Hi Guys,

As a self taught beginner, I have some concerns.

I own a Yamaha YTR4335, upon recommendation. It sure looks cool! I hope it is good for even when I start getting towards intermediate.

I found some teach-yourself books. Although a good teacher helps, I hope it is not impossible to teach yourself. Views seem to vary. Below are opinions I collected.

It sounds bad when I try to vary the open notes by lip tension. Notes almost sound the same and really squeaky. I know that a beginner sounds not so good regarding intonation, but do notes themselves form only when the lip muscles are strong enough? (Unlike saxophones for example, where you may not have a clear tone initially, but different notes are there just by pressing the keys).
Maybe that is why constant trumpet practicing is so important. Not to mention patience.

Is it true that playing depends upon many factors, like the shape of the player's lips? If so, does it mean that someone may be unable to play properly if his lips are not suitable?

Also, should one practice 10-20 minutes per day only, on a daily basis, to provide necessary rest for the lip muscles?

I like to play whole songs just like on the piano, so it would be disappointing if it is bad for the lips to play trumpet for as long as possible. For ie strings, teachers advise to practise all day if you could!

Hi---

I am an eigth grader and have been playing trumpet for three years now, and i hope what i say helps you out.
It is harder to learn a brass instrument by teaching yourself, because you are more unsure of what to do. I, personally, was taught in school with other students and i am pretty successful because i had competition. Your lip shape does kind of matter, but not enough to where certain people cant play the instrument. It all depends on the muscle itself. You have to practice for 30 minutes a day just to maintain a good embochoure. True, with saxophone, a beginner can get a good sound because the reed is the strength behind the player. Think of a clarinet or an oboe or a bassoon. Dont you think you need a strong reed for a strong sound? The more muscle your lips have, the better sound you will have. It takes time and patience. E-mail me for more info on other subjects and whatnot.
Morrisonc10@yahoo.com
I probably missed something on your inquiry so i will definately chech back soon.

hey-

I am a freshman, and i have been playing for only about 9 months, and I was self taught. I still have trouble with tone quality some times, but I am getting better and I can range up to a double high C (one above tuning C). Some advice would be to try to get a teacher. It is not impossible to self teach, but you can develop bad habits that are hard to break. Just make sure you know what it is supposed to sound like and what your ambechur should look like. Dont try to take short cuts, but instead focus on using A TON of air, not pushing the horn against your face and having good tone. If you focus on those things now, it will REALLY pay off. The biggest thing for a beginner is AIR AIR AIR, i cant stress it enough. So, yeah, I hope that helped in some way.

-Margaret