Any trumpet players here?

[DawgBone]

It takes a long time to develop endurance. I’ve been playing trombone my whole life, but there is no way I could roll out and play any gig in my current state of practice, which is not at all. Every once in a while I get it out to show myself I still have it, and then I put it away again. I hate practicing trombone because I reached the point where I was satisfied with my ability to play the instrument 30 or so years ago. My current endurance is about 30 minutes with no practice regimen.

As for the intonation issues, well it’s a trumpet. It’s not going to be perfectly in tune, and flugel is even worse. If perfect intonation is something you like (I do), I might suggest a brass instrument with a larger mouthpiece and an infinitely variable pitch changing mechanism. I’m over simplifying, but there’s a reason you see those sliders on trumpet valves 1 and 3 and triggers on same on a flugel.

I agree with the other comments about practicing too much. Same goes for any instrument. I believe progress is limited when you are tired.

Hope you stick with it! Brass is fun.

This is good to know, because I was kinda wondering how long it will take to develop "can practice 1 1/2 hours with ease" endurance. 20 minute sessions are kind of nice since it's a secondary instrument but being about to put a solid 2 or 3 hours daily would help me reach goals faster. I didn't realize physical endurance would be such a crucial part of the development. I played alto sax in univ before but it wasn't nearly as taxing on the embouchure. Putting 45 mins to an hour in wasn't that difficult as a beginner.

I'm def sticking with it. My cornet case lives on the coffee table. The Conn 12a doesn't have slide rings so any pitch correction has to be lipped. I wasn't playing it very well yesterday so I decided to grab the flugel 2born sent me. I oiled the valves up and played the head of "I only have eyes for you" on it and fell back in love with the flugel. It's really a matter of making it a life habit and I've disciplined myself to do it cause I figure before I blink again I'll have been playing for a year. The beauty is I (mostly) understand what I need to tackle to get to the level I want to be at plus I already have good rhythm per a lifetime of blues playing on the guitar so I'm not starting at 100% ground level musically. March 4th will be 4 months....

Been following 2borns advice also to focus a lot on slurs. It's solid advice as it's really helping me work around the range of the horn easier and more cleanly as well as helping me keep track of where I am note-wise on the horn. I run up the harmonic series, then practice jumping between low C, to G, back to low C, then to middle C, then low C, then G etc. I also climb and descend the series in sequences of 3.

Thanks for the encouragement guys! I'd like to keep this thread going!!!

[58flame]

This is good to know, because I was kinda wondering how long it will take to develop "can practice 1 1/2 hours with ease" endurance. 20 minute sessions are kind of nice since it's a secondary instrument but being about to put a solid 2 or 3 hours daily would help me reach goals faster. I didn't realize physical endurance would be such a crucial part of the development. I played alto sax in univ before but it wasn't nearly as taxing on the embouchure. Putting 45 mins to an hour in wasn't that difficult as a beginner.

I'm def sticking with it. My cornet case lives on the coffee table. The Conn 12a doesn't have slide rings so any pitch correction has to be lipped. I wasn't playing it very well yesterday so I decided to grab the flugel 2born sent me. I oiled the valves up and played the head of "I only have eyes for you" on it and fell back in love with the flugel. It's really a matter of making it a life habit and I've disciplined myself to do it cause I figure before I blink again I'll have been playing for a year. The beauty is I (mostly) understand what I need to tackle to get to the level I want to be at plus I already have good rhythm per a lifetime of blues playing on the guitar so I'm not starting at 100% ground level musically. March 4th will be 4 months....

Been following 2borns advice also to focus a lot on slurs. It's solid advice as it's really helping me work around the range of the horn easier and more cleanly as well as helping me keep track of where I am note-wise on the horn. I run up the harmonic series, then practice jumping between low C, to G, back to low C, then to middle C, then low C, then G etc. I also climb and descend the series in sequences of 3.

Thanks for the encouragement guys! I'd like to keep this thread going!!!

Flugel is much harder than trumpet, in my opinion, and it's a different blow. I would stick with your trumpet for the next couple years. I don't mean forget about it, I'm saying put the hours in on trumpet for now.

Also, stick with one mouthpiece (for each). There is really no benefit to switching mouthpieces on the same instrument, I don't care what anyone says. Once you find what works, go play your butt off and don't ever worry about it again. Good chance that 3C is fine for the rest of your life.

