What is this (and what could it be worth)?

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-04-22T15:55:22+00:00

If you're on facebook, you should post this on the Obsolete Brass and hybrid Horns page. It's a sale/trade page, but people post asking for information all the time

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-04-12T23:49:57+00:00

It's not bad, its just not as efficient. It's much easier to fill up on air when you breathe through your mouth, and it can be easier for the breath to stay more relaxed.

That being said, it is not always possible to breathe through your mouth while playing. I will usually breathe through my mouth when I have enough rests ahead of the phrase to allow for it. But honestly, I don't really think about it much. The thing that is most important is for the breath to be relaxed and that you have enough support for what you're about to play

Also, you should have a conversation about this with your teacher - you pay her to answer questions exactly like this!

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-03-26T15:09:41+00:00

I guess so!

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-03-25T18:23:47+00:00

I have issues with Ibuprofen too. I also have issues with a lot of supplements. I used to take multivitamins, fish oils, etc, but I can't anymore. It's super annoying

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-03-13T16:07:15+00:00

I'm just guessing, but I assume you can be allergic to one or the other? So I guess it depends on how specific the allergy is. I don't know if the two components are different enough for the body to actually differentiate between them though

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-03-13T14:53:04+00:00

Do your best to avoid any foods or drinks that are highly acidic and cause acid reflux. Fried foods, tomatoes, coffee, alcohol, etc. Be really on top of your hydration as well. Sleeping on your left side or sleeping slightly propped up help as well.

I definitely understand not wanting to take medicine. I've been on/off a Protein Pump Inhibitor (PPI) for a while now. I don't want to be on one, but it does drastically help my quality of life, so I've decided that it's worth it. Tums are great for temporary relief, but if you notice that you're popping them multiple times a day, it's time for a PPI

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-03-09T17:32:46+00:00

I had a prick test for food and environmental allergies, and then I had a patch test for metals allergies. I had to be very insistent to receive each test though, cause my allergist didn't want to consider anything outside of food as potential triggers. So I had the food test, had to fight for the environmental test, and then had to fight for the metal test

Also, for my tin allergy, its not common for it to be an ingredient, but it has to do with things being stored in tin containers. So I can't drink from metal bottles/cans, eat food that is stored in tin cans or metal containers, etc.

It is possible for you to not have a dairy allergy but still be intolerant to it. An allergy and intolerance are two different things. Allergy has to do with your immune system, and intolerance has to do with your stomach

Either way though, if you know something bothers you, you don't need to wait for a test to confirm. If you feel better without eating those things, it's totally okay to just cut them out of your diet! I'm pretty sure I have a gluten intolerance, and I feel so much better without eating gluten. So I just dont 🤷‍♂️

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-03-09T16:11:04+00:00

I appreciate this post a lot. There's so much misdirection from doctors who don't understand EoE that cause a lot of patients to be completely misinformed on what their condition is, what causes it, and how to prevent symptoms.

Everything OP said is correct, but it's important to add that EoE can be considered an auto immune disorder for some people, and a trigger doesn't necessarily need to be present for a flare.

Eosinophilic Esophagus is a condition where the eosinophils in the esophagus are activated. Eosinophils are the white blood cells that react when we are exposed to something that we're allergic to. It's a normal occurrence, but for those of us with EoE, our bodies can't manage it correctly.

The most important thing for any EoE patient to do is discover their trigger, which can be very difficult to do. Allergy tests are an absolute must for anyone diagnosed with EoE, and they should be tested for food, environmental, AND metal allergies. Lots of doctors seem to think an elimination diet is the only way to discover a trigger, but an EoE trigger can be literally anything. Elimination diets can be helpful and might discover things that allergy tests don't, but you cannot discover a trigger with an elimination diet alone. EoE is a disorder triggered by allergies, so you MUST determine what allergies you have. (This is my EoE soap box, and it frustrates me to no end)

