[akiddoc]

[quote author=akiddoc link=topic=9612.msg84722#msg84722 date=1393711724]
I definitely need to hear more about this trumpet career. Hard to go on to a career in brass unless you can devote a brobdingnagian amount of time to practice and performance.

My daughter is semi-serious, but wants to have fun, not make a living at it. She did not put in the work required to get to conservatory level, but that was not her interest and she preferred to get good grades. The kids who are better in NorCal practice 3 to 4 hours a day. I don't know if you noticed that she uses a Harrison wedge mouthpiece from Canada. She had a lesson from Brandon Ridenour of Canadian Brass who had her try it (the guy on the far left in the bumble bee video). New technology. Wynton thought it was really odd when she got a lesson from him, but he did not tell her to change.

It sounds like she is receiving excellent instruction from some of the best available! Well done. She has a beautiful tone and good articulation for this style of blues. How long has she been playing?

The time commitment involved to reach certain levels at first is difficult, but once the muscle memory kicks in, less time is required to maintain. For example, practicing double or triple tonguing articulation exercises (there's a softball for commentary) for a few hours a day later becomes a half hour to an hour devotion. Slurring, long tones, and playing low-register notes must be a staple of daily exercises and cannot be avoided. Three to four hours at first is about right; it is a requirement of proficiency and muscle memory - using that really cool Harrison wedge mouthpiece should help on the endurance end because the width of the rim will provide more "cushion" instead of the pinching one can feel on thinner rims after hours of playing. I used a Rudy Muck mouthpiece because of the cushion and its ability to stabilize aggressive playing styles. Does Wynton still use a Monette mouthpiece these days?

Keeping the chops up at a professional level is not easy, but once one begins to gig more heavily, performance time can substitute for some practice time. If your daughter wants to perform even as a hobby, she'll have to become used to playing in front of others which can be unnerving at first. It doesn't matter what style of music; learning to open up one's sound in public is something that has to be learned on stage. I didn't even notice the audience after a few years...it was all about enjoying the production with my band.

I began gigging at age 15 and even left Stanford for 4 years after my sophomore year to fulfill my desire to perform with some excellent musicians full-time (6-8 hours practicing most days of the week). After returning to finish my degree, performing returned to hobby status but I still gigged heavily on the weekends (6-10 hours Saturdays, 4-5 hours Sundays) for a few more years. Fun times!
[/quote]

Do you still play?

Yes, Wynton is still using a Monette.

She has been playing since she was 8. She is now 17. 9 1/2 years. She improves quite a bit every summer, when she actually puts in some time. She went to Interlochen the last 2 summers, which forced her to play a lot. She plays jazz primarily, although she does have both classical and jazz instructors. Working on Hummel now. The Wynton and Ridenour lessons were one time things, of course. No one gets them full time. I do have Wynton's cell number, though....

It was difficult to get her to play well for that video, which was actually her college arts supplement. She gets nervous when she is the center of attention and tightens her throat - a real no-no.

She is really good on the flugelhorn. Probably better than on the trumpet.

[akiddoc]

[quote author=akiddoc link=topic=9612.msg84722#msg84722 date=1393711724]
I definitely need to hear more about this trumpet career. Hard to go on to a career in brass unless you can devote a brobdingnagian amount of time to practice and performance.

My daughter is semi-serious, but wants to have fun, not make a living at it. She did not put in the work required to get to conservatory level, but that was not her interest and she preferred to get good grades. The kids who are better in NorCal practice 3 to 4 hours a day. I don't know if you noticed that she uses a Harrison wedge mouthpiece from Canada. She had a lesson from Brandon Ridenour of Canadian Brass who had her try it (the guy on the far left in the bumble bee video). New technology. Wynton thought it was really odd when she got a lesson from him, but he did not tell her to change.

It sounds like she is receiving excellent instruction from some of the best available! Well done. She has a beautiful tone and good articulation for this style of blues. How long has she been playing?

The time commitment involved to reach certain levels at first is difficult, but once the muscle memory kicks in, less time is required to maintain. For example, practicing double or triple tonguing articulation exercises (there's a softball for commentary) for a few hours a day later becomes a half hour to an hour devotion. Slurring, long tones, and playing low-register notes must be a staple of daily exercises and cannot be avoided. Three to four hours at first is about right; it is a requirement of proficiency and muscle memory - using that really cool Harrison wedge mouthpiece should help on the endurance end because the width of the rim will provide more "cushion" instead of the pinching one can feel on thinner rims after hours of playing. I used a Rudy Muck mouthpiece because of the cushion and its ability to stabilize aggressive playing styles. Does Wynton still use a Monette mouthpiece these days?

Keeping the chops up at a professional level is not easy, but once one begins to gig more heavily, performance time can substitute for some practice time. If your daughter wants to perform even as a hobby, she'll have to become used to playing in front of others which can be unnerving at first. It doesn't matter what style of music; learning to open up one's sound in public is something that has to be learned on stage. I didn't even notice the audience after a few years...it was all about enjoying the production with my band.

I began gigging at age 15 and even left Stanford for 4 years after my sophomore year to fulfill my desire to perform with some excellent musicians full-time (6-8 hours practicing most days of the week). After returning to finish my degree, performing returned to hobby status but I still gigged heavily on the weekends (6-10 hours Saturdays, 4-5 hours Sundays) for a few more years. Fun times!
[/quote]

Do you still play?

Yes, Wynton is still using a Monette.

She has been playing since she was 8. She is now 17. 9 1/2 years. She improves quite a bit every summer, when she actually puts in some time. She went to Interlochen the last 2 summers, which forced her to play a lot. She plays jazz primarily, although she does have both classical and jazz instructors. Working on Hummel now. The Wynton and Ridenour lessons were one time things, of course. No one gets them full time. I do have Wynton's cell number, though....

It was difficult to get her to play well for that video, which was actually her college arts supplement. She gets nervous when she is the center of attention and tightens her throat - a real no-no.

She is really good on the flugelhorn. Probably better than on the trumpet.