Lip slurs should be part of your warm up every single time. My warm up is long tones up and down (starting on concert F) followed by 2 different lip slur exercises in all positions. Then it's time to play whatever I want.

[EricC]

Trumpet player here as well. I would say that, as you improve, intonation will become a non issue as you develop your technique along with your ear. You can “lip” up or down to tune individual notes. Certain horns have better intonation than others, but if your horn has good enough intonation to begin with, your lips and the third (and possibly first) valve slides will become second nature for certain notes. You’ll also get used to which partials/intervals are flat or sharp and automatically adjust accordingly.

[DawgBone]

Flugel is much harder than trumpet, in my opinion, and it's a different blow. I would stick with your trumpet for the next couple years. I don't mean forget about it, I'm saying put the hours in on trumpet for now.

Also, stick with one mouthpiece (for each). There is really no benefit to switching mouthpieces on the same instrument, I don't care what anyone says. Once you find what works, go play your butt off and don't ever worry about it again. Good chance that 3C is fine for the rest of your life.

Lip slurs should be part of your warm up every single time. My warm up is long tones up and down (starting on concert F) followed by 2 different lip slur exercises in all positions. Then it's time to play whatever I want.

I'm not good enough yet to tell a real difference between the blow on a cornet vs a flugel. I can tell the difference between cornet and trumpet mainly cause my trumpet has a small bore by comparison and it feels stuffier. Probably a little easier to control as a result.

I agree on keeping my focus on a single horn. I mostly put the time in on the cornet but I just gotta break out that flugel once a week. For sustained melody lines like "I only have eyes for you" or "Tears in heaven" each of the notes has this beautiful soaring tone that trumpet nor cornet captures in the same way. I could actually see myself investing in a nice flugel five or six years from now when my chops make it worth the while. Until then it could probably use a bit better mouthpiece. The one that it came with is kinda rough, you can feel the machine marks inside of it on your lips. Still, it's a better mouthpiece than my playing deserves, lol.

Speaking of moutpieces, what's everyone using for their various horns? The 3c's have grown on me some as my range and tone has improved for both trumpet and cornet. After hearing Arturo uses a 3c I'm pretty sure I should be good with it for at least a few years haha! I have Bach's for cornet and trumpet and a Wick Heritage 3c also for the trumpet. Has a little bit different feel than the Bach and I do enjoy the slipperiness of a gold plated mouthpiece.

I sliced the middle finger of my fretting hand open real good working on the house today. Bled like a stuck pig. Hopefully won't need stitches. I used butterfly closures so I think it should weld itself shut the next couple days. Got a good gig on saturday. Looks like the boys will probably be getting more solo time and I'll be playing more horn than guitar this week. I had planned to lay some tracks down in the studio friday but it looks like that might not be happening...

[2bornot2bop]

Roy was fantastic.

Roy provided so much joy to us during his short life. RIP Roy Hargrove!

And a shoutout to the late great Clark Terry, and Mulgrew Miller featured throughout this fabulous video.

And another shoutout to the Cinematographer, for the lone blue light featuring Roy in darkness was sublime!

[2bornot2bop]

Perhaps it’s a personal thing. In my experience I found flugelhorn was no more challenging to play than trumpet. Each requires a different amount of air. But I migrated to playing the flugelhorn exclusively. The tone got its hooks in me, and I could not put it down.

A thread like this reminds me that I need to spend less time on piano and more time playing my horn. Thx for the reminder!

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I can tell the difference between cornet and trumpet mainly cause my trumpet has a small bore by comparison and it feels stuffier. Probably a little easier to control as a result.

Smaller bores are much easier to control, and they require less air to make decent tone. One of the classic downers for a budding trumpet player is to reach the point at which he or she is pretty good on a student model and moves up to a "professional" model with a larger bore. The letdown is pretty depressing for those who move up too soon, and it can slow or halt progress if you overdo it trying to compensate.

My only horn was a well used student model cornet for decades. My music dealer had a large bore silver Getzen Eterna "Doc Severinsen" that he offered me at a huge discount because it hadn't sold in a few years. It was so much harder to play that I felt like a beginner again! That's the only time he ever steered me wrong - but it was a serious error. I should have returned it, but he convinced me that I just had to practice more.

[DawgBone]

Smaller bores are much easier to control, and they require less air to make decent tone. One of the classic downers for a budding trumpet player is to reach the point at which he or she is pretty good on a student model and moves up to a "professional" model with a larger bore. The letdown is pretty depressing for those who move up too soon, and it can slow or halt progress if you overdo it trying to compensate.

