As a trumpet player for going on 40 years, I can attest to the fact that there are times when playing trumpet just ain’t no fun. During the days I played more or less as my means of sustenance, it was almost a daily occurrence; sometimes I would go a solid 2-3 weeks of playing without being able to take a day off.

That’s no fun, and it gets a person in that situation where they’re in somewhat of a survival mode. 

For example, if the muscles in the lips are overextended by playing for 2 hours a day, the body compensates in unhealthy ways just to get the job done. If this happens long enough, these unhealthy practices become habits, and the joy of making music slowly dissipates until it’s pure drudgery. When this happens, burnout occurs. In extreme cases, promising careers are at times cut short.

But to quote Jim Croce, “It just doesn’t have to be that way!”

When these times of burnout come along, or bad physical habits take root that make playing trumpet sheer misery, we always go back to the fundamentals.

Centering the breath. Taking the pressure off the lips as much as possile. Centering the mind and spirit onto what’s really important – and hitting all the notes isn’t what’s really important.

We remember why we began playing and continued to play in the first place.

Because it was FUN! It made us happy to accomplish something meaningful. It made us happy to make other people happy with what we’d accomplished.

Those times where it’s all work and no play, we focus too much on ourselves. How we’re unhappy, or bored, or unfulfilled. We forget that other people are made happy by what we’re doing, even if it’s the 55th run of the Nutcracker in as many days.

When I think of the fundamentals when it comes to playing trumpet, I think of scales and long tones, but also keeping things in perspective. It’s not court, and it’s not surgery.

Not giving Gustav Mahler his due homage by not interpreting one of his compositions properly is something I can live with if and when that happens. It probably has happened, and I’ve never lost any sleep over it.

Whether it’s playing a trumpet, or producing a podcast, it all comes down to the fundamental “why” we’re doing it. We’re not doing it for ourselves. If we do, we won’t do it for long. We do it because we’re meeting a need in our niche, the ecosystem in which Destiny has placed us.

To this end, I personally produce two podcasts focused on things I personally find important: trumpet and the basic needs we all have as individuals to live lives of purpose. I see a lot of balance between the two, but they both have their own distinct purpose and personality.

If you’re looking for some new podcasts to listen to throughout your daily walks and folding laundry, then these might be useful for you:

https://jamesdnewcomb.com/publisher