My Experience of Stuttering and Playing Music on Instrument

Apologies if this is too loosely related to the topic of stuttering. It is completely related from my point of view and I think it will prove to be an instrumental part of my continued fluency improvement. Yes, pun intended :)

I'm 27 years old and have a moderate stutter that I've mostly kept internalized since around the third grade. I've been seeing a speech therapist for a few months now and I can't believe how much it has changed my life (100% for the better). I'm a lot more open about my stutter, use avoidance tactics far less than I used to, and am getting more confident with my fluency tools every day.

I've recently gotten back into one of my favorite activities I did all through middle and high school: playing the trombone. I honestly think the reason I am getting back into it is because I can actually see myself going to audition at a community band, introducing myself to new people, and enjoying socializing more than I can ever remember.


I thought I was the only person who experienced this, but I've always experienced 'musical stuttering' (as well as my stuttering while speaking). I go to attack a note and I experience the exact same reaction I have to when I would try to say a word starting with 'T' or 'D', which have always been my most difficult sounds for speaking. My tongue hits my alveolar ridge and I feel my entire speaking system tense up dramatically and the fight or flight response kick in. I've noticed some of the techniques my SLP has taught me to get through 'T' and 'D' work pretty well on my trombone, as well.

My SLP and I have also started focusing on my breathing while speaking, and the more I research musical stuttering, the more I'm finding it is parallel to my stutter in speech. A lot of the techniques I learn in speech are translatable to my instrument, and a lot of the techniques I'm learning to control and reduce the stutter reaction on the trombone can be translated to my speech.

Any other people play a brass instrument and experience stuttering similar to when they are speaking? Any tips, questions, concern, comments, or advice regarding it?

I have worked with a LOT of consultants where presentations and client conversations are part of life, here is what I've gleaned...

1. Practicing. Nearly everyone reports that they feel more comfortable and confident if they are well-prepared for their presentation (I think this extends to non-stutterers, too).
2. Disclosing your stutter. People talk about that on this subreddit a lot, and it's because it really is the #1 thing you can do to alleviate tension and kick that "what if I stutter / I have to not stutter" fear to the curb. If you're talking to a client, just a quick, "I stutter, let me know if you need me to repeat something. So here's how X technology works..."
3. Focus on the other person / be a good listener. If all you are focusing on is stuttering (or trying not to stutter), you are going to do a crap job of listening to the client or paying attention to if the audience is following along with your information. Make it about them, not about you.

Finally, my impression seems to be in consulting that skilled, intelligent people have no trouble being successful and getting promoted. Usually, stuttering is a much bigger deal to the person who stutters than to the employer or clients, and you are much more likely to hold yourself back than to have negative external reactions (though there are jerks everywhere, so it's not impossible-- the likelihood is low, though).