r/trumpet

Without naming names I feel a flash of anger every time I see a social media trumpet player speeding up their performances. Some go so far as to admit doing so, apparently without shame.

The insult to me comes from the fact that it’s hard to play fast. Speeding up a take for IG views cheapens it.

Probably I’m just overreacting and jealous of the millions of views these videos sometimes get.

I have three trumpets, but it’s been five years since I last picked one up and really played it. I figured that since I know trumpet, I could participate in a local band that needs more of them, and so I pulled out my plastic trumpet a few days ago to start practicing. Right off the bat, I was able to play kind of like I used to (although I’ve only ever really played my metal trumpets, and I’ve never played with aligners on my teeth like I have now). However, everything started going downhill from there, and it started bringing up some bad memories and anger issues I used to have.

My tone is inconsistent, my embouchure is unreliable and fuzzy, and I can’t even really hold a buzz with or without the trumpet. As I continued practicing on my plastic trumpet, I was only able to hit a high E and a few times made it to a high G, and many of my notes sounded out of tune or jumped registers at the onset, which is when I realized that I couldn’t adjust the slides on my plastic trumpet like I can on my metal ones. This was mostly concerning because unlike many of my peers in the past, I had always adjusted the tune of my notes through my playing rather than the trumpet, and I found that I struggled to do that.

I started playing trumpet when I was nine years old, but I never really seemed to improve that much, even if I outperformed some people, and practicing only seemed to make my playing worse. I’ve felt like there was a problem with my embouchure for quite a while, but I struggled to find a solid instruction on how that should be arranged, because the facial tension displayed by examples of correct embouchure online as well as historical trumpet players doesn’t seem to always be consistent with what is described as most correct. Some sources seemed to provide contradictory information about how tense or relaxed different muscles should be, and just like with my phonation in speech, my air would get cut off at the strangest times. I used to turn bright red whenever I played, and people would tease me by calling me a strawberry.

I remember one of my teachers later on teaching that the lower lip should be more engaged than the upper one, and it made me feel very unsure about the way I had always played, because my upper lip seems to do almost all the work. Even when making facial expressions outside of playing music, my peers at the time seemed to have a level of flexibility with their lower lips that I didn’t, because their lower lips could fold down almost completely away from their teeth and toward the chin without them having to engage the upper lips and cheeks. My lips have always felt very limp. Back then, I couldn’t move my lower lip like that at all, and even now, my whole face has to contort for that sort of position. Those same friends had only started playing and were able to move to a more advanced band without me, while I had never even been in the same band as them because I wasn’t a beginner, so it was somewhat demotivating, and it makes me remember the other ways in which I didn’t quite align with them or their interests.

I can also play percussive instruments, which I did for marching band once because I wasn’t confident in my breath control for trumpet. Even then, I would sometimes get heat stress, so when I became lead snare, I had to alternate with others. Now, I am wondering if I should just stick to percussion and not go back, even if trumpets are more portable and I would have to borrow percussive instruments which aren’t mine. Right now, it feels like I’m playing trumpet to simply hear the notes, like pressing my fingers on a keyboard without actually knowing how to play. I can easily remember the fingerings and how to read the sheet music, but I’m starting to wonder if my execution was ever really worth it when I can play many other instruments I have nearly just as well on a beginner level.

I’ve been out of my school band for a while and I’m joining a jazz community ensemble soon enough, but I need some stuff to keep me not only polished but also entertained.

I have my Allstate audition books, and the Arban book, but I find myself bored with classical literature. Could someone recommend some entertaining jazz books that I could play with? Thanks.

I have made FMEA Allstate 9-10, for skill context.

We were hoping to start my 5yo on a musical instrument this year. Initially planning a violin or piano, but he really wants a trumpet. I think he’s a bit young to start the trumpet but I’m wondering if a pcornet would be good for keeping the interest alive till he’s big enough for a brass instrument.
Right now he is a 5 year old with typical 5 year old level focus and I really don’t think he would do well with a brass instrument yet.
Does anyone have any experience or thoughts?

Using online sellers, deciding between New Bach Btr301 at $650 vs New Yamaha 2330 at $840. The Yahama is an ebay seller from japan (I understand these are made in China now, but comes in box with hard case etc, and thousands of feedback 99.9%). The Bach is stateside.

I played trumpet from 4th grade through freshman in college and was pretty decent (1st chair high school orchestra). I'm now late 30s and want to pick it back up but sold my trumpets right after college when I stopped playing. I learned on a Bach tr300 and had a Yamaha intermediate in late HS.

Deciding between the title models and feeling stuck. For the same price I'd buy the Yamaha for sure, but for $200 less and having free US based returns if needed I'm leaning Bach. Just don't want to be disappointed relearning on a trumpet with "QC issues". These models are because it's where my budget is and I don't want to spend more in case I don't enjoy getting back into it.

I am very opposed to buying used because I live in a very rural place with no good options, and buying used online is out of the question.

I have a couple old horns with a Bb to A quick change valve. I’m just curious if there’s any real reason I shouldn’t use this feature if, for example, i’m busking or at a jam, and somebody calls a tune in E major(concert). Couldn’t I just pull out the quick change and try to play in G instead of F sharp? Is there a good reason not to do that?

