Following is a guide for students concerning my expectations when students study trumpet in my studio. It has been my pleasure to work with a wide variety of students for more than 30 years. If each student will follow the procedures outlined below each will succeed. I have never met a student who began the private study of trumpet who did not want to succeed.

All of the following information has been collected from some of the greatest brass teachers I have had the pleasure of working with either directly or indirectly during the past 40 years.

Studio Expectations for all students

You will need the correct materials for each lesson. Bring method books, solos, etc. to each lesson.
Arrive at lessons early and already warmed up. Do not schedule your lesson at a time when you come directly from other classes or activities without the opportunity to be warmed up. I expect students to be prepared for lessons. There is no excuse for lack of preparation. To be successful you must begin practicing the assigned material within 24 hours of your previous lesson.

Bring any music to your lesson that you will be performing in public, especially solos or difficult parts in ensemble music. I want to hear all students on music that you may be performing in public. This includes written and/or improvised music. You should plan to purchase the solo literature you will be performing. Begin now to build a library of solo and methods. This includes the piano parts to the music. Mark the music clearly with your name. You may want to consider investing in a stamp with your name on it to mark your music.

I encourage all students to join the International Trumpet Guild as student members - see the web site: www.trumpetguild.org

If you find that you cannot attend a lesson please contact me at least 24 hours in advance. Sign up for lesson promptly at the beginning of each semester. Please check with me to be sure the time is available. I may have other commitments that sometimes might not be listed on the schedule on my door. The serious student needs good equipment. There may be a need for you to purchase a different mouthpiece and other accessories. If you do not have a professional model trumpet you need to begin looking for one. The cost for top quality trumpets is not nearly as much as most other instruments. You can find a fine used trumpet for $800 - 1000 and a new one for $1200 - 1500. For many this will be a once in a lifetime investment.

Expectations for Trumpet majors

To succeed as a trumpet player you MUST practice daily to develop endurance and the musical skills needed as a professional. This cannot be accomplished with less than 1 hour a day. I recommend 2 - 3 hours of daily practice for the serious student. This can be broken up into smaller periods of time, in fact that will be beneficial. Remember to rest as much as you play (but not more!).
• Trumpet majors are required to perform each semester on convocation recitals and for the end of the semester juries.

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Expectations for non-trumpet majors

The student who wishes to study trumpet only as an avocation needs to spend no less than 30 minutes a day practicing the lesson material. There will be daily routine studies assigned in addition to various other methods depending upon the performance interests and goals of the student. Although there are not the public recital expectations that trumpet majors will have, all students are encouraged to perform some music in public recitals including the Festival of Trumpets.

Materials needed for Trumpet Players

• valve oil - use a good quality oil such as Al Cass "Fast" or Hetman valve oil
• tuning slide grease (I recommend using STP oil treatment which can be purchased at Wal-Mart in the auto section)
• metronome (a metronome the size of a credit card can be carried anywhere)
• cleaning brush and mouthpiece brush
• straight mute (I use a Tom Crown mute)
• Cup mute (I use a Humes & Berg Stone-lined mute)
• Harmon mute (I use a Joral Bubble mute) Do not use with the stem in.

Warmup

Every trumpet player needs to develop a warmup routine they can use each day. This warmup should be able to be completed in 5 to 10 minutes. It should include long tones, lip slurs, scales and articulated passages. I recommend moving from long full tones to faster slurs, expanding the range and moving to articulated arpeggios and scales. Remember to warmup in the registers you will be performing in.

Daily Routine

To succeed in playing the trumpet you must practice each day. Even a brief practice session of only 15 minutes will help maintain endurance. I have a trumpet leadpipe that I use in situations such as backpacking trips when carrying a trumpet is impossible. Look for ways to take your trumpet along and for time to practice instead of looking for excuses not to. You will play better and feel better about your playing. Others will recognize your dedication to excellence and follow your example.
I also recommend the Yamaha Silent Brass system for use in motel rooms, airports, etc. The entire system is not needed, you can just purchase the mute and use it as a practice mute.

It is also very important to work on specific studies that will help develop your concepts of sound and physical endurance. Most of these studies require intense concentration since it is HOW you play them rather than WHAT you play that makes the most significant difference.

Trumpet Methods of Study (most are available from Robert King Music)

The following methods are required as part of the serious trumpet players music library.

