h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I now own the trumpet I've been practising on! I was talking with Roy and said something about practising on *my* trumpet, and then said, 'Of course, I know it's not *my* trumpet...' and he said that as I'd shown such commitment to learning, he was going to give it to me. He does own a newer and very much better one, but I'm really happy about having my own trumpet.

The place where I'm learning has a concert later on in March and my tutor has asked if I would like to perform a piece. Of course, I've said yes. It will give me something to aim for. (or - I don't know which yet!

How lovely. You must be very pleased. I like the trumpet. Lovely instrument.

Let us know how your concert goes.

Websailor

I've just been checking, Websailor . It's on Saturday 24 March. I may do 'Putting on the Ritz" or 'Rockabye your baby with a Dixie lullaby' or maybe something a bit simpler. Depends on how consistent I can get them.

Oh good for you!!! It's important to have something like that to work towards. Happy pratcising!

Oh! my dear Zarquhon

You are such a clever girl. Well done.

So now you and Roy will be able to play duets!!.

Much affection

Christinae AR1

Fabulous!

Do you have a sound-proof room in which to practice? I have a friend who has just performed in public for the first time on his oboe and he's bouncing all over the place I hope you get the same buzz

Hi TC 'It's important to have something like that to work towards.' Yes, isn't it.

Hi Christiane So now you and Roy will be able to play duets!! We did one a while ago, but not on trumpets - his is at his house and my is at mine. He also plays flute and we did it with trumpet and practice flute.

Hi FB Do you have a sound-proof room in which to practice? No, but none of the neighbours have complained so far. I do try to practice at reasonable times, though, in consideration for them and not for too long at a time.

I need a conversation with my tutor on Monday about which tune to select. Also, I need quite a bit of practice to 'tune in' to the instrument - I can't play it without doing a fair amount of warming up. I'd need to check whether I would get that.

That is fantastic! Your own trumpet! Congratulations!

Good Luck with the music!

Thanks, ladye-s - I handed in my slip requesting to play today. I checked what time there would be for warm-ups, as I can't play from cold. The trumpet makes a very sad sound for the first minute or so, until I've got my lips working properly. If I really don't feel I'll be up to it, I can always pull out.

I've bought a really great trumpet tutor which arrived from America today 'Arban's Complete Conservatory Method'. My tutor reckons it's the biz. We played a duet from it today, which I sight read. I'm really OK about sight reading and mostly we sounded fine. It was fun playing duets.

What sort of mouthpiece have you got? If it's anything like the clarinet, you can make more difference to the sound with a good mouthpiece than the rest of the trumpet.

I've no idea what sort of mouthpiece it is, Gnomon. I know when Roy bought a mouthpiece for his expensive trumpet, the mouthpiece was over £50. How would I go about getting a better one (are there any hallmarks of a good mouthpiece?)

At the beginning of playing, it can tend to sound a bit congested, as though I hadn't cleared all the spit out of it at the end of the last session. I do try hard to blow all the liquid out of it.

I'm looking forward to the time when I can play without a brace. I'm sure it will be a lot easier.

Price is usually the best way of choosing a good mouthpiece. The more expensive it is, the better it will sound. But they are also graded by number. A number 3 is a typical one for a beginner. Unless you're good, you wouldn't be able to get anything out of a number 7, but presumably a good player can get a much better sound out of a 7 than out of a 3. What exactly the difference between the two is, though, I don't know.

'Price is usually the best way of choosing a good mouthpiece.' Do you know, Gnomon, I had an awful feeling that that would be a good indicator. I didn't know about being grated by number, though. I'll talk to my tutor next session and ask.

Cearching online, I found a guide to mouthpieces from Vincent Bach, which I'll read. Thanks, Gnomon!

I see at the Myatt website that mouthpieces cost anything from £16 to £200.

I've a manky old trumpet which I bought off a friend; it came with three mouthpieces, the best of which is a Vincent Bach.

So you can be a D cup at last!

Gnomon "manky" is not a word I would have imagined you would ever use

Manky is quite a common word in Ireland for something which is grubby and banjaxed.

Oh! I thought they only used it in Scotland.
Thank you for correcting me.

Following our earlier exchange, Gnomon, I found the Vincent Bach website and there's a really useful booklet which I downloaded telling me all about mouthpieces. Oh, poo! the filter has crossed out your figures. I think they were 16-200GBP. I see you can pay a lot more for a mouthpiece than you can pay for a cheapsih instrument.

Having just examined my mouthpiece, it's a Yamaha 9 (whatever that is).