My 10 year old son started playing trumpet 4 weeks ago, his teacher now has some `concerns` -- (Not being in the class, and not being a music teacher, and never playing trumpet, oh and not playing an instrument myself in about 20 years makes this all a bit difficult for me)

His lips are too tense, he won`t relax the corners -- any advice??

He plays too loud -- does he need to blow less air? How do you play softer??

He has `G` down perfect but can`t seem to get the low `C` -- ok they`re both open fingering... how do you do this??

I think for a kid that has been playing only 4 weeks he is doing fairly well, I really don`t know what the teacher expects of a beginner??? If my son doesn`t `get it` in the next 2 weeks they are going to drop him from band.

Can anyone help me out here, or refer me somewhere that can help? I have him play along and practice to the DVD that came with his music book.

Thanks in advance,
Nikki

well... to start with everyone has their flaws in music but its just a matter of time. i had a friend who got c-`s in band class in his first year.. he`d try to play a scale but it would come out soundin like jingle bells or sumat lol... the next year tho he was almost better than me!so thats why im gonna say that the best thing to do would be to talk to his band teacher and maybe tell this story from an experienced trumpet player. in essence your sons band teacher is being way to harsh. the only way to get really droped from band is to quit! Now about those other problems... to get his mouth looser just tell him to hold it very gently against his face so that he is just able to play and eventually it will equal out so he will be aplying proper pressure. next.. the tight corners... this is a good thing the tighter the corners of your mouth are the smaller an air hole you can make which means you can get faster air and higher notes. now... playing to loud.... dont use or take in less air just release it more slowly. for the low c i find its just slower air and especialy lip movement. try geting him to speed up and slow dowwn his airflow in the open valve position... the slower the airflow the les vibration the less vibration the lower frequency and lower frequency means lower note. high notes are kind of the same except instead of slightly relaxing the lips tighten them and blow faster air. with these methods im reaching from the lowest note a trumpet can play (low f#) to a super c so .... i hope i helped.... bye

w00t Joe, this is Cam.

Yeah, im 101% with you on this one Joe. Have a chat with your sons band teacher, tell him to let you son have alittle more time. Because even though it may seem that he wasn`t playing that great, It will kick in for him very soon and his skills will just take off. It didn`t `kick in` for me until Christmas (if I were to start in September), and I was the suckyest of suckyest trumpet players in the concert band. Well, except for Mark...he wasnt very good, and now he`s just awesome at the horn. Just give him lots of encouragement, and even though it sounds really bad when he`s practicing at home, the awkful blaststy sounds will turn into some pretty swell scales. Just give him time. Oh, and it may seem for him to play the `high` notes to push the mouthpeice against his face as if he was trying to squish somthing as hard as she could. No! The majority of the sound comes from the stomace, tell him to tighten his tummy muscles take in a deep breath (standing up) and blow the air out like his lungs are in the all underneath his belly-button. Well, thats my bit.

Congrats Joe on your double high C!!!!

Cam

slower air=lower tone
less air=quieter
fast air=higher tone
more air= louder

It sounds like your sons music teacher is being very stringent
It`s great that he blows too hard, better than not being able to get a sound at all in the beginning! It`s much easier to learn to play softer than harder! A good tip to try and relax corners of his mouth and cheeks in the beginning is closing your mouth and blowing and `inflating` top and bottom lips completely adding more air until impossible to fill more and then letting the air escape from the sides of his mouth. It helps but you`ll be right sick of looking at it after a while, it`s sort of addictive

There is only one thing that ruins childrens capacity to play music and that is things are forced on them and it becomes a chore and a pressure. Your child will only continue if he feels it is fun and he`s not pressurized. If the teacher cannot see that find another. Good luck!

yes sam ben is right i loved my trumpet when i started because my parents didnt force it on me or be too picky they said " if you love it great if you dont what instrument would you like to play??" its all in how you approach them. his band teacher also needs to think about how time is the best remedy for not so great playing and how your son if he loves it could be the next louie armestrong if he loved it enough. at our beginnings we all have infinite potential.

oh and cam... it was triple high not double lol

Oh ok, lol

Joe, just so you know, Britt and Amanda cant make it to Reapers. Laurel and Brandon too...so, just so you know, ill understand if you dropp out cause your so tight with britt.

nah im comin cam

just thot id ask nikki hows he doin?? is any advice helpin???

So sorry I haven`t responded before now. The advice has been wonderful and I really do think it`s working. Part of the problem I think is that it just seems to have been so much information in such a short time, he was having trouble reading notes, and understanding the notes (1/4; 1/2; etc.) so I think it`s all starting to click. He is still having some difficulty, he is spot on with `G, trying to get those lower notes. I am going to sit in on class this week and see if I can`t figure out what the expectations are? I would also like to see where the other 12 beginners are in comparison with my son.
In trying to get him to play softer I find that it affects his pitch, when he plays louder he hits the notes without problem, it`s when he plays softer that he struggles hitting the notes also. I think my son is backwards!!! LOL!!
He is still enjoying it which is good, I really don`t want him to feel pressured, I want him to have fun with it, and enjoy it, and reap the benefits of music.
Thank you all so much, I will keep you posted on his progress, and if anyone can think of anything please let me know.

Nikki & Michael (we`re trying)

so glad to be of help and i cant wait to hear if it turns out alright for him

I went to my sons band lesson today and needless to say it was very interesting. I was completely confused by this guy... he was all over the place, I don`t know how he expects 4th graders who have no music education to understand him? I was lost. I spoke to the band director for a long time afterwards and he is an eccentric type of guy, very into band, he has been teaching for 35 years, he has done some amazing things with kids --- but I still feel that the expectations may be a little high?? He is very set in his ways and there won`t be any changing him. We did speak about getting Michael down from the G to the C and he gave me the same tips you all did.... pull the trumpet away, slower air, etc... I told him about you all and said what a great resource this has been. I am very appreciative.

THANKS!! I`ll keep you posted if you`re interested.

A player need time to be proficient and sophisticated, no matter a 4th grade or a adult beginner.
Don`t let the harsh band director turn down your son`s music enjoyment.