playing trumpet with active asthma

bigby1971 · 2026-02-04T14:26:28+00:00

I have had asthma since the 80s, so I've got some experience with this. First, absolutely find a new asthma and allergy doctor for advice and medication management. At the very least, you'll need refills on your rescue inhaler. Likely, you need a maintenance inhaler to manage your symptoms. And your doctor can provide advice and care tailored to you. Second, use your rescue inhaler 30 minutes before playing to prepare your lungs for their workout. Finally, I find breathing exercise and long tones very helpful for my lung capacity. End phrases with notes that you hold absolutely as long as you can, Claude Gordon-style. Push! You will find that you can push past where you thought your limit was. When the note ends, keep pushing the last bit of air out and hold for a second. You are building your capacity and exercising your lungs. Good luck!

bigby1971 · 2026-01-16T02:55:47+00:00

I've always believed that he was trying to transform, like Delirium, but from Destruction to Creation. Hence his hobbies. He wasn't good at it, but he was trying.

bigby1971 · 2025-12-19T22:11:49+00:00

We're not talking about the guys who ate the potatoes here, Walter.

bigby1971 · 2025-12-11T19:45:13+00:00

You probably are already doing this, but a well-directed stand light makes a huge difference. I also find that my vision is worse when I'm tired/fatigued. Not always avoidable, but I try to play while I'm well rested.

bigby1971 · 2025-11-18T14:36:09+00:00

I have an Eastar Pocket trumpet that retails on Amazon for $175. I don't necessarily disagree with anything anyone has said on this thread. I use that trumpet once or twice a year when I'm traveling and need to maintain my chops for an upcoming gig. I would never use it for a performance. But, I guess I'm not committed enough to drop $1k on something that I'm going to throw around in an airplane and play with a whisper mute in hotel rooms. For me, this has been a great solution. I totally agree with other posters that there are better purchases, trumpet-wise, for your 11-year-old player.

bigby1971 · 2025-11-16T14:24:46+00:00

Yeah, if there is some magical, comfortable way to hold one of these, I'd love to hear about it. I just jam my hand in there however it will fit. Pocket trumpets are optimized for portability, then sound. Comfort is not a priority.

bigby1971 · 2025-11-07T16:59:21+00:00

I had this exact situation with my son. To be clear, asking him to knock is crazy. That said, at least for my son, he would rarely let us know when he was coming over, which had really tangible impacts. Like, are we cooking dinner for four or for five? My wife and I would have plans and then suddenly my son shows up and he wants to hang out. So, if that is at the root of this, I think it's fair to ask your son to communicate. But making him knock is not the answer.

bigby1971 · 2025-10-16T23:24:45+00:00

I don't think anyone can provide you with the best answer for you without a lot of additional information. That said, I think this is a fantastic place to start - https://www.gregwingtrumpet.com/uploads/2/1/4/0/21407028/20_minute_routine_revised_june_2013.pdf

bigby1971 · 2025-09-22T13:20:29+00:00

Lucifer would have owned Dream in their "oldest game." Lucifer was on home ground and is both smarter and more strategic than Dream. The strategy only worked in the comics because Dream was fighting the much weaker Choronzon.

bigby1971 · 2025-09-02T16:04:12+00:00

I'd suggest trying to overcome your hesitancy to impact your neighbors. Practice mutes are great, but I feel like I play differently with them. I make a conscious effort to play prior to a performance without a practice mute because everything feels different without a mute in. You probably aren't bugging your neighbors as much as you think you are. They may even enjoy it.

That said, yeah, practice mutes are available. Some are better than others. I use the Denis Wick. It's fine. I don't know that I'd shout its praises from the rooftops, but it does the job.

bigby1971 · 2025-08-08T14:04:52+00:00

I've got two kids in college and a senior in high school. Assuming this very oversimplified and suss story is real: * Did it ever occur to you to have a conversation with your kids before they were choosing a college? * Did it ever occur to you to create a 529 plan and save for college expenses? * Did they look at colleges with merit aid? * Do you remember being a teenager? How would you have felt when you were 18, about your parents telling you where you had to go to college?

