Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
...it was about breaking it apart.
I’d spent years as a classical trumpet student learning the “right” way to play. Clean attacks, centered tone, perfect intonation. You either had clear articulation, or it was wrong. Your tone was centered and resonant, or it was bad.
Then I had a teacher who flipped that upside down.
The whole lesson was about “ugly” sounds.
For an hour, we explored the in-betweens. The fragility before the tone breaks. The textures and vibrations of a double-buzz. The wild, unpredictable sounds between “correct” notes.
It was about finding beauty and meaning in ALL aspects of your instrument and expanding your musical vocabulary.
It wasn’t about replacing traditional technique, but discovering there are so many more ways to start, sustain, color, and end a note than I’d realized.
After that, I shifted toward more experimental improvisation and sound-making. I was SO inspired. It felt like I’d found a missing piece of my creative puzzle.
What happened next surprised me:
People started telling me to be careful.
“Be careful those weird techniques don’t ruin your classical tone.”
“Be careful who you play like that around—you might not get gigs anymore.”
“Be careful how much of that you share online. People might not get it.”
Deep breath.
I know they meant well, and foundational techniques are important. But the focus on playing it safe instead of building confidence in ALL areas never sat right with me.
Here’s the thing: when you step into your voice and push boundaries, you’ll probably make folks uncomfortable. They might say it’s “too much” and try to dissuade you.
That will trigger insecurity—“maybe they’re right… maybe it is too much.”
But just because someone doesn’t get it doesn’t mean it’s not for you.
Please—look inward, not outward. No one else gets to decide how YOU express yourself. It’s okay if not everyone “gets it”—art can be challenging.
If you do YOU—with sincerity, precision, and intention—the right people will get it.
Don’t dim yourself. AMPLIFY yourself. 🔥
...it was about breaking it apart.
I’d spent years as a classical trumpet student learning the “right” way to play. Clean attacks, centered tone, perfect intonation. You either had clear articulation, or it was wrong. Your tone was centered and resonant, or it was bad.
Then I had a teacher who flipped that upside down.
The whole lesson was about “ugly” sounds.
For an hour, we explored the in-betweens. The fragility before the tone breaks. The textures and vibrations of a double-buzz. The wild, unpredictable sounds between “correct” notes.
It was about finding beauty and meaning in ALL aspects of your instrument and expanding your musical vocabulary.
It wasn’t about replacing traditional technique, but discovering there are so many more ways to start, sustain, color, and end a note than I’d realized.
After that, I shifted toward more experimental improvisation and sound-making. I was SO inspired. It felt like I’d found a missing piece of my creative puzzle.
What happened next surprised me:
People started telling me to be careful.
“Be careful those weird techniques don’t ruin your classical tone.”
“Be careful who you play like that around—you might not get gigs anymore.”
“Be careful how much of that you share online. People might not get it.”
Deep breath.
I know they meant well, and foundational techniques are important. But the focus on playing it safe instead of building confidence in ALL areas never sat right with me.
Here’s the thing: when you step into your voice and push boundaries, you’ll probably make folks uncomfortable. They might say it’s “too much” and try to dissuade you.
That will trigger insecurity—“maybe they’re right… maybe it is too much.”
But just because someone doesn’t get it doesn’t mean it’s not for you.
Please—look inward, not outward. No one else gets to decide how YOU express yourself. It’s okay if not everyone “gets it”—art can be challenging.
If you do YOU—with sincerity, precision, and intention—the right people will get it.
Don’t dim yourself. AMPLIFY yourself. 🔥