My only horn was a well used student model cornet for decades. My music dealer had a large bore silver Getzen Eterna "Doc Severinsen" that he offered me at a huge discount because it hadn't sold in a few years. It was so much harder to play that I felt like a beginner again! That's the only time he ever steered me wrong - but it was a serious error. I should have returned it, but he convinced me that I just had to practice more.

Since slicing my hand the other day I been putting in some real time on my horn this week. I finally got my dom7 arpeggios nailed down well enough to move to tackling all my major scales with a goal of knocking them out by March 4th i.e by 4 months of playing. Still practicing my slurring. I feel like I'm really starting to make the most improvement since picking it up. Still a un-ranked amateur but I'm finding my way around and hitting notes a lot cleaner now.

Anyways, talking small bores I busted out the old Conn 22b Victor today. Yeah I am a bit more accurate with it, mainly in the slurring realm just because it demands less air support/control. Really love those short throw valves. I think one of my dream horns is a Conn late model 10a artist long cornet. Kinda rare with a copper lead pipe and bell. Short throw valves. Can do both cornet and trumpet tones depending on how much wind you pump in there but I dig the copper bell tone. Pretty neat. There is a cool review of it on youtube.

[DawgBone]

Four months! I sliced my finger and played too much cornet instead. Then started fooling with deep mouthpieces and getting carried away on the flugelhorn. Oops. Blew my chops and it's been pretty messy lately. Could barely make a 3C work. My lips were bottoming out and creating all sorts of problems. Set me back.

Took a day off and have just been going real easy on it the past couple days. Lesson learned. Three 15-20 minute sessions will be my daily max for the foreseeable future. Self restraint seems to be the toughest skill for me to master. Play less horn=play more horn. Completely counter to logic but this is trumpet logic apparently.

[2bornot2bop]

How’s it been going?

[DawgBone]

How’s it been going?

Well honestly, not particularly good. Yesterday made month five. But something happened with my lips about a month ago and I've only just started to recover. Was extremely thankful to have the flugelhorn because I almost couldn't work the 3c on the cornet at all and if I didn't have the flugelhorn I probably would've just walked away cause I was getting so pissed. So I've mostly played flugel. Love it tbh....

Has taken some stubborness and determination to make any headway on fixing the issue with the cornet....not even really sure what's at the core of it but I suspect the wider 3c rim is/was part of the problem as my lips were wanting to fart and crackle within five minutes of picking it up. It's been better the past few days but I still go easy and then switch to the flugel in the evening after a couple of ten minute cornet sessions during the day.

That flugel mp with the narrow rim? Feels great, sounds great, but my endurance with it is not great. Been working on a couple Stevie Wonder tunes from the "Trumpet Player" youtube channel, namely "Lately" and "Ribbon in the Sky" plus working with "Besame Mucho" and "Sabor a Mi" backing tracks+sheet music from a different channel. My technique is slowly getting cleaner...slowly, lol. So anyways, thanks again for that Flugel. It's saved my butt this month!

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Four months! I sliced my finger and played too much cornet instead. Then started fooling with deep mouthpieces and getting carried away on the flugelhorn. Oops. Blew my chops and it's been pretty messy lately. Could barely make a 3C work….Took a day off and have just been going real easy on it the past couple days. Lesson learned. Three 15-20 minute sessions will be my daily max for the foreseeable future. Self restraint seems to be the toughest skill for me to master. Play less horn=play more horn. Completely counter to logic but this is trumpet logic apparently.

…and you thought I was picking on you. This is how you ruin your chops and put a limit on how good you’re going to get.

I know you think I’m out in left field. But my sincere advice if you want to become a skilled trumpet player is to find a good teacher. Let him or her help you unlearn the bad habits and get on track with better ones. It takes a long time and a lot of discipline to master horns. I know because I didn’t do it right, struggled, and never really got good at it. I started in high school and was still struggling 40 years later because I tried to do it myself.

[DawgBone]

…and you thought I was picking on you. This is how you ruin your chops and put a limit on how good you’re going to get.

I know you think I’m out in left field. But my sincere advice if you want to become a skilled trumpet player is to find a good teacher. Let him or her help you unlearn the bad habits and get on track with better ones. It takes a long time and a lot of discipline to master horns. I know because I didn’t do it right, struggled, and never really got good at it. I started in high school and was still struggling 40 years later because I tried to do it myself.