Hi everybody! Just as the title says, I'm about to start playing trumpet at 30 years old. I'm not scared that it is too late; I'm perfectly conscious that starting to play an instrument as an adult is not the same that starting as a kid, when the brain is practically a sponge. I'm aware that the main difference now is my motivation, my certain will to learn and that I have had to use my own money to fund this hobby, hehe.

I have bought a Yamaha 2330 trumpet, which will hopefully be in my hands by tomorrow. I have contacted a music school and my trumpet lessons will start in September. I have been into music lessons since I was 7, when I learned to play the txistu (a basque wind instrument) until I was 18. I assume that having experience with a wind instrument will help in my journey, as I have learned to control the flow of the air, and the txistu also has 3 holes and you can play various notes with the same position, the air flow being the only thing that changes.

I'm a bit scared that all this eagerness is the begginer motivation, and that it will falter when I discover that playing well is much harder than I think. I'm afraid that I won't be able to make it sound, or that it will be exhausting and I will lose momentum when I find out that I'm not immediately good at it. I have an extensive record of activities that I have started and abandonned when the desired results weren't reached. But I want that to change, I want to stick to the trumpet and see how it evolves, better or worse, but with commitment, so in the future I might be able to say: well, this time I really tried and didn't give up.

I'm writing this to see if anyone has had a similar experience, or if you have any advice you could give in this situation. Also it can help as a reminder for my future self not to give up. Thank you! :)

I have been trying to create more time in my lessons for duets and I'm always glad I did. It's not new, it's not innovative, but it's a gift you give to your students, yourself, and the parents sitting on the other side of the door.

Easy duets, challenging ones, sight-reading, etc. Working on comfort in the upper register? Grab that Belwin Easy Duets book and do them up an octave.

Any good duet book reccs? Any level but I'd love some on the easier side for my middle schoolers that are a little more hip than belwin, arban, etc.

Hello! I’m a 21 year old and I’ve been playing trumpet for about 5 years give or take. This is a quick run down, I started playing my sophomore year during Covid as a hobby. For never having a proper trumpet teacher I learned quick and I started with the Mariachi genre. My mariachi teacher barely knew the trumpet so I’m self taught for the most part. I played in Symphonic and Orchestra groups on the side but mariachi was always my first choice and my job.

Last year my Mariachi teacher invited me to his personal group as the second trumpet. I learned a lot being there the other trumpet player playing first trumpet was incredible and I was able to keep up. I’m talking 13 hour weekends no problem. 8 hour Saturdays followed by 5 hour Sundays.

This is where my issue begins. Late last year around November my boss/ teacher tells me that the other trumpet player is quitting and that I’ll have to take the mantel of first trumpet. I won’t lie and say I practiced, I honestly used my time very bad and barely did anything because I thought I had it in the bag. I figured I’d be able to get it done since I was already doing so good on second trumpet.

As time goes on my trumpet playing gets worse. My stamina isn’t anywhere near where it used to be I can barely last 4 hours and I’ve lost a lot of range. I used to be able to hold a high D and I can barely hit a B above the staff. Some days I can last up to even 5 hours other days I can’t even last 1. My boss hasn’t been at all supportive and really has just been belittling me, condescending, and straight up insulting.

During gigs I’m not able to reach those notes I used to be able to and when I play it feels like my lip is too stiff. What usually happens is my mouth feels weak like I’m losing strength and because of that I end up not making a good sound. By the end of the 1st hour I often bring down my notes a whole octave because I can’t play high anymore. Taking a shot usually helps but I don’t want to rely on alcohol.

I need advice on what I should do. I practice everyday but I’m not sure if I’m practicing correctly or enough. I know there isn’t a quick fix but I would like a good coherent and cohesive plan and approach to what I can do. I’m sick of being insulted and I want to prove him wrong since he’s so convinced I barely practice.

I appreciate you taking the time to read this and even more if you leave a comment with your own opinions and advice.

I'm just wanting to know where to look because I've been searching for one of these for months now and I've still yet to find anything at all. NOTE : I WILL NOT BUY A Conn 4b Bb Bass trumpet off of anyone on this subreddit. I just want to know where I can find one.

I've been playing trumpet in standard orchestra tuning, A=442hz. But today since we are playing with keyboards and other electric instruments we are tuning down to A=440hz.

Thing is, my slide is almost 1 1/2" out, and some of the partials suddenly feel so wrong

Playing a solo for a competition don’t know what to play though.

It's getting really frustrating. Any advice would be very appreciated.

https://soundcloud.com/jeff-zahos/unknown-tune

Hello, trumpeters! I need help ID'ing the piece in the linked audio file. I notated the tune as I remember it in MuseScore and exported an mp3.

In the piece I'm hearing in my "mind's ear", I *think* trumpet carries the tune. I *think* it is a standard piece of baroque or classical rep, but maybe it's a brass quintet? I've scoured YouTube, searching all the usual suspects: Mouret, Telemann, Clarke, Charpentier, Purcell, etc., but no luck. Can you help?

Thanks!

-A timpanist