Special report by Danny CarneyThe trumpet is one of the oldest musical instruments of all. Starting off in the
biblical days parallel to the Hebrew “Shofar” – both participating in the Mount
Sinai ceremony of the Hebrews receiving the TORA.
What makes the Trumpet so unique?
The sound. The trumpet has a kind of metallic penetrating sound that can “grab”
the emotion, almost every cell in your body.
Learning to play the Trumpet
Children learn how to play the trumpet commonly at ages 9-12. They study at
school or at a local music school, by taking individual private lessons or group
lessons. Some get it right from the beginning, those with a natural talent. Others
find it more difficult and mainly due to starting off with non- professional
teachers, grow up with playing limitations, some of which are listed later on.
The “Dan’s Play the Trumpet Guide” will get you started right from the beginning.
All professional players’ techniques are included.
How does the trumpet work?
When a stream of air is pressured through a pipe it hits the pipe knocking from
side to side vibrating and making a sound. Try blowing into a piece of a hose-pipe.
The first trumpets were a plain round straight copper pipe. What was discovered
was that if you blow air through the pipe in different pressures or air speed, the
pipe will produce several tones at different pitches : Medium , Low, High and
Very high.
The faster the stream the higher and “narrower” the tone.
Then what was found is that bending the copper pipe does not interfere with the
tone, maybe even improving it. Opening the pipe at its end to a BELL, enriches
the sound and adds power and color.
So the next Trumpet generation was the bent pipes, what is called the BUGLE
which came in use for military purposes such as ceremonies, wake-up calls, and
battle signals.
Now we have an instrument that has 5 basic tones, but when compared to the
piano or any other instrument was very poor in its ability to play music. So the
solution came by adding more pipes with the ability to change pipe length rapidly.
The adjustment was made so that each pipe length sets an exact half tone
difference from the closest note below and the closest note above.
This was done by using the valves. When a valve is pressed the air adds on
another small U shaped pipe for traveling, and traveling more produces a lower
tone. 3 valves allow the trumpet player 8 different valve combinations, including
pressing no valve at all which is playing the original natural Bugle tone. Remember
that there are 5 basic natural tones at the common trumpet range and likewise on
any finger valve combination there can be those same 5 tones or more that can
be produced.
The natural tones from low up according to the original musical note name
followed by the English letter tone name:
– Low DO - C
- Low Sol – G
- Middle Do – C
- Middle Me – E
- High Sol - G
The mouthpiece
It is not easy to blow directly into a pipe end. So to fix that, we fit a special thick
metal mouthpiece into the trumpet lead pipe. The mouthpiece’s RIM fits
comfortably onto the outer part of the lips. The lip position on which the
mouthpiece fits is called EMBACHURE.
The Embouchure is different from player to player depending on lip and teeth
structure and the natural physical tendency of the player.
So that’s how the trumpet works.
Trumpet models
The common instrument is called B Flat. The reason is that in order to play the
sound of a basic trumpet tone C note, we would play on the Piano a B Flat.
We can divide Trumpets into several groups by different criteria:
1. The Basic tone
Just like the basic B Flat common instrument, there are other instruments
with a different pipe length. These different instruments developed according
to the “technological” development of trumpet building ever since the valves
came into use. So there are trumpets in D, in F in E, and the most modern of all
is the symphonic C which is the common symphony instrument. Mostly when
symphonic players have to play music written for a trumpet in F for example,
they use their C trumpet in improvise, meaning they play a different note to
the note that is printed so that it sounds as written.
2. Basic Models
- Trumpet: the standard instrument including all the above
- Cornet: a smaller size in B Flat with a round gentle less brass tone. Mostly
in use in concert band music (wind bands), very common in the UK.
- Piccolo: a small narrow pipe and short trumpet for playing the high
registers. Used mainly for Baroque music.
- Flugelhorn: the largest of all, B Flat wide piped with a deep round gentle
tone. For calm quite music.
Beginning the road of Trumpet playing
As a beginner you should know one very important fact that all trumpet players
know : You must start with the best and most professional tutoring – teacher or
guide. If you start with a bad playing habit which will limit any of your playing
skills, it will be very difficult, almost impossible to get rid of later. If you start
learning with a teacher, go through my guide first. Know what and how you
should be learning, and you will ensure yourself a good basic beginning. This is
why I say that my “how to play the trumpet guide” is based on professional
players’ techniques.
Playing the trumpet is not only producing sound - It is playing beautifully!
You can play the trumpet by producing sound and tones and playing melodies.
