Any Brass Instrument players here?

[xsited1]

One of my kids is learning to play the baritone in the school band. I can explain music theory and rhythm patterns, but I've never played a brass instrument so I could use a few pointers. Anyone Brass Instrument players here?

TIA

 

[Xenophon]

Sorry, never was part of a band.

 

[mudwhistle]

Played the Trombone for 10 years.

Not sure what you want to know. The Baritone requires good lung capacity and big lips.

Lots of practice always helps.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

I used to play trombone, but I was cursed with an absolutely Satanic music teacher so all I learned is that when every cell in your body is telling you to stick an icepick in your teachers forehead, it's probably time to pick another instrument.

When my nephew decided to play guitar after he heard me playing, I told him to focus on how things sound more than being a trained monkey and aiming to shred and play super fast.

My advise: listen to The Best Band you Never Heard in Your Life, Zappa's last Big Band with a major league kick ass horn section.

 

[xotoxi]

Sorry, never was part of a band.

That's right...instead he focused on his solo career playing the skin flute.

 

[mudwhistle]

I used to play trombone, but I was cursed with an absolutely Satanic music teacher so all I learned is that when every cell in your body is telling you to stick an icepick in your teachers forehead, it's probably time to pick another instrument.

When my nephew decided to play guitar after he heard me playing, I told him to focus on how things sound more than being a trained monkey and aiming to shred and play super fast.

My advise: listen to The Best Band you Never Heard in Your Life, Zappa's last Big Band with a major league kick ass horn section.

Chicago was one of my favorites.

 

[xotoxi]

Played the Trombone for 10 years.

Not sure what you want to know. The Baritone requires good lung capacity and big lips.

Lots of practice always helps.

Is a "mudwhistle" in any way similar to a "rusty trombone"?

 

[CrusaderFrank]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Roo6crueL1k]YouTube - Frank Zappa - Black Napkins - 1988 Barcelona[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDNwceZzTBU[/ame]

 

[Luissa]

One of my kids is learning to play the baritone in the school band. I can explain music theory and rhythm patterns, but I've never played a brass instrument so I could use a few pointers. Anyone Brass Instrument players here?

TIA

Biggest tip, don't empty your spit trap on someone else's foot.
And tell him to whistle, it helps with learning to control your lips.

 

[edthecynic]

Scales, scales, scales.

"Eight notes scale an octave,
Master the scale and you master the score."

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruj4fOvvW08&feature=related"]YouTube - The Zodiac - Cosmic Sounds: Capricorn The Uncapricious Climber[/ame]

 

[Mr Natural]

I've been playing the trumpet since I was 13. The baritone horn is exactly the same (when played in treble clef) only bigger and lower.

I'd be more than happy to field any questions you can throw my way.

 

[Xenophon]

Sorry, never was part of a band.

That's right...instead he focused on his solo career playing the skin flute.

Now I have told you about projecting, you need to work on not doing his...

 

[Harry Dresden]

One of my kids is learning to play the baritone in the school band. I can explain music theory and rhythm patterns, but I've never played a brass instrument so I could use a few pointers. Anyone Brass Instrument players here?

TIA

i dont want to mention any names.....but i hear Chris plays the skin flute .....

 

[xsited1]

Thanks for the responses! I've gotten several of my questions answered via PM (thanks!). Here's the deal: I am completely ignorant when it comes to horn instruments or mouth pieces or spit guards, etc. My questions (so far):

1. How difficult is it to play a baritone for a 10-year old? It appears to be a lot of work to me.

2. My kiddo has trouble hitting the notes and breathing properly. Does this just come with time?

3. The baritone is provided by the school. It's beat-up, but playable. However, I don't know how to judge the quality of brass instruments. Should I buy a new one? If so, where's a good place?

4. I can't get my kiddo to play unless I also play the piano and keep time with a metronome. I try to be encouraging, but when I was 6 and learning to play the piano, I wanted to play all the time. Same with guitar when I was 12. Should I continue to push?

Someone recommended personal lessons. I think that's an awesome idea.

TIA

 

[Mr Natural]

Thanks for the responses! I've gotten several of my questions answered via PM (thanks!). Here's the deal: I am completely ignorant when it comes to horn instruments or mouth pieces or spit guards, etc. My questions (so far):

1. How difficult is it to play a baritone for a 10-year old? It appears to be a lot of work to me.

It's a big horn for a little guy. But as it is with any wind instrument, it's going to take time and commitment before anything resembling music comes out of it.