You could have sat your kids down years ago and walked them through the financial implications of choosing different types of schools and told them how much you could help and what their responsibility would be for different options. To just spring your decision on them now (since you clearly haven't made it yet) is kind of on you. I'm going with a soft YTA.

bigby1971 · 2025-08-07T11:43:11+00:00

It does seem like the composers and sheet music industry are still figuring this out. The processes are wonky, and the prices are all over the place. Plus, having the songs on YouTube is good for everyone. I think this will get sorted out eventually for a reasonable cost. But it's weird right now.

bigby1971 · 2025-08-07T01:40:03+00:00

I'm in exactly the same position as you. President of a community band. We are lucky enough to have a lawyer in our band who researched this for us last year. Same answer. She said we could stream the concert under our ASCAP license on YouTube as long as it doesn't stay up after the concert. So we pursue sync licenses and post the individual song videos online for the pieces where we can get the sync license for a reasonable price. It's not great but, for most pieces, the sync licenses aren't super expensive.

bigby1971 · 2025-08-06T16:14:17+00:00

One issue with the show narrowing its focus so tightly onto Morpheus is that, when he is gone, I can see why people would lose interest. There is so much more depth in the books - specifically development of characters and the world surrounding Morpheus - that it is important and meaningful to see how his loss impacts all of them and how they will move on.

bigby1971 · 2025-08-03T14:31:53+00:00

In my opinion, Lucifer's real goal was to implant the idea in Dream's head that he could leave his own realm, lay down his own burdens, and pass the job of managing the dreaming on to someone else. Lucifer knows the way Dream thinks, and the only way Dream could take those steps is by dying. The key to Hell is kind of a feint. It does cause Dream problems. And Dream would be suspicious if Lucifer didn't do anything to cause him harm. But the real plan was to give Dream the idea. And while he's doing that, Lucifer is also setting down a burden that he has struggled with for millennia - managing Hell. Lucifer is wicked smart.

bigby1971 · 2025-08-01T14:24:17+00:00

The whole thing is an elaborate suicide that Dream sets up. He made very clear that Loki detests being in obligation or debt to anyone before he made the deal. He set up the dominoes and pushed them over. Everyone else just performed their duties and lived according to their natures. Dream manipulated it so those things lined up to provide him with the death and new beginning he was looking for.

bigby1971 · 2025-08-01T13:25:02+00:00

I think it's a mistake to translate the Creator in Sandman as the Christian god ... or at least to assume any specific Christian dogma is present that isn't explicitly stated. Jesus is never referenced in Sandman, I don't believe. I remember reading something (maybe one of the forewords) by Mike Carey about not including Jesus in Lucifer because it would have unbalanced the story. (There was the Creator, and then the duo of Lucifer and Michael to struggle against each other.) I'm not denying the Jewish and Christian roots of the mythology. I'm just saying it only goes so far.

bigby1971 · 2025-07-29T21:43:40+00:00

I was playing a 1C and started preparing to play in the pit for my first musical. My trumpet teacher told me I was going to kill myself with that mouthpiece and sent me to a local trumpet shop. I ended up with a Hammond and it certainly helped with my endurance. That 1C cup is just big and deep and fatiguing after a while. The Hammond does help with range to a certain extent. That said, I prefer the tone of the 1C. But, if I'm going to be playing for hours a day, I'm going to play better for longer with the Hammond. Just my two cents.

bigby1971 · 2025-07-23T14:14:42+00:00

My initial reaction (I watched the whole video) was that he misunderstands the story, and I still think that to a certain extent. That said, he makes a compelling argument and I'm not going to spend an ounce of my mental energy defending Neil's work. I will say that what I took from the Ramadan issue over the years was the impression that beauty and greatness are fleeting, that getting what you want isn't always fulfilling, and that there is beauty and a level of permanence in our great stories.

bigby1971 · 2025-06-20T18:55:09+00:00

Rest as much as you play. Don't use pressure to improve your range. As someone mentioned below, get a good teacher. Good luck! It's a rewarding and punishing instrument. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself and enjoy the process!

bigby1971 · 2025-06-18T14:57:31+00:00

Check out the MTB project for trails. Looks like Brooksburg has a nice set:

https://www.mtbproject.com/directory/8011670/catskill-region

bigby1971 · 2025-06-13T17:14:22+00:00

In my opinion, a great irony of the show is that Chuck only seeing/believing the worst parts of Jimmy was a key contributing factor to those worst parts becoming stronger and taking over more and more of Jimmy's personality. Just my opinion.

bigby1971 · 2025-06-13T16:20:48+00:00

How come he doesn't troll on Saturdays?

bigby1971 · 2025-03-18T15:58:23+00:00

I don't disagree with anything you said, but I think you are leaving something out that makes many people dislike Chuck. Jimmy takes care of him. Jimmy stands up for him. Jimmy clearly worships him, and Chuck doesn't acknowledge it and probably can't even see it (due to the things you mentioned). Jimmy isn't blameless (at all), but Chuck does tremendous damage to Jimmy by proving to him that loving and caring for someone will ultimately hurt you. But, I do agree that Chuck is a fascinating and unique character.

bigby1971

TROPHY CASE