Can any one advise a 58 year old man to learn Trumpet. What will be the out come . I am crazy for this instrument. Can I learn ? Please give your comments

QUOTE (samson @ Oct 5 2004, 06:03 AM)

Can any one advise a 58 year old man to learn Trumpet.  What will be the out come .  I am crazy for this instrument.  Can I learn ? Please give your comments

Trumpet is just about the most physically demanding instrument, so the outcome will depend upon your fitness and the extent to which your lip muscles will respond to the demands that you will be making on them. Make sure you get a teacher who knows how to teach a low pressure embouchure, so that you can play the upper register on a reasonable time scale. The other main influence on the standard that you can expect to achieve is your inner ear: how accurately you hear pitches and, to some extent, how well you can internalise the sounds of the intervals between them. How much, how closely and how early have you listened to music? Finally, facility depends upon hard work. An hour's well directed practice every day for three years can make you a good amateur player, but the strength that a professional needs to play the most demanding works will be achieved only by perhaps three hours a day for the same period after that. (Correction invited from professional trumpeters: age does make a difference to repair of living tissue, and the naturally talented probably need a bit less time).

I think its great when adults make the effort to learn, some of my favourite students are adults. You may find that you don't progress as fast as say a younger student but that should in no way put you off. Learning an instrument later in life presents its challenges and true you may not get into a professional working Orchestra but i think it likely your reasons for learning are more than likely for fun. If thats the case i'm sure you will get something out of your playing, even if its playing say jazz or classical pieces from the early grade repertiore from many of the exam Boards. Some of my adult students are delighted to play jazz tunes and IMPROVISE in the jazz grades 1-3 sets. Some are even trying to prepare for the higher grades now, grades 4-5 which sound very professional. Good luck with the trumpet i'm sure you'll be fine.

Last thought. Most of my students never practice more than 20-30 minutes a day, some less and they do just fine.

No it is not crazy at all. Just have the mindset that progress will not be made overnight. It takes time to develop your facial muscles so that they respond the way you want them to. My advice is to join up with a local community band if possible.

also, to reinforce how much you love the sound of trumpet, go out and buy some trumpet cds, and not just haydn etc, try listening to some brass ensemble stuff (i particularly love hindemith, but i seem to be the only brass player i know to do so!) and of course jazz and blues will have some great trumpet stuff in.

i found recently that i've grown to love horn even more because when im not practising, i listen to horn orchestral and chamber music.

QUOTE (hornplayer @ Oct 5 2004, 08:59 PM)

(i particularly love hindemith, but i seem to be the only brass player i know to do so!)

no you aren't! I love him too!!! Took a while for that sonata to grow on me though.....!
btw- are u through to round 2? pm me!

Samson,

There's some great advise here - I'm sure that if you have the will to learn you will learn.

How do you intend to go about this? You say you are crazy for this instrument, so I'm sure you'll be able to dedicate the time. Please be aware of not causing any harm by trying to do too much playing at a time (three 20 minute sessions with a rest in-between each each session per day might be a good idea).

If you are able to afford lessons that's great, but if you're not how do you intend to go about learning?

Regards,

Mark.