My new practice mute at my Harrisburg house. With Olds Ambassador cornet.
I got it so I could practice quietly late in a row home. To my surprise though, it has a nice sound and feel reminiscent of a Harmon mute (which is the one Miles used for most of his career.) So it’s a good way to practice technique with a Harmon, that is, getting a variety of sounds out of it depending on volume and attack. (And it is that variety you can get with it is the reason, I believe that Miles and Roy Eldridge both used it.)
I always wondered why trumpet players look so serious when they play. And then look at me.
It really does take concentration!
Update on my playing:
Ihaven’t given updates on my trumpet recently because, sadly, the combination of too much work and my shoulder and back problems cut down my playing. I’ve gone form practicing 8 to 15 hours a week–far less than one needs to really advance–to averaging less than an hour in the last month. Holding brass instruments, even the lightest ones was painful.
(Also I’ve been in Harrisburg more and it’s a lot harder to play at my preferred time,after 10 pm, in a row home than in our Philly house. Thus the new sound quieting practice mute.)
The result has been interesting. My embouchure is, of course, very week which mean my sound and endurance is poor.
Yet the improvements in my technique–which have given me greater variety in sound, far faster articulation (which involves coordination of tonguing and fingering) even range is still there. I can’t play above high c for (and can’t quite get to G anymore) for long but I can hit those notes and even do lip trills up high.
So if I keep feeling ok, it should just be a matter of time and practice to strengthen my embouchure again. A little frustrating but not too terrible.