I don't think you're in left field, I just don't like the way you talk to me like I'm still in middle school and you're the band instructor. You haven't really engaged me in here except when it's to tell me I'm doing something wrong. That doesn't endear me towards you. Here you are again, having skipped my previous positive replies to you, with a "told you so" post, offering nothing that I am not already cognizant of i.e "get lessons". Maybe you should get lessons on how to talk to people.

I am trying to work my way out of debt this year and the wife is going back to school so lessons aren't an option until 2027 so I guess I am forced to deal with bad habits on my own. All things considered I am fairly satisfied with my progress despite some setbacks which are something that can be expected with any musical instrument.

[2bornot2bop]

Well, I’ll say this. I began in 7th grade at 13. Started in Jr High Band. Never got one lesson. The band director was interested in building a marching band. If you could play a high E in tune you were in the band. No lessons on how to get there. You took your horn home every night and practiced several hours every night. After 2 weeks you were there. No books, other than your study book. Nothing on how to play your horn properly. I played for 2 years and marched in band competing in parades all over California. It was a blast.

Come my 9th grade football came calling. Played ball all through high school. And in high school we had the hippest band director. He would arrange all of the modern tunes like, Shaft, The Horse, Chicago, etc. for the band. I’d be on the field and could hear the band bustin’ out another tune. The early 70’s were a real happening! Nothing but the fondest memories. Could I have been better with lessons? Absolutely. But I don’t regret simply picking up the horn on my own. At 18 I signed up for the Navy. It was then that I acquired my first flugelhorn. Played the hell out of it below decks and on the ships bow every night. In Japan we decided to start a group. And the rest was history. Never once was bothered by sore chops. Perhaps because I was a fan of practicing pedal tones and mastering the lower register. By the time I considered improving my upper register, after hearing a Maynard Ferguson recording, I had 9 years of playing under my belt. No lessons. But steady progress.

Don’t get discouraged. Fight on. You’ll get there. On minute at a time. Baby steps.

[DawgBone]

And just like that, BAM 6 months! Halfway to a year already.

I was able to get my embouchure issues fully worked out a couple weeks ago and came out the other end stronger than before. I think it was a combination of having overplayed, guitar slacker couch posture, and not angling the horn correctly. I had also moved my playing area while doing some ceiling work, and it caused the tone I was hearing to change, and not for the better which added to the problems.

Seems now I need to be more cognizant of keeping my lips separated and keeping my jaw from jutting. But I definitely got the issue cleaned up.

I know long tones have been mentioned, and I have focused on those, but around the time I got my embouchure worked out I just sat down and played a couple heads acapella in free time, instead focusing on tone and note stability. It's started to fall into place. I've got better control. So I been doing more of that as part of my routine.

Today begins my full venture into jazz improvising. Open to any suggestions for youtube backing tracks in an easy key. Something in Bb with an easy head would be good. I have a couple 2-5-1 videos to work on, plus a couple other tunes in mind.

[2bornot2bop]

And just like that, BAM 6 months! Halfway to a year already.

I was able to get my embouchure issues fully worked out a couple weeks ago and came out the other end stronger than before. I think it was a combination of having overplayed, guitar slacker couch posture, and not angling the horn correctly. I had also moved my playing area while doing some ceiling work, and it caused the tone I was hearing to change, and not for the better which added to the problems.

Seems now I need to be more cognizant of keeping my lips separated and keeping my jaw from jutting. But I definitely got the issue cleaned up.

I know long tones have been mentioned, and I have focused on those, but around the time I got my embouchure worked out I just sat down and played a couple heads acapella in free time, instead focusing on tone and note stability. It's started to fall into place. I've got better control. So I been doing more of that as part of my routine.

Today begins my full venture into jazz improvising. Open to any suggestions for youtube backing tracks in an easy key. Something in Bb with an easy head would be good. I have a couple 2-5-1 videos to work on, plus a couple other tunes in mind.

How are you with ballads? They emote more than up tempo tunes. Chris Botti made a living playing ballads.

[DawgBone]

How are you with ballads? They emote more than up tempo tunes. Chris Botti made a living playing ballads.