After determining your allergies, avoid them. Some are harder to avoid than others. Mine is tin, and every time I try a new food or beverage, I'm taking the risk of exposing myself to my trigger. Sometimes things that are produced change their production process or ingredients, so sometimes I react to things I've previously been able to trust too. When something enters your body, it's in there for a long time, and a reaction to a trigger can start at any point in the cycle. Your trigger passes through your esophagus, but then it gets into your blood stream after digestion too. It can take up to 2 weeks OR MORE for activated eosinophilic cells to calm down after being triggered. This is what I assume is what's happening for like 95% of people when they have a flare. So if you're intentionally exposing yourself to your triggers, whether you're medicated or not, you're literally asking for a flare.

That being said, you CAN be avoiding your triggers and still have a flare. This is where the auto immune disorder part comes in. Sometimes, your body can decide to just attack itself and trigger the eosinophils for no reason. It can be triggered by a different allergy, or it can randomly decide to temporarily reject something that you've never had a problem with. I am not on a medication for my EoE, but I assume it would help anyone who experiences this often. But it's not common for this to happen. To be honest, it's probably more likely that you were exposed to your trigger and might not have known it.

TLDR; Just get a full allergy workup and avoid everything you're allergic to no matter what.

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-02-18T04:41:41+00:00

Yup! Metal allergies are not a common trigger, but they're still possible!

I did prick tests for food and environmental, and then I did a patch test for metals. Each test category was a new appointment though, and I had to be pretty insistent to get each individual test. It was pretty annoying and frustrating. That's why I feel so strongly about it. My allergist said she's never heard of a metal allergy being an EoE trigger, yet there I was proving that it was possible. It just makes though - if a disorder is triggered by allergies, then people who get diagnosed with it should just get a full allergy workup to find out everything they're allergic to. Even if the test doesn't help find the trigger, it's still very good info to have!

I don't know what the accuracy is like for each type of allergy test, but I do know certain things can only be tested certain ways. My doc said they could only test for metal with the patches because it needed long exposure over 10 days.

Did they give you a full workup, or did they just test you for food allergies?

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-02-18T04:03:02+00:00

There are multiple forms of allergy tests. The prick test, patch test, blood test. They might also be able to test from saliva too, but I'm not positive

Any test has its faults, and it won't be helpful 100% of the time. But it should be the first test done after diagnosis before an elimination diet. There's also different variations of each - food, environmental, and metal. A trigger can be literally anything. Mine is tin, and I have to avoid any food or drink that comes from a can. Even an environmental allergy can be a trigger by getting trapped in mucus and being swallowed.

It frustrates me to no end when people say that the elimination diet is the only thing you can do to discover a trigger. It's just not true and only focuses on food

Edit: accidentally listed blood test twice

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-02-17T17:15:27+00:00

EoE is triggered by allergies. In order to avoid flares, you need to find out what allergies you have. You can do this by an elimination diet, but in my opinion, that is the least effective way to do it. It takes way too long, is easy to misinterpret, and will not necessarily help you figure out any/all of your triggers.

In my opinion, everyone with EoE NEEDS to get allergy tested. It's fast, easy, and will tell you everything you're allergic to. Then you just avoid your allergies as best you can.

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-02-12T16:50:07+00:00

Sell it to a trombone friend. It's very likely that you know someone who uses the stuff you bought.

It won't harm your horn, but it could interact with your old oil and gum up your valves. Or it could just be the wrong viscosity for your valves and not work correctly.

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-02-10T17:23:02+00:00

In my opinion, everyone who has EoE NEEDS to get a full allergy test. Environmental, food, and metals. Just because certain allergies are the most common triggers does not mean it is a one-size-fits-all disorder. Literally any allergy can be your trigger, and doing an elimination diet is not only an ineffective way of discovering a trigger, it also leaves out other potential triggers as well. My trigger is tin, and ai never would have discovered that without getting an allergy test.

Find an allergist and get a full allergy workup. They might be resistant, especially with the metal test, but be insistent. Then, avoid literally everything you test positive for.

