Switching from Trumpet/Trombone
Adam Swann
instrument. I decided to learn to play the trombone after listening
to Schehrazade over and over again (I LOVE it). Anyway, does anyone
have any suggestions on learning to play a new instrument?
I played for about 30 mins on the bone and then tried picking up my
trumpet. Geeezz, I couldn't even get a descent sound on the G in the
staff. Will playing the trombone have any adverse effects on my
trumpet embochure?
Man, I love the trombone and the trumpet. Now I've gotta decide which
one to play!
Thanks,
Adam
Later,
Adam Swann
Comeaux HS Marching Band/Wind Ensemble
Lafayette, LA
Timothy R Crespin
I used to play trombone and baritone as a sort of "cross-training" for my
chops. I think it helped my trumpet playing a lot. First, it gave me a better
idea of the trumpet itself as a brass horn. The horrible, exaggerated mistakes
I mmade playing the baritone (like cracking a note) helped me to understand
better the cause of subtle, analogous mistakes I made on trumpet (like little
bitty cracks at the beginning of a note). I won't get into this too far, only
hope you know what I mean.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, blowing through those big bore horns really, really,
develops your ability to USE AIR PRESSURE to make your trumpet tones more
stable, full, and consistent.
ALSO, playing with the huge mouthpieces of the 'bone or baritone develops the
outer muscles surrounding your lips, which reduce your need to use pressure
when playing in the upper register.
I absolutely do not think learning 'bone or baritone will hurt your trumpet
playing. Especially if you keep your trumpet with you while you play with the
trombone, and switch back to the trumpet occasionally so you don't lose your
"trumpet reference point", if that makes any sense.
Now, adding trombone to your repertoire as a performer is quite a different
story from messing around with it for cross-training purposes...
I've seen professional brass players switch between trumpet and trombone on
stage during a set, just like sax players switch from soprano sax to tenor as
the music demands. I know I couldn't pull that off, but maybe you can!
Trivia: Maynard Ferguson started his brass career on trombone.
Tim
punky pyrotechnician
Martin Lacoste
My understanding is that if you keep both up on a regular basis,
that you should be able to switch back and forth - you'll just
be using different muscles. In the past, I have found the same
problems as you - trying trombone for say a half hour, then
picking up the trumpet, and not knowing where to put it.
Last summer though, I played trombone a bit more regularly,
while keeping up the trumpet, and I found the switch back and
forth easier each time. What kills me is seeing guys (like the
one guy in Letterman's band) who switch back and forth every
couple of minutes - YIKES!!
Hope this helps - GO FOR IT!!
Martin in Ontario
Laurence C. Booz
brass quintet. I play 2nd parts mostly, and do okay. Euph is still number
one, though. I can switch instruments without any problem at all. You just
have to get used to it. I also agree that it will help your playing all
around. I think I have better air support than my 1st trumpet playing
friend in the quintet. Make sure that you practice trumpet, too, and I
think it'll be a great musical experience for you.
Aaron Booz
Steve Curtis
>
> I am a euphonium player, but I learned trumpet in a year to play in a
There are some multi-brass instrumentalists I can think of two.
Maynard Ferguson, and James Morisson (aussie trptr)
Methinks that the lager instrument would help the smaller by adding flexibility
and helping to relax lip muscles, increase circulation etc, abit like
pedals.
Steve
Rein Wetselaar
>I played for about 30 mins on the bone and then tried picking up my
>trumpet. Geeezz, I couldn't even get a descent sound on the G in the
>staff. Will playing the trombone have any adverse effects on my
>trumpet embochure?
>Man, I love the trombone and the trumpet. Now I've gotta decide which
>one to play!
Sure, I think you do have to decide. I am a genuine euphonium player
(hope you don't mind I am writing in a trumpet newsgroup). I tried to
combine the instrument with a bugle and I had the same experience. It
was hard working to switch from the euphonium to the bugle, but in a
way I managed. When I turned back to the euphonium it took me about
three days to get the warm euphonium sound back. I absolutely ruines
your embochure.
Nevertheless there are professional musicians who are able to combine
variour brass instruments. It must be tough practicing!
The only thing I could advise is to combine intruments that are not so
far away from the range of your own instrument. For instance
trumpet<->bugle, trombone<->euphonium, basstrombone<->bass.
Greetings,
Rein Wetselaar
member of Die Hofstadter Musikanten, The Netherlands
Ronald R. Boyce
about fifty years, but trombone for about three years. You can play both
well, but there is a knack to it.
First, start by playing and practicing the trumpet first. . . then switch
to the trombone. It is quite easy to change from trumpet to trombone in
a practice session, but the novice experiences the problems you have
described in trying to go from trombone to trumpet. When I play at
nursing homes, etc. I usually play trumpet first, then trombone.
The trick first of all is to establish a good trombone embouchure. This
takes time and must be approached carefully and with caution. The
embouchure for both BOTH instruments must be in accordance with the Louis
Maggio (pucker-whistle-pedal tone system). If you are not acquainted
with the Maggio method, drop me a line and I will explain it to you.
Almost all studio musicians (and all playing to double high C) use it.
It took me about one year to be able to switch back and forth between
trumpet and trombone and the switch to trumpet after trombone must be
nursed carefully with an embouchure-restoring number.
Good luck.
Ronald R. Boyce
Professor of Urban and Regional Studies
Department of Political Science & Geography
Seattle Pacific University
307 Alexander Hall. Tp 281-2349
e-mail address: rbo...@paul.spu.edu
David Ben LUTZ
>>I played for about 30 mins on the bone and then tried picking up my
>>trumpet. Geeezz, I couldn't even get a descent sound on the G in the
>>staff. Will playing the trombone have any adverse effects on my
>>trumpet embochure?
Sounds like you overdid it a bit. Take it easy and protect those lip
muscles.
>>Man, I love the trombone and the trumpet. Now I've gotta decide which
>>one to play!
Play them both.
I guess we're all different. I decided to play trombone to help
build up my trumpet embouchure. I found it did help, forced me to use less
pressure.
David.
Howard Anders
> muscles.
> >>Man, I love the trombone and the trumpet. Now I've gotta decide which
> >>one to play!
> Play them both.
**** YES ! ! I love both the trumpet & trombone also, so I play them both.
(Not simultaneously !) :-)
SO..... it can definitely be done.... I reckon if I can do it, ANYONE
can do it ! ! I even play HORN as well. (as in "french")
Seriously though, I find that each instrument I play is my "main instrument",
at the time, so I think it is a conceptual thing to a degree.
In other words I'm not a trumpet playe "doubling" on other instruments, I
approach it as a "true multi-instrumentalist." I don't claim to be a
virtuoso, but with enough time for practise, I do ok.....
Hope that helps, just my $0.02 worth.
Howard Anders
Melbourne, Australia
artbusby
>
>> Sounds like you overdid it a bit. Take it easy and protect those lip
>> muscles.
>
>> >>Man, I love the trombone and the trumpet. Now I've gotta decide which
>> >>one to play!
>
>> Play them both.
>
When I was playing big band and jazz combo stuff, I often played both trombone
trumpet with little or no problems. I was given a mouthpeice that had the
cup of a trumpet moutpeice and the shank of a trombone. This made the
transfer easier withlittle degradation of the quality of sound on either
instrument.