lunes, 7 de septiembre de 2015

About trumpet playing and lip piercings

Hello trumpet players of the internet. I write this because I am a little bit concerned about some comments I've been reading about lip piercings and trumpet playing. Very agressive attitudes towards the idea of a trumpeter having lip piercings. Teachers making really nasty comments about what their students ask them or want for themselves. They don't offer comprehensive information and they even seem to talk from a point of no-experience at all with the matter.

I was kind of shocked by what I read here.

So I write this because I think I have some experience in the matter that could be useful to anyone searching for info. The trumpet is the instrument I've played more time. I was a trumpet player in school and kept playing for a copule years after in my music major. There I switched to cello, because it sounds so fucking beautiful and the classical repertoire was too appealing for me.

After a while playing cello and a couple years forgetting about the trumpet, I had mi lip piercings done. That specific configuration called snake bites (two at the sides of the lower lip). I am very happy with them. I really like body modification and love this kind of self-expression. Anyway. After having my piercings done I thought that maybe I wouldn't be able to play trumpet anymore (maybe my air would go through the holes? or something like that).

After my piercings healed, I grabbed my trumpet and started playing just to try. I felt no difference at all. At least no difference witt my regular jewelry. For example, if I wore lip rings, they didn't hindered my ability to play but were a little uncomfortable. But with regular studs, I hardly felt any difference at all.

If the jewel doesn't directly interact with your embochure (the place where there is contact between the instrument and your lips), it seems that it makes no difference in your ability to play. Now I play trumpet regularly with my two snake bite studs. I also have mi septum pierced. I am no professional trumpet player and I haven't heard many cases like mine, so I can't claim that this kind of piercings won't affect anyone's playing ability at all. But in my experiencie: not a single difference between before and after. And I've never heard a story of someone having problems with playing after their piercings healed. I've even got quite better (I've been studying some proper technique) in the last year.

Me with my piercings!

I've had also a couple clarinet classes. And played alto euophonium. Also a little flute and recorder.  No problems with nothing.

To sum up: according to my personal experience, there is no interaction at all between playing ability and lip piercings away from the center of the lips.