This basic kind of playing which all beginners start with is unfortunately the only
way many non professional players play, mainly because they have never learnt
the right way to play the trumpet. Picking up an instrument and just blowing will
probably not lead you too far with your playing level. This is why you should start
with the professional basics. But unfortunately again, many trumpet teachers,
mainly young bright talented players, do not know how to teach. They are not
aware of the basics which they themselves use in a natural way. Playing the
trumpet is just one of those things that in order to achieve them, better do it right
or not do it at all. Playing by producing sound and melodies will not bring the
satisfaction you are seeking.
I know many trumpet players who play as a hobby who are very limited in their
basic abilities and who would enjoy trumpet playing much more if only they
could improve their playing. If you really want to enjoy playing, do it properly. I
personally read several free trumpet playing guides on the web, and I did not find
any of them having a full understanding of trumpet playing or of the beginners’
difficulties. This is the reason that I decided not to put my guide up for free, but
give it some value so that only if you are really eager to do it well you will not
hesitate to invest less than $10 on it - a reasonable low affordable price - $9.95.
Improving your Trumpet Playing – Get rid of your playing limits
If you are a trumpet player and you wish to overcome any playing limitations you
will probably find the reason and the solution in the guide.
These limitations might include several difficulties such as playing the high
register, playing softly (Pianissimo), bouncing fast between low and high notes,
playing ties between the same fingering notes and others.
DAN’S TRUMPET GUIDE - Contents
This comprehensive 24 page E-guide will take you from the starting point to
playing the trumpet.
Now you can actually learn how to play the trumpet by yourself by following the
chapters step by step. Read (watch or listen) and practice. Following are the
guide’s chapters :
1. Introduction to trumpet playing
2. Body involvement and Holding the trumpet
3. Creating the tone: The Mouthpiece; Tune production; Tonguing
4. Fingering and playing the notes
5. Playing the different registers: Low, Middle, Very Low, High
6. Advanced playing: The beautiful tone; Pedals; Double tonguing; Ties;
Technical playing
7. Trumpet maintenance : Cleaning, maintenance
8. Practice
9. Final thoughts and further studies
What makes DAN'S TRUMPET GUIDE the perfect study book is that it reveals
everything you need to know and to do so that playing will become easy. Fine
trumpet playing is not squeezing out the sound. Fine trumpet playing is all about
playing with ease due to doing everything around the actual playing right. Look at
the guide’s chapters : Only in chapter 5 do you actually start playing. This is why I
keep on mentioning the professional way.
The joy of Trumpet Playing
The trumpet, like several other instruments is first of all a solo musical
instrument. This means that you play the tune. Obviously trumpets play all roles
in all kinds of music. In the symphony music trumpet pieces differ between
composers. “Wagner”, “Mahler” and “Shostakovich” for instance give the
trumpets major tasks, “Beethoven” or “Shubert” minor trumpet pieces. In Brass
music, Concert band, Jazz and Big band trumpets are KING: Definite leaders.
Trumpet typical music
One of the best kinds of music where the Trumpet player can challenge his own
ability are the Trumpet Concerto’s. You find more and more players mastering
difficult Trumpet Concerto’s than in the past. The most famous concertos would
probably be those by Hyden and Hummel.
Another challenging kind of music are the Etudes. These originated as practice
pieces and are played with no other accompanying instrument, with no chance
for the Trumpet player for rest in the middle. They go from several lines long
even to 2 pages, from first year level to the highest to imagine. One of the well
known Etude composers is “Arban” who his Trumpet study book must be the
“Bible” of trumpet studying. The most difficult Etude book I know is by the
Frenchmen “Charlier”
You name it – Trumpet has it: Any kind of music, any rhythm, pace, pitch, volume
or tempo.
The secret of the tone
In playing a wind instrument your whole body actually participates in the playing
process. First of all is the breathing. And here is where the uniqueness of players
comes in different. When the tone you create depends on your body – breath,
Lips, Teeth, mentality – imagine how much influence the player has over the tone.
The other playing factor is the technical challenge. Playing fast music. High notes.
High-low combination, double and triple tonguing at different notes – these all
are technical challenges that are different to fine tune production.
The ultimate player
Achieving this status will include TONE, TECHNIQUE and EMOTIONAL
EXPRESSION. These playing outcomes combined, make the utmost of the trumpet
player.
Is there a magic way there?
YES : State of the art foundations + practice + trumpet music listening + ambition!
Get your copy of DAN'S TRUMPET GUIDE NOW
Learn how to play the trumpet in just 30 days so that anyone hearing you will be
sure you have been playing for many years. Learn the trumpet playing secrets
that professional trumpet players use. If you are a beginner you'll get it right from
day one. As a current trumpet player you will find out a few basic playing
strategies that will definitely enable you to improve your playing, such as Tone
quality, Register, Technique, and Endurance.
To claim your guide for a reasonable affordable price go to
www.playthetrumpet.com roll down on the home page and press the BUY
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GO PLAY A TRUMPET: ENJOY!
Denise Jordan Walker 