Well since I got my embouchure straightened out I started back on my cornet s-l-o-w-l-y working on "Little Suede Shoes" and "Caravan", mainly just working on playing the arpeggios so I can build a foundation to solo on. Chase Sanborn does a decent youtube lesson on Little Suede Shoes and it's kind of straightforward and bluesy so I thought it'd be a good place to start.

Ballads are easier for me but the long game would to be able to blow some notes! One day at a time...

My main ballad heads I been working on is Eddie Holman's "hey there lonely girl". I also been getting decent for an amateur on "ribbon in the sky" and "lately" by Stevie Wonder as well as "besame mucho" and "sabor a mi" (not sure if those two count as ballads or not). I also finally can get "Pure Imagination" pretty decently and for Christmas music "have yourself a merry little christmas".

Right now I'm doing about 45 minutes to an hour a day in 15-20 minute sessions before my lips start to tire. Slowly getting better endurance where I can hit a couple of those songs back to back, and my long tones are more stable now.

[2bornot2bop]

Well since I got my embouchure straightened out I started back on my cornet s-l-o-w-l-y working on "Little Suede Shoes" and "Caravan", mainly just working on playing the arpeggios so I can build a foundation to solo on. Chase Sanborn does a decent youtube lesson on Little Suede Shoes and it's kind of straightforward and bluesy so I thought it'd be a good place to start.

Ballads are easier for me but the long game would to be able to blow some notes! One day at a time...

My main ballad heads I been working on is Eddie Holman's "hey there lonely girl". I also been getting decent for an amateur on "ribbon in the sky" and "lately" by Stevie Wonder as well as "besame mucho" and "sabor a mi" (not sure if those two count as ballads or not). I also finally can get "Pure Imagination" pretty decently and for Christmas music "have yourself a merry little christmas".

Right now I'm doing about 45 minutes to an hour a day in 15-20 minute sessions before my lips start to tire. Slowly getting better endurance where I can hit a couple of those songs back to back, and my long tones are more stable now.

Lonely Girl?! Ha!

I grew up on that tune. It was 1969, I was 14 years old in my final year of junior high school. Man, those were the days of music. There’d be a new soul hit on the radio every 5 days. The Delfonics hit with La La Means I love you, in ‘67. Little did I know that just 6 years later, and compliments of Uncle Sam, I’d end up in Philly, and just a short subway ride from the Sigma Sound Studio where all those great Philly hits were recorded. Billy Paul, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, The Stylistics, The O’Jay’s, on & on & on. I met Teddy Pendergrass while hanging out at a Broad Street bar. Many of the stars hung out downtown.

Anyway, I grew up in a time when there were real hits being released. The radio was bombarded with them continually. Little did I know that there’d come a day when the music would end.

Check out flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione for some very nice balls.

On these two Chuck’s flutist Chris Vadala takes the lead. He played sax and flute in Chuck’s band. But the notes are clear and they relate to the flugelhorn very easily.

I have the sheet music for both if you want it.

[DawgBone]

Lonely Girl?! Ha!

I grew up on that tune. It was 1969, I was 14 years old in my final year of junior high school. Man, those were the days of music. There’d be a new soul hit on the radio every 5 days. The Delfonics hit with La La Means I love you, in ‘67. Little did I know that just 6 years later, and compliments of Uncle Sam, I’d end up in Philly, and just a short subway ride from the Sigma Sound Studio where all those great Philly hits were recorded. Billy Paul, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, The Stylistics, The O’Jay’s, on & on & on. I met Teddy Pendergrass while hanging out at a Broad Street bar. Many of the stars hung out downtown.

Anyway, I grew up in a time when there were real hits being released. The radio was bombarded with them continually. Little did I know that there’d come a day when the music would end.

Check out flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione for some very nice balls.

On these two Chuck’s flutist Chris Vadala takes the lead. He played sax and flute in Chuck’s band. But the notes are clear and they relate to the flugelhorn very easily.

I have the sheet music for both if you want it.

I didn't grow up in that era but my pop loves RnB, soul, and doo-wop stuff so he used to play oldies on the car radio during vacations. Love the Delfonics too! All that stuff is among my favorite music. Jazz, blues, soul, I'm into it.

I got my hands full right now with a festival this weekend and some other pretty important gigs this month so while I'm still playing the horn I've kind of back burnered it a little in favor of being on my A game with the guitar. I mostly been working on playing those heads cleanly, some scales, arps, etc. I feel like I need to build my endurance more before I can seriously tackle any jazz soloing....

