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Posting resources: This is Cally from "Clarinets, Cats and Coffee" doing a staccato exercise. The book she is working out of is on IMSLP (i forget if it's out of copyright in the US so I won't post the link) and has a lot of pretty good exercises. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP-qOfcqfSU This guy does interval play-along exercises for various woodwinds- this particular one is for trumpet. Excellent for long tones and listening. He does them for oboe, flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone & bassoon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQkWR9ZGOFk
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Apr 12, 2022 14:36
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Hey y'all I've been wanting to get back into play instruments lately for myself and I've really found myself wanting to get into flute as well as bass - bass is no problem I can just buy one and start by relearning what I already forgot, but I have *zero* grounding in woodwinds of any kind, like at all. I guess I played a recorder in 3rd grade sometimes. I am also a mid-20s adult with a job that does not have a regular schedule in which i work 45-50 hours a week, and also it pays minimum wage (plus tips *i guess*) so private lessons or anything like that are right out, I'm mostly looking for online beginner resources to get a vague grasp of how to push air through these things. I also don't wanna go dropping a shitton of money that could go to like, a tattoo or a cat or fixing my teeth on an instrument without *really* knowing what I'm getting into. My motivation far as flute goes is that I love Bobbi Humphrey a lot and I like that it's the oldest kind of instrument in the world and I like that you could just kinda carry one in a purse and be pure evil and just bust that poo poo out and ruin everyones day. Also they sound pretty.
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Apr 23, 2022 05:17
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flute advice: you know how kids like to make weird hooty noises blowing over the top of water bottles? That's generally how you get sound out of a flute, except the tone hole on a flute is way smaller. Beginning flute is mostly a pain in the rear end in regards to making a sound (the fingerings are a close second, but since you're learning it on your own, you can start with way easier fingerings at least). If you can get over the hump of creating a sound, the instrument is imo fun as gently caress. Flute is a category of instruments so there's a lot of poo poo in there, and some of it is pretty drat cheap. You could pick up a wooden transverse flute for ~$40 and see if you like it. A lot of the skills will translate to a silver transverse flute. You could also buy this adorably dorky teaching tool for $30: https://www.blockiflute.com/Pneumo-Pro-_p_1.html it's not gonna make sounds but it will teach you exactly how to direct your air into a transverse flute.
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Apr 23, 2022 05:38
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If you're looking for something between a wooden keyless flute and a new student model, the Nuvo Student Flute is an interesting choice for about $150. It's made of plastic but the tone you can get out of it is still pretty good. It comes with an assistive lip plate that makes it easier to produce a sound while you're still working on the embouchure for the real thing.
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Apr 23, 2022 17:34
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Ty for the pointers, doing some more research I am interested in keyless wooden flutes pretty much exclusively so it'll at least be a lot cheaper than i thought it might be lol
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May 2, 2022 21:09
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Looking to get back into playing the French horn after a 10+ year hiatus and looking to pick up a good used horn. I used to play a Conn 8D in high school and college bands, but sold mine after undergrad. Anyone have any advice on where to get a horn these days and what models to look out for? I’m in NYC if that helps!
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May 11, 2022 02:05
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Penguinone posted:Looking to get back into playing the French horn after a 10+ year hiatus and looking to pick up a good used horn. I used to play a Conn 8D in high school and college bands, but sold mine after undergrad. If you can make the trip to NJ, Dillon Music in Woodbridge has a massive selection.
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May 11, 2022 02:43
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Penguinone posted:Looking to get back into playing the French horn after a 10+ year hiatus and looking to pick up a good used horn. I used to play a Conn 8D in high school and college bands, but sold mine after undergrad. yessssss horn player.  I play on an 8D myself but I feel like it's generally fallen out of favor. The smaller, more precise horns are the new hotness. dunno where to buy things though. My dream horn is an Alexander. Someday...
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May 11, 2022 06:13
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Any woodwind players in here try the new Venn reeds from D’Addario? I’m intrigued, but I also don’t wanna spend reed money on an unknown I guess.
