Hey fellow trumpet player! I played it for 7 years through middle and high school, and I even did jazz band in HS. I was third- then first chair in our top band, yet I still didn’t learn anything deeper than musical notation and major scales… Things like the circle of fifths, modes, even chord progressions? I now know they’re all pretty basic concepts, but back then they were a form of mysticism reserved for the gods of music. Thankfully all the basic stuff has stuck with me as if I never stopped playing, which has provided a priceless foundation. Oh, and very strong relative pitch!
I definitely plan to take ideas from here and there and evolve them, if only as homage to my composer heroes. Just as in game design, nothing is completely original anymore, and everyone “borrows” ideas all the time. Regarding drum patterns, definitely gonna tap into the works of Peart and Portnoy!
Thanks for the inspiration, by the way. It really helps keep the fire going!