This guy seems to have transcribed Lonely Girl (and quite a few other tunes) pretty well. My face tends to tense up about halfway through and it gets more elaborate based on Eddie's vocalizations later in the song so it'll be a long game goal to nail it all out. Just been working on hitting the G pedal tone then to the A above the staff cleanly. The bigger jumps tend to throw me so just focusing on getting them clean is a good challenge.

.
I did pick up the Conn 22n the other day and put a few minutes into it. The short throw valves are nice and the narrower bore is easier to control and it sounds nice but still digging my cornet a lot. Been a minute since I grabbed the Flugel but I'll be cycling back around to it in due time. It sounds so good on those ballads, especially the ones where there are long tones....it soars. It's like I could settle on any of these horns cause they all have such beautiful sounds inside!

Thanks 2born...hope you are still digging that beautiful Heritage you picked up bro!

[2bornot2bop]

I didn't grow up in that era but my pop loves RnB, soul, and doo-wop stuff so he used to play oldies on the car radio during vacations. Love the Delfonics too! All that stuff is among my favorite music. Jazz, blues, soul, I'm into it.

I got my hands full right now with a festival this weekend and some other pretty important gigs this month so while I'm still playing the horn I've kind of back burnered it a little in favor of being on my A game with the guitar. I mostly been working on playing those heads cleanly, some scales, arps, etc. I feel like I need to build my endurance more before I can seriously tackle any jazz soloing....

This guy seems to have transcribed Lonely Girl (and quite a few other tunes) pretty well. My face tends to tense up about halfway through and it gets more elaborate based on Eddie's vocalizations later in the song so it'll be a long game goal to nail it all out. Just been working on hitting the G pedal tone then to the A above the staff cleanly. The bigger jumps tend to throw me so just focusing on getting them clean is a good challenge.

.
I did pick up the Conn 22n the other day and put a few minutes into it. The short throw valves are nice and the narrower bore is easier to control and it sounds nice but still digging my cornet a lot. Been a minute since I grabbed the Flugel but I'll be cycling back around to it in due time. It sounds so good on those ballads, especially the ones where there are long tones....it soars. It's like I could settle on any of these horns cause they all have such beautiful sounds inside!

Thanks 2born...hope you are still digging that beautiful Heritage you picked up bro!

Hey, thanks for the video channel tip! I’m playing it on piano right now. Can’t wait to check out Sergey’s other transcriptions! Good soul music! Good luck with your upcoming event!

[DawgBone]

Hey, thanks for the video channel tip! I’m playing it on piano right now. Can’t wait to check out Sergey’s other transcriptions! Good soul music! Good luck with your upcoming event!

The event was a huge success, so thank you for the well wishing. I got another festival gig next weekend on the coast....

Did you nail down Hey There Lonely Girl on your Flugel yet? I'm making it about 2/3'rds of the way through now, just a little further to go! I finally been sticking that G on the staff to the A above the staff the past two nights! I'm starting to feel some breath and embouchure control in my playing! Two weeks away from 9 months, man how time flies! I'm getting there bro!!!

Hope you are well!

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

How are you with ballads? They emote more than up tempo tunes.

They’re also great for developing your chops. I suggest Here’s That Rainy Day as one of best best to help you develop endurance, perfect your tone & intonation, and make you feel good every time you play it. It’s a low register head that lets you expand your range upward as you develop. Sandoval is a great role model and a joy to hear:

Jon Faddis offers another beautiful take on it -

and Freddie Hubbard’s t classic 1971 version on flugel (with Benson on guitar) is pure inspiration.

[DawgBone]

They’re also great for developing your chops. I suggest Here’s That Rainy Day as one of best best to help you develop endurance, perfect your tone & intonation, and make you feel good every time you play it. It’s a low register head that lets you expand your range upward as you develop. Sandoval is a great role model and a joy to hear:

Jon Faddis offers another beautiful take on it -

and Freddie Hubbard’s t classic 1971 version on flugel (with Benson on guitar) is pure inspiration.

Love Arturo! I believe that is his signature Leyenda trumpet with the King K-20 G bugle taper. My son loves his G bugles and has a few, plus a baritone, and a two valve G contrabass. The projection on the soprano G bugle is unreal, no surprise Arturo went that route but he sure makes it sound mellow there. We used my son's i phone with an OSHA dB meter and clocked his K-20 at over 130dB....