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May 12, 2022 05:47
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No but I am a whore for synthetic clarinet reeds. Just open the box and blast it all over my face sooooo I'll let you know in a few weeks.
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May 12, 2022 16:54
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Ended up shopping at J. Landress Brass. Super cool repair shop/used instrument shop for anyone in the NYC metro area. Blew the budget a little bit with a used Jungwirth horn… now I gotta get my chops back into shape for rehearsing some Wagner early next week.
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May 14, 2022 13:46
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Hawkperson posted:yessssss horn player. I haven't played in 20 years (e: fucckkk that hurt to read) and was surprised to see that Geyer horns have taken over. I played a YHR-668ND back in the day and that was a pretty standard 8D-style horn. Apparently it's a buyers market for Kruspe horns now but unfortunately decent instruments appear to still be $Texas. I did pick up an old Holton T402 trumpet recently, partly thanks to this thread giving me the idea (and partly thanks to binging Tine Thing Helseth on YouTube). It was an impulse buy and I haven't done much with it, life is crazy and I'm trying to keep my focus on restarting piano lessons.
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May 29, 2022 14:54
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Penguinone posted:Ended up shopping at J. Landress Brass. Super cool repair shop/used instrument shop for anyone in the NYC metro area. Blew the budget a little bit with a used Jungwirth horn… now I gotta get my chops back into shape for rehearsing some Wagner early next week. If you got a French horn from Josh then I can assure you got a very good one. He’s a horn player so his French horn work (like all of his work) is superb. I have to take my girlfriends NY Bach to him for a restoration.
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Jun 4, 2022 14:44
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I just discovered Mouthpiece Express dot com and their mouthpiece and instrument parts selection is loving amazing. You're welcome.
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Jun 17, 2022 04:19
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Looking to learn the trumpet, would I severely be handicapping myself if I took online lessons? Surprisingly hard to find teachers around the Denver area. I've messaged a few, but my schedule is a little full lately and probably can't commit to weekly lessons which has turned off teachers I've tried to contact for other instruments in the past. Mainly just want to get a few starter lessons to make sure I don't do anything stupid while trying to learn the proper embouchure and what not Also if anyone has recommendations/is actually a teacher, feel free to DM me!
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Jun 26, 2022 01:49
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Nah especially for what you’re looking for, online lessons will probably work just fine. Not to take $$ from my fellow musicians, but have you checked out instructional vids on YouTube yet? The military bands post a ton of free beginning instructional content so if that’s all you’re looking for, that might do ya
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Jun 26, 2022 05:08
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Thanks! Yeah I've been trawling through YT all day trying different vids. I rented a trumpet earlier today and I can just barely manage to play the first 6 notes of a major scale. I think I'm stumbling onto the right technique, but it'd be a huge help to just have someone take a second look and help make any minor adjustments before I dig myself into any holes
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Jun 26, 2022 05:54
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I'm assuming you're playing C D E F G A, if you can get the C-G and E-A partials to speak already I'd say you're doing quite well. Generally speaking, if you're getting the tone quality you're looking for, you are probably doing the right things. It's weird but personally I find it easier to try learning high C after A (like, skip B/Bb for now and go back to it when C speaks easily) Here's stuff I've noticed over my teaching career. You'll want to make sure your buzz is on the dry part of your lips, not the inside (no fishy/kissy-face). Try to keep corners of your mouth relatively firm so you don't puff your cheeks. There's more than a few pros who puff out their cheeks when they play but it's way easier to make progress quickly if you don't. Make sure you're holding your trumpet right, there's a few different grips that work depending on your hand size, but try to keep your right hand kinda floating over the valves rather than holding on; the weight of the instrument should be firmly and comfortably in your left. The pinky ring is a trap and putting your pinky in it will generally cause you to push your 3rd valve in from the side instead of straight up and down. Eventually it will get stuck and you will You can PM me a vid of you playing if you want and I can tell you any red flags I see.
