Nine Essential Trumpet Playing Tips

1) Posture “The aim is to sit in a way that allows you to get the air down the trumpet in the easiest way possible. I like to imagine two pieces of string, one pulling me up from the top of my head and the other pulling forward at a 45 degree angle from my chest - like a puppet! This upright posture gives you a nice straight back which you can combine with two feet firmly on the ground for the ideal trumpet playing position."

2) Breathing “There are countless theories on the best type of breath for trumpet playing but in general we’re looking for a relaxed in-breath in followed by a firm airstream out. Try breathing in time with the music that you’re about to play, filling up with a ‘Wow’ sound which should keep the in-breath free and open (very similar to a three part yoga breath).”

3) Concentration “Keep your concentration levels up from the first breath in to the very end of the last note you play. You’d be amazed how many trumpet players work for countless hours on that perfect attack without giving a second thought to how the note’s going to end. Another common place where we tend to drift off is whilst counting rests and remembering key signatures. Keep your mind on top form as well as your “chops” to take your playing to the next level.”

4) Practice Plan ‘Know exactly what you’re going to practice that day and why you’re practicing it. Playing for the sake of playing can cause tiredness and fatigue without any clear benefits. I like to follow a routine and keep a practice diary to see how closely I’ve managed to follow it. Little and often is much better and as a general rule always try to rest just as much as you play so that you end each session still feeling good. Quit whilst you’re ahead!

5) Don’t forget to sight read. “We can get so caught up in learning a particular piece that we forget to work on one of the most fundamental aspects of being a musician- sight reading! Try out new music as often as you can, taking care to look at the time signature, key signature, pitch, rhythm and any tempo markings before you start. Extra bonus points if you can also take in the dynamics and articulation markings first time."

6) Perform “Play the trumpet in a performance scenario as often as you can, to anyone who’ll listen! The more you do it the easier it becomes and you’ll eventually learn to embrace any nerves and use it to help rather than hinder your performance. Don’t worry about the result and accept that not every performance will be perfect, it’s the process that matters.”

7) Care “Look after your trumpet. Oil your valves once a week and clean the entire instrument once a month using specialised trumpet cleaning equipment. Using a silver cloth to keep a shine to the bell will show that you have pride in the trumpet are that you’re keeping it in good working order.”

8) Community “One of the most enjoyable aspects of being a musician is being able to play with others. Look for a local ensemble to join or find like minded musicians online - build a community of musicians around you. I’ve met my closest friends in life through the trumpet and a bit of healthy competition never goes a miss.

9) Have Fun “Never forget that you play the trumpet. You don’t work it, but play it. Keep that light hearted ‘child like’ approach to your music making and you’ll play freely, often losing track of time as you get lost in the flow of playing the trumpet. Bliss.”