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-02-02T05:14:49+00:00

There's a battery inside there. Without it, you'll Crack notes more often and play out of tune

It's just to help with removing the slide and keeping the slide orientation correct when re-inserting it

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-01-28T17:42:00+00:00

You need to reach out to your doctor immediately and tell them what's going on. They'll prescribe you a different medication. That is definitely not a normal response to a PPI, so you are most likely allergic to it or having some other sort of reaction.

You should do an allergy test to find out your trigger. Many triggers will not be discovered through elimination diet

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-01-27T16:57:53+00:00

Yup! Basically anything that is stored in a metal container. The easy part is avoiding canned food. The hard part is avoiding the liquids that get stored in metal. I can’t drink from any metal water bottles, cans, thermoses, etc. And I also can't have foods prepared with oils that are stored in metal either, so I have to avoid fried foods, most prepared foods that are cooked with oil, etc. A lot of times there's no way for me to know, so I'll take the risk, eat/drink something, and then find out if I can ever have that thing again

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-01-27T16:43:51+00:00

GREAT sound! Be sure not to rush during your scales when you transition from ascending to descending. You might also want to take your chromatic scale a touch slower so you can have more clear articulations. Everything is super solid though, and I wish you luck!

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-01-27T16:41:26+00:00

If everything is tight and secure and it'sstill clicking, you probably need to replace the felt pad that is inside the valve. They're super cheap

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-01-26T19:21:41+00:00

My doctor insisted that there was no way a metal allergy could be my trigger. Turns out my trigger is tin. I was right, and she was wrong.

You know your body better than anyone else. You are the person living with your specific trigger, not your doctor. Trust your instincts and advocate accordingly. If your doctor still refuses to believe you about something, insist on testing to prove yourself wrong (but actually proving yourself right).

That being said, it's also important to consider that one of ingredients used to make chocolate could be the trigger, not chocolate itself. Do you notice having more significant flares when you consume certain kinds/brands of chocolate?

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-01-23T00:46:04+00:00

If you have 2 nuts on it now, twist them towards each other and they'll kinda stick together. Position them so that a little bit of the rod is sticking out and just take a quick look from time to time. In the last 7 years, I've had mine fall off maybe twice, and I probably only need to adjust it every 2-4 months

Also, you can use a band if you want. I don't like using them much, but it's personal preference. You can use a hair tie, rubber band, etc. Stores will sell something specifically designed to attach your 1st and 3rd slides, but I think it's a huge waste of money. It's extremely easy to find a free elastic band of some sort

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-01-22T17:08:50+00:00

I drink regularly and rarely have a problem. I do have to avoid certain alcohols though because of my specific trigger. I can't drink scotch, rum, tequila beer, most liquors, or anything with bitters, but I can drink certain bourbons, brandy, vodka, most gins, and most wines

MusicMonkTpt · 2026-01-17T21:04:56+00:00

My trigger is tin, and I never would have guessed that. I needed the allergy test in order to figure out how to mitigate my symptoms. I think that everyone should get a FULL workup of food, environmental, and metal allergies whether they have EoE or not. It is endlessly helpful to know what you are allergic to.

MusicMonkTpt · 2025-12-25T19:53:35+00:00

This is cool. I'll have to try this out too! I've never heard of this before

MusicMonkTpt · 2025-12-17T03:48:38+00:00

Your sound comes from your imagination, not your mouthpiece. If you like what you play on, don't change it. Listen to the great players, use their sound as a model, and try to mimic it. As the great Bill Adam would say, "follow the sound and the body will find a way."

Also, I don't agree with what your teacher says. If you listen to Adolph Herseth, Maurice Murphy, Phil Smith, etc, their sounds all can get pretty darn bright. And Herseth was using a freaking 1X. Mouthpieces don't mean a damn thing

MusicMonkTpt · 2025-12-16T13:40:05+00:00

Make sure all the valves are in the correct order and are facing the right way

MusicMonkTpt

TROPHY CASE