Any trumpet teachers here? Could I ask a question?

Why does the teacher say 'easier to make a sound'? My dd is 7 and can nearly play two octaves. She's been learning just less than a year. I, however, can barely make a sound! I think you either take to brass or you don't! I would love for her to have learnt strings but it wasn't for her. Definitely a balance between finding an instrument he has a natural aptitude for but also is keen to learn

What exactly is the problem? What range of notes can he play, and how long has he been learning? Does he has naturally thin or fat lips?
11 is a great age to start the trumpet.

I was told to swap from trumpet to trombone...I refused and ended up with grade 8 trumpet and doing music at uni with it as my main instrument.

as long as the incisors are out and he can hold the instrument well it's fine.

My general principle is kids should get to choose what they play. However, with brass there is an element of how well your mouth/lips fit the mouthpiece and whilst there is some variation among trumpet mouthpieces it is quite minimal when compared to the differece between the mouthpieces for different instruments. If the teacher has suggested swapping al the way to euphonium then it is possible that there is a significant mismatch. Im sorry if ive missed how old your ds is and how long he has been playing but it may be worth bearing in mind a swap if he struggles to progress on trumpet. In my experience swapees tend to make rapid progress as (with ghe exception of trombone) the fingerings are the same

Please let him continue with trumpet if it’s what he likes! It’s not right for teachers to try pushing kids towards instruments they don’t want to play. So what if he’s never going to be a top professional musician - most kids aren’t! Surely his enjoyment is all that matters.

How are his adult teeth looking? I only have my own experience as a child to go on but i was made to switch from trumpet when i got a brace and was never told about different mouthpiece sizes. I also noticed that the former euphonium and baritone players were all reaching the end of their school career so part of me wonders if the teacher just wanted me to plug the gap in the band! I did end up loving euphonium tho- it played smooth tunes and got me an A in music with my jazz piece. But if he wants to play trumpet he should. There's no point in a hobby if you don't like it!

he could try with a cornet to start with - same notation and fingering to trumpet, but much easier to get a nice sound of (and easier to hold).

Not a brass player but IME if he doesn't want to play the instrument then it's simply not going to work!

Perhaps you could go somewhere where he could try a euphonium just to see if when he plays it he actually likes it.. but I'd be inclined to do that privately without involvement of teacher so he's not put under pressure....

If he loves trumpet he'll be more inclined to work to overcome the challenges. If he hates euphonium, he's not going to want to practice and put the work in no matter how much 'easier' it is.

I think he should stick to the trumpet, it’s what he wants to play and I guess playing it is for his pleasure, as with any hobby, you do it because you enjoy it .

I'd stick with trumpet if that's what he wants to play and is engaged with whilst making progress. If he develops good knowledge on the trumpet he can always make the switch to euph at a later date if he decides he wants to.

As for mouthpieces, they can make a huge amount of difference but it really depends on the standard of player using them. I'm getting the impression that your son is a beginner so actually a middle of the road 'standard all rounder' mouthpiece is best to stick with. I dont advocate my students tinker with mouthpieces until they are least grade 5 standard (and it's often higher). Its really easy to become obsessed with mouthpieces but in honesty you find one that suits the individual and stick with it, but you need a bit of skill to know what suits if you see what I mean. The mouthpiece isn't just about making it easier (in reality it makes some things easier and other aspects harder) it also changes the sound created.

If the trumpet is what your DS has his heart set on, then it would be a shame for him to be redirected to a low brass instrument this early on. I wonder if there's a compromise to be had e.g. he does a few months on the tenor (Eb) horn and once he's secure on that, transition back to the trumpet? The tenor horn mouthpiece is somewhere between that of a trumpet and a euphonium. The tenor horn is closer in pitch to a trumpet so it may feel more like lip training in preparation for taking up the trumpet and less like bailing out.

Whilst it's definitely worth exploring different trumpet mouthpieces, it may also be necessary to switch teacher if this one isn't really prepared to teach him the trumpet. The embouchure needed for the trumpet is quite tight and if your DS has missing teeth, he may find his lips are rather 'flabby' in places because there's nothing behind them.

Agree with Dorothea - but also, if he was interested in lower brass at all, trombone is far more versatile than euphonium. And he could use the slide to prod irritating music teachers who don’t know what they’re talking about 😉

Is the teacher a brass player at all?

If he's doing okay at the trumpet and enjoying it I absolutely wouldn't consider switching to a different instrument. Would it be difficult to change teachers to one outside school? I think I'd try that first.

The trumpet is so versatile in terms of the kind of music you can play, I think he will get a lot of joy out of it if he can keep it up.

The other thing to remember (and use in your argument) is euphonium is brass band only - trumpet/cornet (totally interchangeable apart from needing a mouthpiece with a different stem) gives access to orchestras too!

Just say no!!! And try different mouthpieces…dd/dh have various different depths and some are definitely easier apparently! Dh says a “bach 7c” is apparently a good beginner mouthpiece - dd uses a Bach 5c which is what dh started on…it’s all about personal preference!

Yes euphonium will be easier with a bigger mouthpiece but if he wants to play trumpet stick to your guns! If you can’t get to a shop order online and send back - as long as you are careful and don’t scratch them when you put them in and out they will be fine to take them back!

Play 5 minutes morning and evening to build up lip strength…every single day!!!

The euphonium is definitely easier to get a sound out of than the trumpet (playing it in tune is a different matter).

But if he wants to play the trumpet, then he won’t easily take to the euphonium, it’s always easier to learn something you actually want to learn. A decent teacher should be able to advise what to look for in a mouthpiece depending on what he’s doing with his embouchure, but yes it can make a real difference.

Do you have a local Brass Band? They can be so helpful in encouraging young players, helping them try different instruments etc .