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Jun 26, 2022 06:14
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Hawkperson posted:Oh and when you oil your valves, take them out one at a time so you don't have to try to remember which one goes where. They are NOT interchangeable lol. They are numbered, FYI - at least on most brands. The number is somewhere near the valve guide. In most cases the number faces the mouthpiece when oriented correctly, since on some brands the valve will click in in two orientations, and one of those orientations won’t work.
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Jun 26, 2022 13:37
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reversefungi posted:Looking to learn the trumpet, would I severely be handicapping myself if I took online lessons? Surprisingly hard to find teachers around the Denver area. I've messaged a few, but my schedule is a little full lately and probably can't commit to weekly lessons which has turned off teachers I've tried to contact for other instruments in the past. Mainly just want to get a few starter lessons to make sure I don't do anything stupid while trying to learn the proper embouchure and what not Welcome to the club, it's an immensely satisfying instrument to play with a whole world of music to learn. I've been taking lessons for about three years. It's a lot of fun. If you don't mind, I will PM you with some info.
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Jun 26, 2022 15:58
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Finding a group to play with can really help you stick with the instrument for longer than you would if you only ever practice by yourself. Some community bands will let complete beginners sit in on rehearsals, and "New Horizons" bands in particular are intended for adults learning an instrument for the first time, so if you have one of those locally they're worth looking into. (Some New Horizons groups are only open to people over 50 or people who can practice in the middle of the day, since it was originally intended for seniors, but there are a lot of open-membership groups now.)
The Chairman fucked around with this message at 17:32 on Jun 26, 2022 |
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Jun 26, 2022 17:27
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Erwin posted:They are numbered, FYI - at least on most brands. The number is somewhere near the valve guide. In most cases the number faces the mouthpiece when oriented correctly, since on some brands the valve will click in in two orientations, and one of those orientations won’t work. Yeah, I’ve got a couple with no numbers on em but you’re right. I didn’t know that about the orientation though, should save me a lot of time this upcoming school year - thanks!
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Jun 26, 2022 18:20
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If anyone's got suggestions for resources for the OP, go ahead and post them. I'd like to put together a list of them, but my experience is primarily with brass and some stores in the Northeast.
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Jun 26, 2022 21:25
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Thank you everybody for all the advice and suggestions! As far as valves go, looks like mine has the numbers facing in the correct orientation (Bach TR500). Luckily one of the first videos I watched had mentioned the whole "valves are not interchangeable" thing, so that was a big help. Does anyone have any videos/resources they'd recommend for maintenance/daily care? The only other wind instrument I play is saxophone (which I picked up last year) and that had a whole slew of things to care for, such as reed storage, daily swabbing, using cork grease, etc. to make sure the instrument stays in playing condition for as long as possible. From the little I've seen so far, it seems like trumpets are infinitely less fussy: occasional valve oil application, use your spit valves, clean the mpc, and that's it? Just wanna make sure I'm taking care of my instrument(s)! Hawkperson, I'll definitely take you up on your offer and send you a DM later today. Thanks y'all!
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Jun 26, 2022 21:42
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Speaking as a trumpet player, trumpet embouchure is an incredibly subjective thing and not something that's easily teachable from one person to another. Brass embouchure in general is like that. Most brass players have to learn that poo poo by feel which makes explaining how to imitate it to others difficult. I would still advise trying to find an in-person instructor (or at least an instructor who does lessons over Zoom) who can teach you that stuff from an absolute beginner's perspective to be safe (you don't have to tell them your work schedule; just tell them you have tons and tons of time for this  ). When I first started playing trumpet in middle school my band director explicitly told us NOT to play our instruments until after we'd been taught how to make notes on them in class, so that we wouldn't pick up any bad habits. I feel a bit like watching Youtube videos on the subject may lead you down a bad path, because you need to learn an embouchure that's right FOR YOU and not one that's right for some Youtube rando, and that's really live instructor territory.Actually I've given some thought to teaching private lessons myself, so feel free to PM me a video of your playing too! I'd love an opportunity to polish my teaching skills! 