Daily Trumpet Routine - compiled by Neil Hansen - (not published)

Technical Studies for the Cornet
by Herbert L. Clarke published by Carl Fischer

Arban's Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet
by Edwin Franko Goldman and Walter M. Smith published by Carl Fischer

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Additional Trumpet Materials

Multiple Tonguing
Exercises for Double and Triple Tonguing
E.F. Goldman published by Carl Fischer

Melodious Etudes (Beautiful melodic etudes available w/piano acc.)
Melodious Etudes - Vols. 1 & 2
Marco Bordongi, arranged by Mark Tezak Available as SmartMusic accompaniments

Lip Flexibilities
Lip Flexibilities for Trumpet - Complete Vols. 1,2 & 3
Dr. Charles Colin Published by Charles Colin

Practical Studies for Trumpet - Robert Getchell

Instruments:
There are many fine instruments available. Most manufacturers make a professional model trumpet that plays well. Many players and teachers consider a great all-around horn with good consistency to be the Selmer Bach Stradivarius 180 ML with a #37 bell. Silver plated trumpets generally have a brighter sound than lacquered models.
Begin playing many different types of trumpets making mental notes on how they respond and sound. Use the same mouthpiece to try different instruments. As you become a better player you will notice how the same make a model of an instrument will be different from one to the next.

Mouthpieces:
A good all around mouthpiece is the Bach 3C. I recommend Warburton mouthpieces for advanced players.

Selected Recommended Trumpet Recordings
Wynton Marsalis - Carnaval CBS MK 42137
Maurice Andre - Hummel Concerto Pour Trompette Erato ECD 88007
Rafael Mendez - The Legacy Summit DCD 178
- The Legendary Trumpet Virtuosity of... Summit DCD 177
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue Columbia CK 40579
Chet Baker - My Favourite Songs Enja R279600

Trumpet Recordings
Summit Brass

Artists:
Rafael Mendez
Wynton Marsalis
Maurice Andre

Guido Basso - flugelhorn

Reference Material
ITG Journal Vol 23 No 2 Dec 1998 pgs 5-16 p18-31
Interview with Vincent Chicowitz and comments from his students.
Videotape Series (great view of a master teacher)
A New and Different Way of getting More Music out of Trumpet
William Adam - Professor Emeritus at Indiana University

Trumpet recordings
Summit Brass www.SummitRecords.com
Any website such as Amazon.com or Towerrecords.com

Websites of Interest
International Trumpet Guild www.trumpetguild.org
Basic Concepts

• Place mouthpiece 50% on upper lip & 50% on lower lip.
• Blow air thru mouthpiece using deep (not shallow) air. DO NOT BUZZ MOUTHPIECE! If buzz occurs you are most likely using too much mouthpiece pressure against the lips!
• Hold the horn w/o using rh finger hook & place right thumb under leadpipe (ie. natural)
• Blow leadpipe w/o tuning slide - this should sound a concert Eb when supported correctly.
• Use deep, warm air (as when "fogging" a window) when creating a sound.
• To develop endurance "rest as much as you play"
• The embouchure should look like someone "spitting"
• Energize the sound - think of "yelling"

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• EVERYTHING begins with the sound. The best sound will always be a result of doing the right things physically.
• 90% of playing is the sound, 9% air, 1% other.
• Rest as much as you play!
• Be ready to play! Be like a baseball batter waiting for the pitch.
• Concentrate on the sound. "Everything will follow the sound"
• Think full, not loud! Learn from full to soft, not the other way.
• practice from phrase to phrase, not from mistake to mistake.
• A note played too high is never wrong."

Breathing

• Feel "cool"air when taking a breath as if yawning.
• Think "ah too" which is to inhale and play in one continuous motion.
• Keep shoulders from moving up or down.
• When blowing a note think of "fogging" a window. Blow air that is warm and deep, not shallow.

Lip Slurs

• Allow the tongue to assist the slur.
• Whistle to practice the sensation of creating lip slurs.
• Do not stop or tongue lip slurs. Just as young clarinet players will try to avoid playing across the break, brass players will avoid lip slurs (especially ascending) if they don't come easily.
• Pivoting of the horn is ok and necessary when playing interval skips.

Articulation

• Connect the notes - do not play staccato notes very short!
• Think of the freedom that takes place when flutter tonguing. This is only possible by allowing the tongue to move and not forcing it. Recreate that sensation when tonguing.

Listening and Concentration

• Almost all errors made by trumpet players (after learning a piece of music) are caused by not hearing the notes and not blowing thru the phrase with confidence. It only takes a brief instant of insecurity or vanity, etc. to cause the sound to disappear.
• Practice on technically easy music to develop accuracy.

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Use a metronome and a tuner when practicing.