Can anyone share any experiences (DC or self ) playing brass instruments with fixed wire braces/ train tracks ?

[Michaelahpurple]

My 12 year old is a keen trumpeter and reasonably able - just taken his grade 6 and is a jazz band and big band player at school- but orthodontics beckon and I am really anxious as to whether his 4 years of work are going to be for naught (or at best mothballed for a long time).

I hear that some people manage to play with wax or bumpers, rebuilding their embouchure.

Has anyone gone through this ?

I did it! bloody yonks ago so can't remember vividly...

as I recall it was a little sore for the first weeks or so, but I could still practice if I used the wax and after a while I didn't need the wax.

your ds sounds really passionate so I don't doubt he'll find a way!

Dd1 is 15 and recently had her fixed brace removed she has managed to play her Trumpet fine. It took a bit of practice and she did get a bit of a sore mouth to start with, but her trumpet teacher suggested using a folded rizler paper in front of the brace to protect inside of her upper lip that was getting a bit sore. She only used them for a couple of weeks then stopped as I think her lip toughened up a bit and got used to it.
She has just passed(with high distinction) grade 8 and also plays in school jazz band.

There is a boy in ds1s jazz group that has a brace and he has switched to using a plastic mouthpiece.

Dd1 struggled with her fixed braces and the trumpet. Wax helps a little and she does still play but sometimes struggles to hit the notes as she can't get a seal.

She had been toying with the idea of playing sax before and when she ended up wearing braces she decided that she would take that up. She plays trumpet in the school band as they are short on brass players but is far better now on the sax.

I'd talk to his brass teacher - they see so many pupils in this situation that they will have a good idea of the likely outcomes.

DS (euphonium) was completely floored by his and switched instruments (on the plus side, he's now a grade 6 tuba player as well!).

DD (trumpet) wailed about it hurting for the first week, but got used to it very quickly, though she hasn't quite got her full range back after a couple of months.

I don't know why they were so different, except that DD's teacher gave her specific exercises to practise; could just be mouth shape, or maybe that DS's front teeth stuck out whereas DD's were too far back.

This happened to us (trumpet second instrument) and with his brace DS had to exert about twice as much breath to play. His teacher (highly regarded) refused to see him until it was removed and this was 5 months before an important exam. Switching to Invisalign (removable plastic moulds) was an expensive mistake but had to be done.

Front teeth brace for us too, Lancelottie

Oh, ours were both front teeth -- I meant that DD had backward-pointing front teeth so maybe her brace didn't initially interfere as much with the embouchure.

Thank you so much all - very useful. The range of outcomes seem wide but there are some very encouraging stories there. I guess I just need to get on with it with fingers crossed - I have been rather putting it off, this term to get grade 6 done, but then next term is a school competition he wants to win....,, but on that basis I'll never but the bullet.

His teacher

Friend's DD switched to euphonium while hers was on and has gone back to trumpet now its off. She also took up trombone.

you know, I have experienced all sorts of reactions from pupils having braces and the favourite techniques are wax/guard for trumpets, and a wide mouthpiece rim for french horns.
Our ds plays the trombone, and we have decided we are going to try and have a removable old fashioned type for him if he needs braces. No idea if these still exist, but I just used to take my brace out when I played. So much easier!
Good luck. Make sure he realises the effects on his playing are only temporary, and he will be much stronger when they come off!

Re trombone there is a year 8 boy with train tracks who plays the trombone happily , which is encouraging, although I know it a much larger mouthpiece.