Advice for beginning trumpet players

[Terry]

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There seems to be a lot of threads posted about what trumpet to buy for a beginner or talk about how to play one. Since I'm still a beginner myself, I thought I'd share my thoughts. This is my very humble opinion about it, keep in mind I'm relatively new to trumpets(3 years).

I've owned or own Cox, Buice, and Hornstra. And although all of them are very well built and play easily, there are several more affordable options that offer the same quality and playability. I'm not saying you can't buy a bad one, or that it's not important to get one that plays easily. I just don't think it's necessary for a new trumpet player to go with one of the big dollar names. You can spend $75 to $150 and get a great playing trumpet. The amount of effort you put into learning how to play and practice is what's gonna make the real difference.

However, if collectability or maintaining value are important, then knock yourself out with one of the more expensive calls, they are certainly worth it.

Another thing to keep in mind when looking for a good playing trumpet is that there is a lot of personal preference involved. Just because one maker is the best for someone, doesn't mean it's the best for everyone. Which brings me to my next opinion, I think when you're first starting out you should really stick to one trumpet until your at least proficient enough to call in live turkey with it. Then maybe try others.

All that being said, these are all trumpet makers who's calls I've owned and found to be user friendly. They are in no specific order. I did separate the big dollar from the more affordable.

$$$
Frank Cox
Billy Buice
Herb Hornstra


$
Kenny Pedelahore(KP)
Ralph Permar
Brian Mero
Billy McCallister(Natural Addiction)
Lee Chadwick(Misfire)
Dave Hodgkins(Black falcon)
Daryl Slaton
Austy Bott
Robert Glover(Crawdad)
Joe Slaton(Mother lode)
Matt Mclain
MKW
Anthony Ellis(AGE)
Glen Marrer
Steve Turpin
Chris Brumfiel
Daryal Gosey(NCbowjunkie)

On to playing. There are some great YouTube videos that will greatly speed up the learning process. Search for them and watch them all.

Here are a few key things that I have learned along the way that you don't always see or read in tutorials. Or they're there but are details that we tend to overlook. The basics like hand control, pressure, how to get specific calls, etc are what stick out. But these things are as equally important if not more.

First, make sure your lip stop is adjusted correctly. I learned the hard way it is more important than you may think. What I do is start with it adjusted as far up as possible and try it there. I keep bringing it down a hair until I get a consistent sound. For me, I want the mouthpiece to be just about even with the back of my lips.

Next, another thing that took me a bit to learn is keep your lips relaxed. For me it felt natural to put pressure on them, but you will get much better sound and some rasp with relaxed lips.

The next thing I've learned is to draw air through the call to the back of your throat. This gives you the most control and best sound. I think a lot of guys want to use their jaw more and mimic a kissing motion. You can get a yelp that'll work, but it's limited in control and range. My jaw barely moves when I yelp now if at all. I get the break in my yelp by using air control.

Pressure is important, it takes very little airflow to run a trumpet. Way less than you think. I have heard guys say you should be able to breath while running one.

Having an open mind and a constant willingness to learn is also important. I've been told Zach Farmer has spent a lifetime getting to where he is at.

Most importantly, practice practice practice!!

I hope some of this helps. I am still a beginner and these are the things that I overlooked at first.

Feel free to add anything. Like I said, I'm still learning too

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[gergg]

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Great advice Terry....the only thing I would add is that each person and trumpet is unique, find what works for you. Having grown up playing sports and instruments, I know that there are a multitude of ways to make "it" work. I may eventually change the way I play a trumpet, but for now it works for me and it is not what most teach as ideal......lots of ways to "skin a cat".

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

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Excellent post Terry

It is certainly possible to breath and call non-stop while running a trumpet, not that you'd want to make it habit    but it is a good exercise.  To illustrate the concept of how little pressure is needed, another exercise is to take a really deep breath and then run the trumpet. 

[Crawdad]

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Terry you have done a remarkable job of your description in learning the use of the Trumpet. Thank you for taking the time to do that. Crawdad

[Jlosee]

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Great post. I am wanting to get a trumpet but wasn't sure where to start.

[SteelerFan]

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Excellent write up!

Like Terry, I'm still a novice with 3 yrs in. Some things I've learned to go along with Terry's post: - keep in mind numerous factors work in sync with each other constantly to produce the desired sound:

Placement on lips
Amount of air drawn
"Speed" of air drawn
Placement of "playing hand"
Placement of sound chamber hand
Size of sound chamber (cupping hands)
Amount of back pressure (amount you block the air flow at the end of the trumpet)

All that to say, any one, or all of those can make a difference. It really is like playing an instrument. Experiment with changing one, some, or all until you get comfortable with producing the desired sounds. Move, change, experiment, constantly when you are first starting out.

