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Cuso Regular Member
Joined: 04 Apr 2023 Posts: 45 Location: Cologne, Germany
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 7:22 am Post subject: "It" Happened. |
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Last week during a rehearsal where I was competing with amps which went to "11", a drummer dressed in a loincloth and 4 singers screaming "More of me" to the mixer, I decided I'd had enough and turned on the afterburners. Then it happened.
I felt nothing more under or in the mouthpiece, and this huge sizzling sound (me!) bounced off the back wall of the auditorium and b***h slapped me right in the face.
I've been practicing my Clark's at ppp, my Iron's nice and controled getting everything so close together as possible, and Arban etudes until my tounge felt like a piece of raw liver. But my sound had never really opened up.
After about 3 minutes it was gone.
During the time I was working in the golf industry, sometimes players would talk about that "lucky round" last week where everything clicked and they played the best they ever had. Then they promptly defeated themselves by claiming it was just "luck".
I know what happened to them wasn't luck, but a true reflection of their potential. What I experienced wasn't just wild abandon, overblowing, new horn etc., but I'm on the right track and the rewards are slowing starting to show.
Sorry I took those 2 minutes of your life away to read this, but this is the only way I can tell myself; Don't stop now and keep up the good work. _________________ YTR 8310Z III
YTR 8335 LAS II
'72 Benge 3X
Couesnon Flugelhorn
Yamaha YTR-9820 Piccolo |
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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9143 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 7:49 am Post subject: |
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Or you could play at a reasonable volume into a mic and turn it's amp up to 11. _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
"Well, even if I could play like Wynton, I wouldn't play like Wynton." Chet Baker
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Selmer K-Modified Light Trumpet (for sale)
Benge 3X Cornet |
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cheiden Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 8938 Location: Orange County, CA
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 11:57 am Post subject: |
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kehaulani wrote: | Or you could play at a reasonable volume into a mic and turn it's amp up to 11. |
Agreed. Trying to complete with loud electronics may sound like a win but I guarantee you in the long run it'll cost you. I'd advise working on making a sensible effort and then using the mic and hearing protection so you don't blow out your chops or ears. _________________ "I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart |
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Tivolian Regular Member
Joined: 22 May 2018 Posts: 86 Location: Upstate New York
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 1:48 pm Post subject: Re: "It" Happened. |
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Cuso wrote: | Last week during a rehearsal where I was competing with amps which went to "11", a drummer dressed in a loincloth and 4 singers screaming "More of me" to the mixer, I decided I'd had enough and turned on the afterburners. Then it happened.
I felt nothing more under or in the mouthpiece, and this huge sizzling sound (me!) bounced off the back wall of the auditorium and b***h slapped me right in the face.
I've been practicing my Clark's at ppp, my Iron's nice and controled getting everything so close together as possible, and Arban etudes until my tounge felt like a piece of raw liver. But my sound had never really opened up.
After about 3 minutes it was gone.
During the time I was working in the golf industry, sometimes players would talk about that "lucky round" last week where everything clicked and they played the best they ever had. Then they promptly defeated themselves by claiming it was just "luck".
I know what happened to them wasn't luck, but a true reflection of their potential. What I experienced wasn't just wild abandon, overblowing, new horn etc., but I'm on the right track and the rewards are slowing starting to show.
Sorry I took those 2 minutes of your life away to read this, but this is the only way I can tell myself; Don't stop now and keep up the good work. |
I, for one, really appreciated reading about this experience. Sounds like a magic moment or three. _________________ Tivolian |
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abontrumpet Heavyweight Member
Joined: 08 May 2009 Posts: 1826
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 2:05 pm Post subject: Re: "It" Happened. |
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Cuso wrote: | I know what happened to them wasn't luck, but a true reflection of their potential. |
Awesome! Those are the moments that make you believe. Keep chasing that moment |
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Cuso Regular Member
Joined: 04 Apr 2023 Posts: 45 Location: Cologne, Germany
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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kehaulani wrote: | Or you could play at a reasonable volume into a mic and turn it's amp up to 11. |
Got it. I just put a 12 on my Rolls PM 351. You probably know better than most how to get through a 4 hour soul or salsa gig, by not confusing volume with intensity. _________________ YTR 8310Z III
YTR 8335 LAS II
'72 Benge 3X
Couesnon Flugelhorn
Yamaha YTR-9820 Piccolo |
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Cuso Regular Member
Joined: 04 Apr 2023 Posts: 45 Location: Cologne, Germany
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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cheiden wrote: | I'd advise working on making a sensible effort and then using the mic and hearing protection so you don't blow out your chops or ears. |
Got it. Already invested in a good clip-on, a more-of-me personal monitor and IEM system. I've blown my chops out enough in my life to know how to protect myself. _________________ YTR 8310Z III
YTR 8335 LAS II
'72 Benge 3X
Couesnon Flugelhorn
Yamaha YTR-9820 Piccolo |
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Cuso Regular Member
Joined: 04 Apr 2023 Posts: 45 Location: Cologne, Germany
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 11:48 pm Post subject: Re: "It" Happened. |
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Tivolian wrote: |
I, for one, really appreciated reading about this experience. Sounds like a magic moment or three. |
The problem I have now is trying not to reproduce what happened in those 3 minutes without changing anything, or forcing something.
