Returning Trumpet Player After 55 Years

[edger]

A month or so ago I decided to return to one of my first loves: the Bb trumpet. I started in 3rd grade and played into college. I never had any real lessons, just the band director making sure we could play the repertoire. Having grown up a few miles east of Manhattan I was able to hear some of the greats of jazz. Marvin Stamm, Dizzy, Art Farmer, etc.
So far the recovery of my embouchure has been a challenge for my 75 year old lips, but I practice every day and progress has been made. I also found an excellent community band that plays an ambitious repertoire.
I was gifted an old Leblanc Conrad Gozzo autograph horn and I also play an Allora plastic trumpet that sounds remarkably good.
Any other returning instrumentalists? Should make an interesting thread.

 

[DesertDan]

Congrats on your return!
I have played bass guitar for almost 50 years, but I had been on hiatus for the last 6 months. Finally had a jam session last week and looks like it will probably be bi-weekly for a couple of months.
I don't gig anymore, hung up my spurs several years ago, but I continue to jam and record with other musician friends.

 

[Mez]

I've played guitar for about ten years but pretty much gave it up in the last year because I have no one to play with and it just got boring playing with backing tracks. Although, I've been meaning to start on the keyboard. I have one just have not gotten around to learning on it. Its awesome you found a band to play with. Good luck!

 

[hobie1dog]

I've been playing 50 years.

 

[hobie1dog]

25 years ago

 

[hobie1dog]

 

[hobie1dog]

The 2 videos above were when I had both lungs working.

 

[Sparcdude]

I tried going back to the trumpet after many years, but it didn’t go well. I have full dentures these days, so my embouchure is, shall we say, “interesting”. It irritates me that I can’t maintain my tone anymore.

In my playing days, the director said I sounded like a cornet, while my cornet playing partner sounded like a trumpet! Neither one of us ever figured out if that was good or bad. I switched to baritone horn later as I liked the mellow sound and I found that the bass clef parts tended to be more interesting.

I sill have my Beacon trumpet from ca. 1968. It’s a bit banged up (and had a lincoln log stuck in the bell at one point) and needs a good overhaul. I may or may not bring it back to life.

At this point I think I’m just going to stick with guitar and piano. Maybe take the horn out once in a while to annoy the dogs and/or the wife

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

A month or so ago I decided to return to one of my first loves: the Bb trumpet. I started in 3rd grade and played into college. I never had any real lessons, just the band director making sure we could play the repertoire. Having grown up a few miles east of Manhattan I was able to hear some of the greats of jazz. Marvin Stamm, Dizzy, Art Farmer, etc.
So far the recovery of my embouchure has been a challenge for my 75 year old lips, but I practice every day and progress has been made. I also found an excellent community band that plays an ambitious repertoire.
I was gifted an old Leblanc Conrad Gozzo autograph horn and I also play an Allora plastic trumpet that sounds remarkably good.
Any other returning instrumentalists? Should make an interesting thread.

I’ll be picking up my acoustic guitars after a long absence - had tennis elbow surgery a few years back and I think I can make a few chords without pain now, lol. Still play the piano on occasion but it’s holiday time that gets me going.

Herb Alpert is going strong at 90+ and I just watched Sir Paul perform last week at 80+ with more energy than I’ve got at 60+ —— enjoy!!!!

 

[huntertrw]

So far the recovery of my embouchure has been a challenge for my 75 year old lips...

To paraphrase every band director under whom I studied both French horn and trumpet, "Practicing long tones is key after a layoff of any significant duration."

By way of encouragement, here is a link to an on-line episode of The Paul Leslie Hour from April 26, 2023 wherein he interviews trumpeter John Lovell. Incidentally, Mr. Lovell has been playing since he was five-years-old!

 

[edger]

I recently started private lessons with Mike Vax. He has played with Stan Kenton and Clark Terry among many others. I’m learning fundamentals, which I had neglected as a youth. Playing with records is fun but you don’t really make progress unless you get out the ‘ol Arbans book and work,work,work! Thanks for all the responses.

 

[huntertrw]

My only claim to musical fame is that, many years ago, I was privileged to play a one-shot gig in a band that included Carl "Doc" Severinsen, a memorable (and humbling) experience!

 

[Brad H]

The only time I play anymore is Taps for funerals and memorials.
I still have my Bach Stradivarius from
High school.

 

[Sobrbiker]

That’s awesome Ross, doing to the enjoyment of life is always a good thing!
I’m rhythmically challenged, I attempted to play guitar (like a bajillion other kids in the late seventies/early eighties) but gave up when I noticed I couldn’t tap my foot while playing without throwing myself off.
Someday I may make another attempt, maybe work on a tin whistle since the nuns did successfully teach me to play a recorder in grade school without everyone in earshot cringing.

 

[Joe H]

Congratulations of returning to the trumpet! Music is a great retirement hobby and if your circumstances can support it, it can be very helpful to your local community. I got back into music just before retirement as my kids were learning violin. I took that up to help them until they outpaced anything I could do on the strings. I used to volunteer with the kids’ school orchestra, initially just tuning up the various instruments to help out the teacher, then I started replacing strings and knocked over sound posts, then I was re-cutting bridges. In the end I replaced the necks on a bass and a cello, and was re-hairing bows. It saved the school a ton of money. My wife teaches at the school and asked me to teach a few kids various instruments (I’m poor on viola and cello, and a bit better on violin). When Covid hit, the orchestra teacher didn’t want to come into class but conducting via laptop Zoom just doesn’t work. I ended up being the in-class teacher’s aid and occasionally the substitute conductor. Once my kids moved on to high school I did some volunteer work with the HS non-profit booster club. You’d be amazed how much help music teachers can use.

Once my kids were well on their way to being good musicians, I returned to my first instrument, the trumpet (about 10 years ago). My lips had a 35 year break so it took a while but I’m pretty happy with what I can do now. I find my range is much better now. I used to have a pretty usable F above high C. These days I have a pretty usable G and sometime can do a credible double high C. I try to play along with my old Maynard Furguson albums and most recently am learning the solo part for Harry James’ “Jame Session,” probably my all-time favorite big band piece. If I can ever get through the double-tongue section of the Arban’s book, I’ll try the Al Hirt version of the Green Hornet theme song.

Again, congratulations on getting back into the horn!

 

[hobie1dog]