pidget Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 (edited) Hello DCP! So I'm currently a freshmen in High School and I've only marched Saxophone. I really want to learn a brass instrument for DCI but I was wondering if anyone has any tips. I want to learn trumpet and was wondering if anyone has any tips on how to learn it myself since I've tried finding a trumpet private lesson teacher in my area but to no avail. Anyways cheers! ~pidget Edit: I'm actually gonna try baritone instead of trumpet Edited January 30, 2015 by pidget Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornTeacher Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Hello DCP! So I'm currently a freshmen in High School and I've only marched Saxophone. I really want to learn a brass instrument for DCI but I was wondering if anyone has any tips. I want to learn trumpet since I have a trumpet mouthpiece and I really don't like being the backing part to the melody. Does anyone have any tips on how to learn it myself since I've tried finding a trumpet private lesson teacher in my area but to no avail. Anyways cheers! ~pidget Switching to trumpet is great...IF you are willing to put in the work!! However, just because you are a trumpet, it doesn't mean that you won't be serving a "subsidiary" role to the melody. The melody, when carried by the trumpets, is usually done in the 1st trumpet section...2nd and 3rd trumpet parts are often "like-voiced" harmony parts. And being that you are new to the instrument, I would find it unlikely that you would find immediate placement at the top of the section (i.e., 1st parts). Be content to first learn the instrument...work hard...improve...and earn your way to the top. I wish you the BEST of luck!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandandl Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 The answer Horn Teacher gave you is very fine. In DCI arrangements, the melody may vary from trumpets to the other voices. Listen to the preview tapes of the Cadets learning Shostakovitch's X. There are several parts where the tubas (called contras sometimes in drum corps) have the melody!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pidget Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 (edited) Ah I see, thank you! I do realize that I won't be getting placed in the top of the section, I'm just hoping to get placed in the section. I'll take the melody part out since I think I worded it poorly :) Edited January 29, 2015 by pidget Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrownBariDad Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 I think there have been some other posts about woodwind players switching to brass, but I didn't have time to search for them. I seem to recall a few folks suggested that sax players try baritone since they are in similar ranges. But, don't worry about that if you want to play trumpet. Go for it and good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleran Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 The other concern to take into consideration if you're going to pick up a new instrument from scratch is how many other players you'll be competing against for a spot. Since it is not your first instrument, and you will be auditioning against other players for whom it IS their first and only instrument, you may not want to throw yourself into the line that has an abundance of auditonees from which to choose because you might not make the cut. I'm not saying that every corps marches 24 trumpets and turns away 12 more, but you might find more openings for a mellophone player instead. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pidget Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 The other concern to take into consideration if you're going to pick up a new instrument from scratch is how many other players you'll be competing against for a spot. Since it is not your first instrument, and you will be auditioning against other players for whom it IS their first and only instrument, you may not want to throw yourself into the line that has an abundance of auditonees from which to choose because you might not make the cut. I'm not saying that every corps marches 24 trumpets and turns away 12 more, but you might find more openings for a mellophone player instead. I was meaning to ask about this, what's the trumpet competition like compared to other instruments? I know that trumpets might have the most auditionees but would the large amount of spots compensate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpenceriEuph Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Breathe. Lip slurs. Practice literally every day. Don't worry too much, you are by no means the first nor the last person to do this. Just practice literally every day, use your air, and do a crap ton of lip slurs. If you can get in some ensemble(s) on trumpet I'd do it. More playing=more better. Also more breathing, more air, practicing every day (literally) and lip slurs=better. Did I mention to relax? Also get the corps brass book as soon as it comes out, work it to perfection, and impress the crap out of your vis techs with your killer marching (make that happen). Lastly, move more air, do lip slurs, practice every day, and relax. From one woodwind in drum corps to another, good luck in your venture! You'll be glad you made this decision. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soccerguy315 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 (edited) I was meaning to ask about this, what's the trumpet competition like compared to other instruments? I know that trumpets might have the most auditionees but would the large amount of spots compensate? look at high school bands around the country (and yours!) Trumpet players are very plentiful. French horns are much fewer. I feel pretty save saying there are more trumpets that baritones/euphoniums as well. Obviously trombone players will be playing bari/euph in corps. I feel like out of the horn line, there are the most people per spot auditioning on trumpet, but I'm not sure if other people feel the same way. Hopefully they will chime in. edit: If trumpet is what you want, definitely go for that though! I'm a sax player that learned baritone for corps. Edited January 30, 2015 by soccerguy315 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pidget Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 Breathe. Lip slurs. Practice literally every day. Don't worry too much, you are by no means the first nor the last person to do this. Just practice literally every day, use your air, and do a crap ton of lip slurs. If you can get in some ensemble(s) on trumpet I'd do it. More playing=more better. Also more breathing, more air, practicing every day (literally) and lip slurs=better. Did I mention to relax? Also get the corps brass book as soon as it comes out, work it to perfection, and impress the crap out of your vis techs with your killer marching (make that happen). Lastly, move more air, do lip slurs, practice every day, and relax. From one woodwind in drum corps to another, good luck in your venture! You'll be glad you made this decision. Thank you for the tips ^-^， sorry if I sound too needy but where would you find brass books and what are they? I'm guessing that they are the actual music but I'm not 100% sure. look at high school bands around the country (and yours!) Trumpet players are very plentiful. French horns are much fewer. I feel pretty save saying there are more trumpets that baritones/euphoniums as well. Obviously trombone players will be playing bari/euph in corps. I feel like out of the horn line, there are the most people per spot auditioning on trumpet, but I'm not sure if other people feel the same way. Hopefully they will chime in. edit: If trumpet is what you want, definitely go for that though! I'm a sax player that learned baritone for corps. Even if half the earth's population is trying out for trumpet I feel like I'm up for a challenge. Thanks for the insight ^-^. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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