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Jun 27, 2022 04:11
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One other thing about trumpet maintenance: Check to see if your valve oil is natural or synthetic, if you can. I don't think it matters which one you use, but you DON'T want to mix them or use both. Doing so will cause crystals to form in your valves that'll gunk them up and make them sticky. Note that this problem can be mostly avoided by using the same kind of valve oil every time and making sure you have a good supply of it on-hand at all times...... but just in case you ever need to buy more/borrow from someone else and your preferred brand is unavailable, it helps to know which kind you normally use so you'll know which one to get/not to get. I. M. Gei fucked around with this message at 05:35 on Jun 27, 2022 |
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Jun 27, 2022 04:15
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I will also say this because it is a personal soapbox for me and while I don't think you need to worry about it yet, a lot of trumpet players don't think about this so it bears mentioning now. Bore size is a thing, and it MATTERS! You said you're playing on a Bach TR500, which has a .460" bore. That's a pretty standard bore size for a Bb trumpet (average being .459"/.460") which makes it a good place to start for a beginner. My first horn was the same size. Once you start playing more often and have mastered the fundamentals, you may want to consider getting a trumpet with a bigger or smaller bore, but you'll want to be careful about what size you go with because playing a horn with a badly-fitting bore size for you can gently caress up your playing big time. I spent 2 decades of my life learning this lesson the hard way. The size that fits you best depends on a lot of factors including the make of the horn, but a good general rule of thumb is that the bigger/smaller you, your chops, and your lungs are, the bigger/smaller a bore size you can get away with, respectively. Do NOT assume that a few thousandths of an inch in size difference doesn't matter, because it does. It does a lot! I. M. Gei fucked around with this message at 05:35 on Jun 27, 2022 |
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Jun 27, 2022 04:53
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Sorry for quadruple-posting but I remembered one last technique thing that doesn't really fit in any of my other posts, and that is: Abdominal breathing. Learn it! Learn it, love it, and exercise it all the time! If you need help I can give you some pointers on how to train it.
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Jun 27, 2022 05:20
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I. M. Gei posted:
Please do. All the tips on breathing and usage would be appreciated. Right now I am going through the hell of learning how to efficiently use what I have. I was a singer in my childhood and now I play clarinet and trumpet. I used to be a long-distance biker and did a bunch of mixed martial arts stuff so I have a prodigious lung capacity which is bad because I taught myself I could substitute a lot of air for tongue position. Right now I am working through page 149 in Arban's where it's diminished arpeggios and I bonk out halfway through (when it gets rough). I regularly work the Clarke book and the Colin book to try to untrain my mouth and thought processes that got me into this mess. I am also regularly amazed at how strategic brass players have to be with breathing in long pieces. It's a total mental game to prepare for it. NC Wyeth Death Cult fucked around with this message at 12:26 on Jun 27, 2022 |
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Jun 27, 2022 12:24
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I can probably dedicate a whole effortpost to abdominal breathing. It's not just great for wind music; it makes a great abdominal exercise on its own too.
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Jun 27, 2022 18:13
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I can also offer some advice. I’m a former band and orchestra director who has since moved to full time composition and arranging. I also work in the fall as a judge for competitive marching bands across the country. I’ve been involved in this activity for over 30 years, and while I would never presume to have all the answers, I’d like to think I’ve figured a few things out. Also, it’s always amusing to run into The Chairman in a non Eorzean capacity.
