Forum - Trumpet Talk - This sucks :-(

You said all open valves would be a C right? Since my trumpet is in the key of Bb shouldn't all open be Bb?

When I blow with all valves open my tuner is more in the F range.. Either I really suck at blowing or my trumpet is out of tune (is that even possible?). Any advice to get it more in the C range?

I bought a cleaning kit when I got my trumpet... what is all that stuff for, where do I use it?

Theres a sliding piece on one of them bottom pipes.. It sounds like air flows in and out when you slides it. What is it used for?

This ones hilarious but im serious, how do you hold the thing?

How fragile are they, i'm like afraid to touch anything on it or set it down outside of the case.

And I do plan on getting lessons eventually.. I want to get the hang of it first though. Probably in a few months.

After about an hour I was able to actually get sounds out of it, and I can't say they were pleasant. I'm still not sure if im making my lips right, I just made different noises until a note came out.

Trumpet is a tranposing instrument. So a Bb played on piano will sound the same pitch as a C played on trumpet.

What you are playing is a G. Your tuner is showing you in concert pitch (same as piano) what note you are playing (concert F). Some tuners can be programmed to show in trumpet pitch. Trumpets can be out of tune, but at this stage I wouldn't worry about it too much. They can be tuned by moving the main tuning slide in or out. The main tuning slide is largest tuning slide, that connects to the lead pipe (where you put your mouthpiece in)

To play a C you either have to move up or down. Because that G is in the middle of two C's. To change notes you blow faster air for higher, while rolling in your lips and slower air for lower while allowing your lips to roll out.

You have three brushes. The longest one is used for the lead pipe. Remove your mouthpiece and the main tuning slide. You can now slide that snake (as they are called) through that pipe. You will get a lot of gunk in that pipe so do it every fortnight or so. I've seen main trumpets that don't clean that pipe for a long time then when they do it, you get some very gross green/black gunk slopping out.

The smallest brush is for the mouthpiece. Clean you mouthpiece in hot (not boiling) soapy water every couple of days. If you keep that clean, the gunk has less chance to travel into your horn.

The last brush is for the valves. Each valve has to go in the right case and has to be lined up properly or you won't be able to blow any air through the horn. Each valve will be stamped with a number so you know which is which and in what order they go.

The other stuff is valve oil, remove the valve and only a couple of drops are needed. Make sure the valve lines up when you put it back. Twist is around until it clicks. If you get this wrong you can't get any air through the air or you will get only a little air through. If tha happens take it out and twist it till it clicks.

The slide cream is too keep the slides moving freely. You have the main tuning slide. (Talked about that before) and three valve slides. Make sure they are clean and slide nicly.

The cloth is simply to make your horn shiny and looking nice.

Umm, That sounds like the third valve slide. Am i right? Try not to move that without pressing the third valve down as each time you do you lessen the air pressure in the valve.

Check out this page.
http://www.trumpetguild.org/itgyouth/masterclass/Hickman.htm

They are not super fragile. They will survive if you put down on a table. They will dent if it falls from the table. Use common sense.

Like others have said I wouldn't recommend this. Every time you touch the horn you form a habit. Good habits and bad habits. Each time you repeat an action you ingrain that habit (good or bad) Any bad habits you form are easy to change if you have lessons right away. The longer you wait the harder it will be.

A few other pointers -
This is not cool. At this stage I would say practise only 15 minutes at a time. An hour is too long and you will tire very quickly. By 15 minutes I mean 15min in a session. You can have 4 sessions a day with rest (at least 45min) inbetween. Much better way of going about things.

Also you may not get this from you beginner book but low D's and low C#'s should be played with the third valve slide out about an inch.

PLease look at my post on the BALANCED EMBOUCHURE. You will get a lot out of this book. Remember what I said about habit forming? Building correct habits via this book will set you up for your trumpet playing life.

http://horntabs.net/thread.cgi?thread=365#3951

Ok so this was a long post. But if you only take one thing from it, I would hope it would be, get a teacher. He/She could explain and demonstaight all of what I have said much more easily than anyone could ever do over the internet. Also Buy the BALANCED EMBOUCHURE book.

Good luck, feel free to ask any more questions. Can't promise another post like this, but I'll do my best.