My son is just turned 14 and has not previously shown much interest in learning to play an instrument. He has tried keyboard and trombone in the past (at my instigation) but with limited success. In the case of trombone, he had no problem getting the notes he was called on to play, but he seemed to struggle with reading music and was not really interested enough, at that time, to try to overcome this difficulty. Anyway, in the last couple of days he expressed an interest in perhaps trying again to learn a brass instrument, probably not the trombone.

A possible problem here is that he had braces fitted in December on his top and bottom teeth, and these will stay on for at least a year. So, my question is whether it is possible, or prudent, to start learning a brass instrument with braces fitted. If so, which instrument would present least difficulty? His first suggestion was trumpet but I said I didn't think that would be the best idea. He is coming round to the idea of tuba, if his school has one to rent. What do you think? I don't think it would matter if the braces slowed his progress a bit - it would give him more opportunity to work on any note reading difficulties!

well would it be like train tracks, or a removeable brace?

a friend of mine who had train tracks lips' bled when he played french horn, or they atleast got sore.

So i wouldnt go for the french horn, but i have no experience of my own, sorry

I believe you can get special brace guards......there a bit like gum shields such as the ones you would use for rugby, but a better fit.

As for type of instrument, Im not to sure. I would think that perhaps the bigger the mouthpiece the better?!? So tuba would be a good choice!!!

Sorry I cant really offer much help on the type of instrument, but if he really wants to begin playing a brass instrument i would definitly recommend the brace guards.

Just to add on to that:

http://www.justflutes.com/pages/product-detail54744.htm


that is the sort of thing i mean by brace guards.

Good Luck To Your Son!!!!

I'd agree not to try the trumpet with braces on - very dispiriting, and not a little uncomfortable. Ditto the horn, really. Yes, the bigger the mouthpiece, the less problem braces are, and he might even get away without the wax covering for the teeth (it's much better than the clip-on guards).

And with the tuba you can make a decent contribution to a group without amazing reading skills, at least to start with ... and it might get him more motivated to develop his reading skills once he's got into taking part. good luck!

My children played french horn and trumpet with braces on, when they were tightened they got a bit uncomfortable but otherwise no real problem.
The teachers didn't worry too much about high notes during that time, but there was plenty of other things to work on.
They had som gel/paste to put on their braces but that never worked, and one was given a mouth guard to try out becuase his teacher was curious as to whether it worked, but he found it easier to play with out it.

I started the tuba without a brace. Then I got a brace, and everyone told me I'd have to make big adjustments in my tuba playing, that it would do me a disadvantage. I felt no difference whatsoever. When I had it removed people told me I might have adapted to wearing a brace, and again it would do me a disadvantage. Again, I felt no difference whatsoever. However, tuba is the biggest brass instrument and braces have the least effect on them...

Even so, don't let it put off your son. There's more to the beauty of brass-playing than braces.

I'd have to say that I think that that is probably unusual - more often than not braces cause quite a disruption to the embouchure in high brass instruments. Even if you stick to low stuff (and there are plenty of things to do low down, even if there's little good published repertoire for more advanced players with restricted range), it takes quite a lot of determination from the pupil to make much progress with braces on. I've certainly never started someone playing a brass instrument with braces - and I definitely would not start someone on trumpet or horn with braces in, for fear of what embouchure habits would be formed.

Brian

Thank you all for your comments. I had gathered from other threads that if you already played the trumpet and were sufficiently determined it might be possible to carry on after braces were fitted. I'm really trying to get a feel for whether it's possible for someone who may well be easily put off (!) to begin the trumpet (or other brass instrument) with train track braces in place.

I am in a quandary. It seems to be the trumpet that my son is most interested in taking up. I've no idea why he's suddenly picked this rather than another brass insrument. If he starts now it seems he will find it difficult/impossible and it may well become yet another instrument at which he has tried and failed. On the other hand if we wait until the braces come off he will be well into his GCSEs when there may be other reasons not to start... I don't want to push him in the direction of another brass instrument if he has no interest in that. I've made similar mistakes before...

I think I will have to try to make contact with the brass teachers at his school and see what they think. Meanwhile, I don't suppose there's a member of the lowish brasses he might find playable and on which he might develop skills transferable to trumpet later? I guess there are problems not only of changes of embouchure but of clefs too if we were to try that.

horn, euphonium, baritone, and most trombone (excluding bass trombone) read treble clef so that would be no problem. Not sure about tuba???


As for embouchure Im not really sure either im afraid. I begn on trumpet then moved on the Euph, but i would think that going from a small mouthpiece to a big one would be easier than vice versa. I reckon as long as the player is commited then it should be easily done.

Sorry I Cant Be Much Help.

Good Luck!!

Hi,

I play euphonium and I have braces and personally I don't have too much of a problem (although, yes when the braces are tightened it is sore, but by no means impossible to play). I think it's difficult to say for definite whether someone will be able to play with braces, some people can and some people can't. I don't think that it's all to do with determination either. Before I got my braces, I was playing trumpet to grade 6 standard and was desperate to carry on, but the braces made it so painful and it was impossible for me. Different people's teeth and braces present different situations, so it may be that you won't know what will happen until the braces are actually on.

On a more cheerful note, I would definitely recommend the euphonium or baritone as they are in the same key and an octave lower than the trumpet, so many of the skills would be very helpful. How about tenor horn? It's in Eb, which might be a bit different, but other than that, many of the same principles apply.
Good luck with whatever you choose!

Re trombone clefs ... they only read treble clef in brass bands, otherwise they're bass clef (moving on to tenor and alto later). Tuba is treble clef in brass bands, but bass clef in orchestras ... but if it's an E-flat tuba, it is easy to swap from one to another, as they essentially look the same (you just have to do a bit of mental arithmetic about key signatures and accidentals).

So ... I'd only recommend someone does treble clef to start with if brass bands are their thing ... otherwise bass clef is the way to go.

Yes, when my son was learning trombone he was reading from the bass clef. That was why I wondered if changing clefs might be a problem if he started on lower brass.

My understanding is that euphonium is essentially a brass band instrument, so usually played from treble clef, is in B flat, like trumpet, and has similar fingerings. Is that right? We are wondering if starting with euphonium, with a view to adding, or switching to trumpet after braces come off would be a sensible way to go. Any thoughts?

That's a very sensible solution as yes, euph really is a treble clef instrument with the same fingering as trumpet. (It can be played in bass clef, but that's another story.)

The only caveat I'd mention is that it can sometimes be problematic switching to the small trumpet mouthpiece & embouchure, once you've got set up with euph/tromb size, but best to cross that bridge when you come to it - and IF you want to go onto trombone at that time, it not a great problem switching to bass clef at the same time. Best to leave all options open.