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Jul 23, 2022 04:59
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bagina posted:I can also offer some advice. I’m a former band and orchestra director who has since moved to full time composition and arranging. I also work in the fall as a judge for competitive marching bands across the country. I’ve been involved in this activity for over 30 years, and while I would never presume to have all the answers, I’d like to think I’ve figured a few things out. Heyyyy that rocks, you write any grade 1-2 band stuff? I'll buy some next time I get sheet music funding
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Jul 23, 2022 05:06
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One time our low brass tech gave us all a piece of paper and told us to keep it pinned to the wall using our breath We all thought it was funny until he told us anyone who couldn't do it was immediately cut from Cavs auditions. Anyway, is there a DCI thread on Something Awful this year? Crown/Devils/Coats/Crusaders are all absolute fire and fiercely packed.
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Jul 23, 2022 05:59
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Hazo posted:One time our low brass tech gave us all a piece of paper and told us to keep it pinned to the wall using our breath Has there ever been a DCI or drum corps thread on SA? I've looked for one in the past but haven't found any evidence of any discussion of it.
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Jul 28, 2022 19:06
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The Chairman posted:Has there ever been a DCI or drum corps thread on SA? I've looked for one in the past but haven't found any evidence of any discussion of it. Yep. I wanna say it was around 2009-2013, and I think it was actually in GBS.
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Jul 28, 2022 19:44
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The Chairman posted:Has there ever been a DCI or drum corps thread on SA? I've looked for one in the past but haven't found any evidence of any discussion of it. Every now and then one gets posted in GBS, yeah. There's been more than one, I think.
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Jul 29, 2022 01:49
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Hawkperson posted:Heyyyy that rocks, you write any grade 1-2 band stuff? I'll buy some next time I get sheet music funding Wait... I can make money by arranging music?  Cuuuuuuz I got this Finale software, and a big long list of songs I've been wanting to transcribe for band...
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Jul 29, 2022 01:52
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I. M. Gei posted:Wait... I can make money by arranging music? Uh yeah, I can’t use school $$ for it unless you get it on a big site like JW Pepper (I think Pepper and some other companies have a self-publishing thing available tho, if you want to check it out) but I budget a small amount of cash each month to spend on random school stuff, I could buy a piece off ya. Fair warning though, it’s harder than it seems to write something not just playable but actually useful for MS band. I’d want to see at least a few pages of the score before buying, and if I’m not interested I’d be happy to tell you why. but fair warning I tend to be blunt.
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Jul 29, 2022 03:47
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Anyone who played low brass or low woodwinds in school can attest that middle school band music goes like this: Trumpets and flutes: cool poo poo Clarinets: cool poo poo but lower Alto saxophones: sometimes cool poo poo, sometimes just a bunch of whole notes as punishment for picking alto saxophone Horns: after endless years of service, first horn will get a buttload of solos in one piece. Alto saxes will play the cues until yelled at, then play the cues pianissimo. Then back to Low brass and low woodwinds: ostinato that bounces back and forth on I/IV/V. Two measures of the melody near the end (out of 70+) Percussion: either one triangle hit on measure 75 (slow ballads) or entirely too much poo poo (Randall Standridge) (just kidding, I love Standridge. The actual bad busy perc parts are where the snare drum is just doing a dead simple quarter-8th pattern and the bass drum is playing on half notes for no musical reason.) The main things I’m looking for in the pieces I buy are the low parts and the perc. I’ve already got 100 pieces where they’re treated like poo poo, give me something where they get the respect they deserve at the correct developmental level and I’ll probably buy it. Easier said than done!
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Jul 29, 2022 03:56
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Hawkperson posted:Uh yeah, I can’t use school $$ for it unless you get it on a big site like JW Pepper (I think Pepper and some other companies have a self-publishing thing available tho, if you want to check it out) but I budget a small amount of cash each month to spend on random school stuff, I could buy a piece off ya. Fair warning though, it’s harder than it seems to write something not just playable but actually useful for MS band. I’d want to see at least a few pages of the score before buying, and if I’m not interested I’d be happy to tell you why. but fair warning I tend to be blunt. Also leaning towards doing the same with the Escher show. If you happen to find something that particularly speaks to you, let me know. I can share perusal scores and the like.
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Jul 29, 2022 09:50
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