Is trumpet worth it?

[Radjammin]

Ok so I am thinking today how often am I gonna get a chance to play trumpet? I rarely can pratice it at home. My work is getting more, not less. I want to continue to work on my Jazz Sax Chops with hopes I will actually get work. If I ever do get a chance to do some pit work, I don't even know how to play flute and my wife is telling me I can't learn, ie woman's instrument. It's just her perception.

But for me I am about playtime. Why learn something I am not going to use. I also think that singing can't be that hard.

Is trumpet worth it? Does anyone know any players that actually get to use both their sax and trumpet chops in any venue?

I have been doing the community band thing for a while,but that's getting boring. I still like going for the people and friends I made but I don't think I am going to get much out of the music. I want smaller setups where I can solo and be heard, and possibly make money.

What about Guitar or Bass? I mean I keep seeing Guitar players that learn Sax and they sound pretty good. And I bet they get a bunch more work. Should I just give up on Trumpet and Learn Guitar?

I know clarinet pretty good, but other then a recent dixie land small group that wants me to play with them, how often is this really going to come up?

I just wanta play/sing/beat something! and get paid doing it or at least recognision. My fav woudl be a big band, but there are no openings in the groups I know of in the area and I doubt many ever open up. When you got a good thing why would you ever leave!

[tjontheroad]

When I started playing sax, I also started the trumpet with lessons at the same time. After a few months, I dumped the trumpet just 'cause it was too much to learn at once. IMO, sax is much easier to get going on. Trumpet can be very frustrating getting started. YMMV.

There's a bizzillion guitarist out there. It's not easy to be the guy who's at the top level and gets all the paid gigs. Part of the reason I picked up the sax after playing guitar for 20 years is so I can be doing something that's not as common. I still love the guitar, but I don't get to play it much now that I practice sax with all my spare time.

An even average bass player will always be sought after for gigs. The downside sometimes with bass is you're often playing someone else's musical interest. Band leaders are looking for someone to fill in their sound. If creative control is important, you might be disappointed. At least you'll get paid.

[Martin Williams]

I make an effort to keep up my trumpet chops even though i dont get many gigs on it, mostly i get sax gigs.

Once you get onto the scene though, you'll see everyonce in a while you might get that trumpet call!

[Rick Adams]

The guitar is imo a difficult instrument to learn. Couple this with the thousands of people who play it (just check out the number of guitars on ebay) and I reckon you'll find it hard to get guitar work. I could be wrong of course. You'd be better of with bass than guitar, but at the end of the day it's so much about creative spirit, dedication and perseverance that I guess you should play the instrument that gets your casbah rocking.

[Radjammin]

Hey thanks for the replys so far.

I got alot of time on all 3 instruments. My rational is I want to do pick up skills that will help me and stop pratcing things that won't Your right, trumpet has alot of upkeep. And I have never been a great soloist on Trumpet, though I can blow. I know Guitar would require work, but so did the 3 instruments I already know how to play. Bass intially interested me, but I thought about what people said, your allways just playing what someone else wants to hear, plus I doubt you would ever blow on a gig where you were playing Bass, but I could definatly see you sitting out on a tune on guitart to blow on sax. Seems like a better fit. I am also been pondering working on my singing, but as I am far from Tone Def, the pipes don't respond as well as my sax does. In other words, I don't know how long it would take for me to get my pipes off the sidelines and singing toons that I didn't sound like a hack at.

Then there's the doubling dream, but there seems to be better players in that arena, so should I really keep that dream alive or move on and maybe one day I will stumble over it.

Back to trumpet, my original question. I am just looking at it like this, Trumpet requires alot of work. I could be using that same work on Guitar and see more of a payoff. I wanted to know any realisitc situations where I could realistically play Trumpet and Sax on the Same gig. I just can't think of one. If a band has 1 horn, I am going to be blowing sax. If they need a turmpet they probaby want one that can last longer then I can. I tap out a little faster then a Trumpet Pro. You can hear my trumpet blowing though if you want,
Here's a link where I did all the trumpet parts. (http://www.vintagehorn.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=23&Itemid=52)
And there's the GAS fund. Right now I am saving for a Tenor Sax. If I sell the Trumpet that's $400 towards the tenor, but I don't kow if I can sell the trumpet, it's such a nice horn. I mean it looks pretty bad, no dents or anything but it's Mr Trumpet in look and sound. I have played the horn for 3 or 4 hours and they have never stuck once. Lets just say if you play trumpet that's priority number 1. I can't sell the Clarinet for the same reason. It plays great, better then the guy holding it.


LOL Martin, we have the exact same trumpet setup. Same horn/Same MPC, yours is probaby nicer, Mine is a '67. The 40's/50's are more collectable but Mine can still blow! I have heard the later 60's are heavier, clucker. They still have some sweet values. The feel rock hard and super smooth. My Repair guy drop his jaw when I told him how much I got it for. He was very impressed by the craftmanship. They mainly work on Olds Ambassitors.

[Martin Williams]

Ive got one each of the early and late Supers here(a 48 and a 65), and both play great. The 65 is in goldplate, and usually my go-to horn, even over my Schilke B1

[tjontheroad]

It would seem to me that if a band wants a trumpet in most cases it would be an all night affair. I don't think I've ever seen anyone that doubled with a sax. I'm sure there are players out there, but rare. It's more like one or the other or both with two players (or more).

Guitar was much easier for me learn than the sax. It's also not high maintenance once you can be confident on it. I can pick up the guitar after not playing for a month and be ready to go. Most sax and trumpet players need to keep a near daily playing routine to stay at their level. I use to play guitar, sax and WX5 on the same gig. Some songs switching instruments in the middle of the tune from guitar and sax. This I've seen others do as well.

One other bass downside... Bass amps frickin' heavy!!!

This all said, I was you, I'd stick with the trumpet and get yourself to a level you handle it for a whole show. You've got time on that already, don't through it away.

[Barefoot Matt]

Here's another option for you...

I tried the trumpet very briefly once and found it to be an incredibly hard instrument to start playing - it was as if I was a beginner band student all over again. The trombone, on the other hand, required much less muscle development to get a tolerable sound out of it, and within a couple weeks I felt relatively competent on it. I now play the trombone on a regular basis. It's true that just like the trumpet, sax, or any other instrument, it takes a lot of work to get that perfect tone and intonation and to reach those high notes, but the initial learning curve is MUCH easier than the trumpet. Furthermore, if you already play the trumpet half-decently, you've got a head start on the trombone.

Even if you do keep the trumpet, the trombone might be an easy addition to broaden your repertoire even further (GAS fund issues aside, of course).