2. My kiddo has trouble hitting the notes and breathing properly. Does this just come with time?

He should concentrate on getting a good sound out of it at first and holding the notes as long as he can. He should practice what is known as diaphramatic breathing where air is taken into the lungs from the bottom and supported by the diaphram. Have his teacher at school explain it to him.

3. The baritone is provided by the school. It's beat-up, but playable. However, I don't know how to judge the quality of brass instruments. Should I buy a new one? If so, where's a good place?

They're not cheap. A basic student model can probably run about $1000 and a top of the line pro model can fetch somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 or 8 thousand. There's an online retailer called The Woodwind and Brasswind. They're pretty good. Also maybe eBay for a used horn.

4. I can't get my kiddo to play unless I also play the piano and keep time with a metronome. I try to be encouraging, but when I was 6 and learning to play the piano, I wanted to play all the time. Same with guitar when I was 12. Should I continue to push?

I wouldn't push him. If he's into it, he'll want to play on his own.

Someone recommended personal lessons. I think that's an awesome idea.

Always a good idea. The teacher at school can only devote so much time to each student and if he's not a brass specialist, he might not know the finer points of brass playing.
TIA

Hope this helped.

 

[del]

Thanks for the responses! I've gotten several of my questions answered via PM (thanks!). Here's the deal: I am completely ignorant when it comes to horn instruments or mouth pieces or spit guards, etc. My questions (so far):

1. How difficult is it to play a baritone for a 10-year old? It appears to be a lot of work to me.

It's a big horn for a little guy. But as it is with any wind instrument, it's going to take time and commitment before anything resembling music comes out of it.



He should concentrate on getting a good sound out of it at first and holding the notes as long as he can. He should practice what is known as diaphramatic breathing where air is taken into the lungs from the bottom and supported by the diaphram. Have his teacher at school explain it to him.



They're not cheap. A basic student model can probably run about $1000 and a top of the line pro model can fetch somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 or 8 thousand. There's an online retailer called The Woodwind and Brasswind. They're pretty good. Also maybe eBay for a used horn.



I wouldn't push him. If he's into it, he'll want to play on his own.

Someone recommended personal lessons. I think that's an awesome idea.

Always a good idea. The teacher at school can only devote so much time to each student and if he's not a brass specialist, he might not know the finer points of brass playing.
TIA

Hope this helped.

my daughter plays clarinet so i can't speak to brass specifically, but i can say that private lessons helped her tremendously. on a side note, a private instructor might have some insight on whether or not your guy really wants to play baritone. my kids went through strings, tubas, flutes and sax before they settled on clarinet and drums, respectively.

 

[Xenophon]

Don't let your kids end up like Stewie...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bohK2Zyh1D8]YouTube - Stewie's Tuba Job[/ame]

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Thanks for the responses! I've gotten several of my questions answered via PM (thanks!). Here's the deal: I am completely ignorant when it comes to horn instruments or mouth pieces or spit guards, etc. My questions (so far):

1. How difficult is it to play a baritone for a 10-year old? It appears to be a lot of work to me.

It's a big horn for a little guy. But as it is with any wind instrument, it's going to take time and commitment before anything resembling music comes out of it.



He should concentrate on getting a good sound out of it at first and holding the notes as long as he can. He should practice what is known as diaphramatic breathing where air is taken into the lungs from the bottom and supported by the diaphram. Have his teacher at school explain it to him.



They're not cheap. A basic student model can probably run about $1000 and a top of the line pro model can fetch somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 or 8 thousand. There's an online retailer called The Woodwind and Brasswind. They're pretty good. Also maybe eBay for a used horn.



I wouldn't push him. If he's into it, he'll want to play on his own.

Someone recommended personal lessons. I think that's an awesome idea.

Always a good idea. The teacher at school can only devote so much time to each student and if he's not a brass specialist, he might not know the finer points of brass playing.
TIA

Hope this helped.

Mr Clean knows his stuff. Listen to him.

 

[Shogun]

In high school I played the French Horn and the mellophone... and pretty damn good at them both.


always liked the horns in Fishbone, myself.

 

[Big Black Dog]

One of my kids is learning to play the baritone in the school band. I can explain music theory and rhythm patterns, but I've never played a brass instrument so I could use a few pointers. Anyone Brass Instrument players here?

TIA

I'm sort of a half-brassed baritone player and would be of no real assistance.