Playing a Trumpet

[cisamcgu]

I have got an Amati Kraslice ATR 201 trumpet from ebay (£38), anyone know if this is any good ? I fancy having a "go", but my musical ability is zero, so when I fail to make any recognisable sound Mrs cisamcgu like to be able to discount the trumpet from the equation and be able to blame me entirely


Thanks
Andrew

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Actually if you turn out to be hopeless just say it's free-form jazz - you can play any old random rubbish then.

 

[Bayerd]

Amati haven't got a very good reputation as far as brass instruments go. Having said that, if it's in good working order you've bagged a bit of a bargain.

How do you plan to learn how to play it?

 

[cisamcgu]

Errr....blow down one end and press the buttony things on top

Actually, I'm not sure, it comes with a few beginner books, so I will probably start with those. How difficult is it to get good enough to be able to play "Three Blind Mice" or something similar ? I could manage it on a recorder, guitar or piano quite easily, but I have never even tried a more complex instrument like a trumpet !

 

[the snail]

find a teacher, it's best not not pick up bad habits at the start. You can get them (or an instrument repair person) to play the instrument, then you'll know if it's ok or not. It took me a fortnight of huffing an puffing to get a note out of my flute

 

[Amanda P]

I'm not a trumpet player, but I do teach trombone and know lots of trumpet players.

You've really gone about this back to front. To get started on a brass instrument, you really need a few lessons. A teacher would lend you or help you find a suitable instrument to buy or rent.

Your Amati should be playable and OK to get started on, if it's all working and set-up correctly. I generally recommend Yamaha student instruments. Not the cheapest, but robust and very consistent - every Yamaha's a good 'un (there are Friday afternoon Kings, Conns and Bachs, and they're always being sold because no-one wants 'em. A Yamaha 1335 trumpet second-hand goes for £150 - £200. Serious players play £1000+ instruments).

Still, now you have a horn, do all the valves work? Are they put in the right casings? (This is crucial - it won't play if they aren't! They're often stamped 1, 2 and 3 on the pistons. If they aren't, never take them all out at the same time because there are an awful lot of wrong combinations of piston and casing and only one right one...) Do the valves work freely and quickly? Do all four tuning slides work? Does the water key leak?

If the trumpet fails on any of these points, find a good brass instrument repairer (ask a teacher, or any trumpet player you see gigging. The best repairers work in spare room and garden sheds, not in music shops, and get their work by reputation among players).

If you don't have any valve oil, get some. "Blue Juice" is the current favourite; you can get it in any decent music shop. Use it as per the instructions.

The price of your horn will buy you two or three lessons. If you're at all serious about learning to play, it's well worth it. Really. Lots of people spend far too much on kit and nowhere near enough on lessons. And it takes lots and lots of practice. No, waaaaay more than that. There will never be a time when you don't need to practice (JJ Johnson).

Another approach might be to find a local brass band - even the famous ones have training bands attached, and if they think you're serious, they may give you lessons cheap or for free - although you'll have to switch to cornet for that.

 

[cisamcgu]

Thanks Uncle Phil .. the trumpet is really just for fun, I have no musical ability, just the desire to "blow my own trumpet" .. it wasn't expensive, and I imagine I will be able to get back the money if I sell it again.

 

[Amanda P]

Now you have a trumpet, go on, get a lesson. A good teacher won't mind you booking a single trial lesson, and you won't really know whether you can do it or not until someone's got you started.

 

[vernon]

You can't beat having a teacher to make progress.

After a thirty five year lapse after last playing a musical instrument, I bought a half set of Uilleann pipes - a gazzion time more difficult to play than the trumpet I can tell you.

I was lucky enough to have a local pipe player down the road who persevered with me and I also learned to read music while I learned. Playing random notes is fun but the novelty soon wears off. A bit of structure and homework set by the teacher will accelerate your progress.

 

[yoyo]

I am a qualified performing organist and pianist and I did Grade IV trumpet with no lessons. Admittedly my oldest son played trumpet and I spent many hours with him, playing his accompaniments etc. In hhe week prior to the exam I was told I was physically not suited to trumpet and that I should play an instrument with a larger mouthpiece. I had a go on the trombone and the French horn. If only I had the time to practise.

The trumpet's a great instrument to learn providing your lip holds - when you lose your lip it feels like a bad day at the dentist. Follow Phil's advice re the instrument being playable, learn how to buzz your lips (blow a raspberry) and away you go. You should be able to manage Three Blind Mice quite easily. Play valves 1&2, then valves 1&3 and no valves and this gives you e, d, c - the first three notes of Three Blind Mice.

Happy playing!