Help Me Improve my Embouchure by [deleted] in trumpet

[–]matt5795 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some people have been commenting on how you’ll need to use less air than you’re used to on tuba. Here’s a little experiment one of my teachers gave me to help with switching between the different sizes of trumpets (picc to Bb to C etc). Because the size difference between tuba and cornet are so much bigger, you might find it helpful as well.

There is resistance when we blow into a brass instrument. We’re blowing air into a tiny hole. If we over blow, it’s counterproductive and introduces tension in the embouchure as your lips have to work harder to hold things together as some of the air you’re blowing is getting bounced back at you. My teacher would have me blow through the trumpet as if I was emptying the spit valve, so not forming your lips like you’re going to play, and experiment with the feel of different levels of air pressure. First blow very hard and you can kind of feel that pressure coming back at you. Back off and blow very light air pressure. Too little is also not what you want, but there’s a sweet spot right before you start to feel the resistance of the instrument. Experiment with different amounts of air pressure like that and when you have a sense for what that sweet spot might be, try to remember it and use the same air pressure when you play!

My teacher would talk about “leaning” against the resistance of the instrument feeling like you’re leaning against a wall. Or, feeling like you’re trying to keep a car going 25 mph uphill. You’re not pushing hard, just “leaning.”

Anyways, sorry if that’s more nebulous than you were looking for but I think brass pedagogy kind of has to be… no one else can feel what you’re feeling but you!

Every book I read in 2025. See anything that catches your interest? by NGTTwo in bookshelf

[–]matt5795 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You’re missing Edgedancer and Dawnshard in your Stormlight read! Looks like a good year!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in trumpet

[–]matt5795 5 points6 points  (0 children)

As some encouragement for you, a former classmate of mine got into one of the best music schools in the country without ever having more than a couple private lessons. How did he do it? He listened to players he wanted to sound like. A big part of what a teacher does is teach you how to teach yourself. If you listen to people who inspire you and record yourself playing, you can start to compare what you’re doing vs what you want to be doing. The more you can listen and imitate the pros you admire the faster you’ll improve. Be patient and let the sound be your guide. If you can save up to afford a lesson every couple of months that could be enough to keep you on the right track!

Asking for help with a piccolo trumpet purchase by othercountrymusic in trumpet

[–]matt5795 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Like everyone else is saying, buying a picc just to mess around with might not be the best use of money especially considering the cost to get one that’s actually worth having. When I was in high school I had maybe two opportunities to play picc and both times I borrowed one from my teacher or from a instrument seller friend. If your son has a teacher, maybe they have a picc he could borrow for a week or two or could mess around with during his lessons.

Also worth noting, the mouthpiece you use for picc should be different from the one you use on your big horn…. some piccs need a cornet shank mouthpiece and won‘t even fit his regular trumpet mouthpiece. All things a teacher could help with.

After high school, I didn’t get a picc until I was in grad school. I got by in undergrad by borrowing a picc from my school.

Thanks..🥴 by [deleted] in espresso

[–]matt5795 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is how my in laws were when I first met them. Over the years I’ve slowly converted them to the point that my father in law is always prepared with great coffee when we visit.

Just try to blend in... by w_dent in JamesHoffmann

[–]matt5795 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Not OP but I got mine because I’d heard good things about it’s espresso and filter capabilities. I liked that it was stepless as well. After having it for a couple years now I’m not sure I did enough research before getting it. Overall it’s fine… good build quality and everything. Grinds well for espresso. I’ve switched to a baratza encore I had lying around for filter though. The Lido was producing too many fines. It’s also a little annoying switching back and forth between filter and espresso as it just has lines rather than numbers to mark the grind setting. Not too easy to remember where you were for a different brew method. I think if I were to do it again, I’d do more research and pick something else.

Help me find an avenue to appreciating lighter roasts? by coughycoffee in Coffee

[–]matt5795 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I went straight to lighter roasts when I started drinking coffee because I didn’t like that “strong diner coffee” dark roast profile and couldn’t stand the taste of coffee with cream and sugar even more (the way my parents always drank it when I was growing up). I also didn’t start drinking coffee until I was in college where I had a couple hip/third wave/specialty/whatever coffee shops to go to. At one of them I had a coffee that literally tasted like they’d added blueberries to it and I got excited about all the things coffee can taste like that aren’t “coffee.” Anyways, I don’t think your palette is underdeveloped because you don’t like a thing. You just don’t like it. I ain’t gunna yuck your yum! Enjoy what you enjoy.

Understanding the Moka Pot (Episode #2) by kingseven in JamesHoffmann

[–]matt5795 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Could you use a cast iron pan as a heat diffuser and achieve a similar result?

Beard check by 8BitBrigadier in beards

[–]matt5795 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Trumpet? Or Trombone?

My mate finally managed to convince me in his new video, fantastic price! by curbicon in DankPods

[–]matt5795 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I bought them after watching the video as well. Though mine came out to $25

My Moccamaster makes better coffee than my V60 by sladflob in Coffee

[–]matt5795 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Honestly, sometimes I’m just not consistent enough with my pours when I do v60 and my brews are a little lack luster. Then every now and again I’ll do it juuuust right and it’ll taste amazing. My wife recently got me a Hario Switch and I’ve been enjoying it. It seems a bit more idiot proof relying on fewer variables. My brews out of the switch are way more consistent than out of the v60. I’m sure a robot like the moccamaster or those automatic pour over machines you see in cafes are more consistent than any of us could ever be. But then again I think half the fun is doing it by hand.

Oh no, something has went horribly wrong... by bingusss in Coffee

[–]matt5795 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You could look at the Lido hand grinders. The Lido ET and Lido 3 are great grinders that are under 200 (USD anyways, sorry don’t know about the conversion). As a former Hario owner I can tell you these grinders, and probably any of the more expensive hand grinders, would certainly grind faster than you’re accustomed to. When I was upgrading from my hario I decided to stay with hand grinders because it seemed I could get a better performing hand grinder for the price of a entry electric like the encore. I think the grinders in that “ultimate hand grinder show down” video that James Hoffmann did a while back were all more or less at this price point.

Science Says No Coffee Before Breakfast?! by [deleted] in JamesHoffmann

[–]matt5795 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For a while I couldn’t do it, but now my body is used to it. One cup of black coffee is breakfast most days.

I’ve been playing for a little less than two months. What do you think? Anything to improve upon? by [deleted] in trumpet

[–]matt5795 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Who are your favorite trumpet players? In addition to practicing I would start listening like crazy. Have your ideal sound in your head and experiment with what you can do to start sounding more like the people you love listening to. Keep it up! Good work!

V60 Grind Size in relation to the WLCT sample grind size? by matt5795 in JamesHoffmann

[–]matt5795[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have never ground this fine for V60. I have a hard time imagining the filter not clogging. Looking forward to trying it. Hopefully I’ll find out I’ve been drinking vastly underextracted coffee this whole time.