Coming back on the trumpet will make you develop buddhist like patience. Got to stay in the moment instead of trying to get ahead of myself.
"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." Budda _________________ YTR 8310Z III
YTR 8335 LAS II
'72 Benge 3X
Couesnon Flugelhorn
Yamaha YTR-9820 Piccolo |
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Cuso Regular Member
Joined: 04 Apr 2023 Posts: 45 Location: Cologne, Germany
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 11:55 pm Post subject: Re: "It" Happened. |
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abontrumpet wrote: |
Awesome! Those are the moments that make you believe. Keep chasing that moment |
Will do! Not going to stop halfway there, and I fully plan to enjoy the trip.
Regardless of how many pitfalls I have to work through. _________________ YTR 8310Z III
YTR 8335 LAS II
'72 Benge 3X
Couesnon Flugelhorn
Yamaha YTR-9820 Piccolo |
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Cuso Regular Member
Joined: 04 Apr 2023 Posts: 45 Location: Cologne, Germany
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for your input guys...it goes a long way. _________________ YTR 8310Z III
YTR 8335 LAS II
'72 Benge 3X
Couesnon Flugelhorn
Yamaha YTR-9820 Piccolo |
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Crazy Finn Heavyweight Member
Joined: 27 Dec 2001 Posts: 8348 Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota
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Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2023 1:56 am Post subject: Re: "It" Happened. |
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Cuso wrote: | I felt nothing more under or in the mouthpiece, and this huge sizzling sound (me!) bounced off the back wall of the auditorium and b***h slapped me right in the face.
...
I know what happened to them wasn't luck, but a true reflection of their potential. What I experienced wasn't just wild abandon, overblowing, new horn etc., but I'm on the right track and the rewards are slowing starting to show.
...
Sorry I took those 2 minutes of your life away to read this, but this is the only way I can tell myself; Don't stop now and keep up the good work. |
Tivolian wrote: | I, for one, really appreciated reading about this experience. Sounds like a magic moment or three. |
abontrumpet wrote: | Awesome! Those are the moments that make you believe. Keep chasing that moment |
Indeed! Nice and glad you enjoyed it!
I will echo that competing with amplified instruments acoustically is a losing proposition, but regardless, nice moment.
Not a comeback player (yet - I've taken about 4 years completely off, now), but I'll share a moment like that back in the day playing in the college orchestra during our annual Christmas festival. There were always times in those arrangements when the trumpet(s) had to play over the 80 person orchestra and the nearly 500 voice assembled choirs. We had most of those concerts in the cavernous college fieldhouse, though a pair of them were at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis (about 3-4 hours away). Anyway, my last year I was principal and after one of the shows (there were 6), I asked my friend who was ushering in the very back if he could he me. He said "Well, I feel like the choirs needed just a little more volume to balance you out."
When you can get relaxed and really play without tension, projection comes naturally.
(of course, sometimes it's tiredness masquerading as being relaxed when you're on show 2 of the day and only get a 35-40 break in between)
Good times. _________________ LA Benge 3X Bb Trumpet
Selmer Radial Bb Trumpet
Yamaha 6335S Bb Trumpet
Besson 709 Bb Trumpet
Bach 184L Bb Cornet
Yamaha 731 Bb Flugelhorn |
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kurth83 Regular Member
Joined: 21 Oct 2021 Posts: 73
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Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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If you are still in the comeback phase (meaning growing stronger), that magic moment may return, and gradually more often and stronger. |
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