Here is a link like Terry mentioned for 26 "How To" vids on running a trumpet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=momZ825uunU&list=PLodSbtlnB-tsjI9PjYX2oDJbe2-R_3cde

[EZ]

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Great thread. I'll just throw my little bit of advice in. I love all air operated calls, and the basic principle of running them is the same. I would suggest "learning" on a "well built" all gobbler wingbone. Once you can run one of those with ease of controlling the large volume of air, running a trumpet will be a breeze.

[Chris O]

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Great post Terry you are right about relaxed loose lips get the rasp. Another thing that Lee Chadwick or Misfire calls taught me was covering the hole about 3/4 of It with a finger. Each trumpet varies in How much of hole you cover up some calls you don’t need to like wingbones I don’t cover the hole just cup my hands around it. I am very new to trumpets as well and I just really enjoy practicing with them here are some that I have and think they are user friendly Misfire,KP,Chris Brumfiel,AGE,Mero,Buice,Turpin,Natural addiction. They all have their own little sweet spots that sound the best but it only usually takes a couple yelps for me to find it. Billy Buice told me that every sound that comes out of a trumpet is a turkey sound so don’t fret the little hiccups. He also said that you have a range of 1 mile with a trumpet.

[Terry]

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Thanks everyone for the kind words and more importantly for adding more. Maybe we can get Shannon to make this thread a sticky. Then we can all watch it grow and learn from one another!

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[crow]

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very good well thought out post,

one thing I would add that helps with getting a consistent good sound, is when practicing hold (or draw out) the low note as long as you can, do the same for the high note. this is a good exercise or drill for air and muscle control. Practicing this was a help when putting together a series of good sounding yelps.

Ralph Permar's 1/2 hr you-tube is also a very good one to learn from

[paboxcall]

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One of our fellow OG members helped me along the way to learn how to run a trumpet call. I have been learning for about 7 or 8 years now, and I get a little better each season. I will add these thoughts to this excellent thread.

First, this is a long term commitment to learn how to control airflow with a trumpet. Don't go on a buying binge. Start with one trumpet, get the best you can afford and stick with it for the first year or two. That is hard with all the great builders here or available, but as my mentor said "do you want to hunt trumpet calls or collect trumpet calls?" I have bought sold many, and several years back settled on one. Once I did my skills improved.

Second, my mentor suggested buying a digital recorder and placing the recorder about 40 or so yards away, outside, from where I am calling. Do a few runs, then walk over and objectively listen to yourself run the call. This gives you immediate feedback on  the following variables copied directly from Steeler's post:

Placement on lips
Amount of air drawn
"Speed" of air drawn
Placement of "playing hand"
Placement of sound chamber hand
Size of sound chamber (cupping hands)
Amount of back pressure (amount you block the air flow at the end of the trumpet)

Based on what you heard, make small changes and repeat the process.

EZ gives an excellent tip - and I agree 100%:

Great thread. I'll just throw my little bit of advice in. I love all air operated calls, and the basic principle of running them is the same. I would suggest "learning" on a "well built" all gobbler wingbone. Once you can run one of those with ease of controlling the large volume of air, running a trumpet will be a breeze.

As mentioned it takes so little air to run a trumpet. Reality is the sounds travels a long way with this call, and standing on a ridge overlooking few hundred acres of ground its natural to crank it up - draw lots of air belting out the yelps. No necessary. Slow it down and less is better.

[gergg]

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I noticed the first year I practiced that I was playing/practicing way too loud, in the woods trumpets are very loud, so it takes very little air to be heard. In my mind it is better to practice playing as quietly/softly as possible, take that effort to the woods and you will be shocked how potent the call is.

[Gobbler428]

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Thanks Terry, I'm a newbie at running a trumpet - got an AGE from Anthony two weeks ago and have looked at all the YouTube videos.  I enjoyed reading your post very much and found it to be very helpful.

[batsonbe]

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What factors go into controlling pitch?
I’m playing around with the depth of the lip stop, location of the mouth piece, and angle of the mouth piece to see what works for me

[Terry]

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What factors go into controlling pitch?
I’m playing around with the depth of the lip stop, location of the mouth piece, and angle of the mouth piece to see what works for me

Air pressure and how you use your hands. For me, more pressure with my draw creates a higher tone. Also, if I constrict the air flow a bit more with my finger over the end and open my other hand a hair it gets a higher sound.

The way I hold my call I have my thumb and pointer finger grasping the bell. I slide the pointer finger down a bit over the opening to create back pressure and the remaining 3 fingers and my other hand form a chamber over it all. Open the chamber up a bit while using my one finger to cover a hair more of the opening to restrict flow gets me the higher sound. I also draw air sharper.

Does that make sense?

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