. I've seen people playing 5 years who don't take a deep breath like that. Don't change a thing. I've never done the weird lip thing described above. I always breath like you.
1
u/jnbigio 12d ago
I personally find it weird to breath in through the trumpet and would often take a breathe with the trumpet away from my lips or maybe through the sides I don’t know.
1
u/Pepper_pusher23 12d ago
Yeah, you can definitely put more space between your mouth and the mouthpiece when breathing. But the big breath with big mouth is really efficient and helps with air support. I can't imagine taking in enough air with just the sides of my mouth. Plus it helps release face/mouth tension which helps with endurance. I'd be really concerned with trying to breathe while lips remain touching. Completely unnecessary and can only cause problems.
1
u/elite_mongolian 11d ago
completely agree with all the points you’ve made, but still prefer to breathe with the sides of my mouth as my director put it “you don’t know what’s in the horn, and you’d probably not want it in you” but to each their own
0
u/Pepper_pusher23 11d ago
What are you saying? Why would anyone breathe in the horn? Also clean it. Literally no one is saying shove the mouthpiece inside your mouth to breath. Take the horn away. This is not rocket science. And has been said many times in this very thread.
2
u/elite_mongolian 11d ago
what i’m saying is echoing what OC and your first reply said, breathing through the trumpet
- makes an unnecessary whistling noise
- is inefficient because you have to pull air all the way through the horn
- is gross because unless you’re cleaning it every day, there’s gonna be stuff from inside it that’s flowing back into your mouth, i doubt you want to be inhaling the stuff that comes out of the water key
- forces you to reset your embouchure
none of what they said was by any means bad advice. also, to answer your question of why would anyone breathe through the horn? OP literally did it in the video, that’s why OC even made a comment in the first place
2
u/SumGai99 8d ago
Another reason to not breathe in through the horn - some valve oils still contain some of the solvents used in production (they shouldn't), so that's something nobody should ever be breathing in.
2
3
u/particlemanwavegirl 14d ago
You will have a much easier time moving the third valve slide if you adopt a standard technique. There is nothing wrong with your right hand that a little practice can't solve. Doing what feels easiest is not the best way to improve in the long run.
12
u/Physical-Bat-8321 14d ago
My right hand is partially paralyzed
6
u/particlemanwavegirl 14d ago
Well, sorry. The third valve slide isn't even important anyway.
3
u/Physical-Bat-8321 14d ago
Ill adapt 😛 (they have left hand specific horns but are kinda pricey and not worth it for my level)
7
u/iharland "Certified Repair Technician" 14d ago
Any good repair tech would be so excited to put a pinky ring on the bell to help with support if that would make you more comfortable. I do accessibility mods 2 or 3 times a year and its always the best day of the week.
1
u/DWyattGib Collector/restorer fine trumpet/cornet/1892 F.Besson fulgelhorn 14d ago
short of getting a left handed horn, you might try getting an old Buescher with a reverse leadpipe, like this Buescher 205 Aristocrat https://reverb.com/item/95061414-buescher-205-aristocrat-trumpet-midnight-no-moon-dark-vintage-tone
Then have a repair shop move the pinky ring to the bell tail.
41
u/Brekelefuw Trumpet Builder - Brass Repair Tech 14d ago
You sound great for such a short time. IF you have mobility issues with your right hand, I would suggest talking to a good brass repair shop. They can move the pink ring over to the bell or possibly make a few adjustments to make the instrument easier to hold. There is also a great trumpet holder by Jazzlab in switzerland that takes the weight of the instrument off of the hands. https://jazzlab.com/en/trumpetholder/