(Part 2) Top products from r/trumpet

If you want technical exercises, this book is the way to go. This will help you get the technique so that when you want to play what's in your mind's ear, you can without futzing around with notes and keys. You need to be more technically proficient in more keys and also more theory proficient than a non-jazz player because in jazz you're frequently moving very quickly through different key areas and you don't have time to think about it.

I'd also get iReal Pro. It's such an amazing tool it's virtually worth getting an Android or iOS device just for it alone. Use it as a band-in-a-box and play along with tunes out of a Real Book or virtually anything you want to play really since you can easily add your own exercises, which will be helpful with some links I'll give later. I personally prefer the Android version. It's literally easier to do custom stuff on my phone with Android than on my iPad with iOS. I also believe there are Android emulators if you need, though I've never had a need.

Do lots of listening and get used to the style you want and be aware of other styles out there. Try to play the tunes with those styles. There are different approaches to improv. I've found that one of the least intimidating ones is literally to pick 2 notes and make a solo out of it... listen to how it feels across different changes. Then add a 3rd note. Listen. This is especially easy over blues changes. Play simple solos... melodic. Think of playing a something you could sing rather than feeling like you need to jump right into crazy bepop with flying scales and arpeggios.

Use some basic theory knowledge (some of which is in the book I mentioned) of what scales and notes fit best over certain things. Learn to quickly think of your "guide tones" for a given chord (3 and 7). If you're playing over some changes with only a 2 or 3 note improv to get used to hearing things, start thinking about what those notes are in each chord you're playing. You might be playing an E... it's the 3rd over the C chord and 6 or 13 over the G chord and 9 over a D chord and a #11 over a Bb chord. That kind of thing. You'll start to find out what notes are purely "avoid" notes, though realistically, almost any note can technically work if you don't sit on it. Due to how chords work in jazz, you literally almost can't be on a wrong note, though some will work better than others depending on context and some will only really work as passing tones.

Your ear will tell you a lot what does and doesn't work. Another approach to improv is to simply be able to embellish the written melody. So do some of that. You basically will end up mixing ideas to get the best solos, but mostly use your ears, but also train them by doing lots of listening. Something like a b9 chord might sound jarring to someone who hasn't done much listening, but can sound amazing as you develop that acquired taste.

If you find a lick you like in a solo while listening to Chet or someone else... steal it! Transcribe it. Play it in every key. Figure out what changes it fits over. Add it to your tool belt.

Here are some long-tone studies that run through ii-V-I in every key focusing on different chord tone relationships that will stretch your ears and beef up your chops.

Here are some scalar exercises with the same ii-V-I idea.

This will probably melt your brain, but here are some very extensive scale things if you somehow ever run out of stuff to work on in the book I mentioned as far as technique.

Hope some of that helps. It's quite the rabbit hole.

EDIT: Oh, in case you didn't know, this is the Real Book most people play out of, though if you play a lot, you'll find that there's a ton in there you don't need and not nearly as many of the tunes you would like.

Also, here is a link to a ton of the Wikifonia files before it got shut down. Open the files with MuseScore and you can adjust keys or whatever you need to do. While I've found issue with some of the chords, the leads tend to be pretty good, so if there's a tune you like, you can probably find a lead there and then download the changes to iReal Pro and play over them that way.

Ska is fast and hard, a very enjoyable style of play, but you'll need to build up a ton of endurance and learn many techniques to get there. I would recommend asking your school's band dept to set you up, most schools have loaners and will hook you up with a private instructor. Do not discount the private instructor, it is certainly necessary.

I also recommend grabbing Essential Elements (you should be able to find this at your local music store) and working your way through it. There is also a second book in this series (part 2) that you'll want. It will teach you all the notes, fingerings, how to read sheet music, how to manage certain styles, and help you build up a very basic repertoire of classic pieces. After that, grab Essential Elements for Jazz Ensemble. It might seem odd to recommend just these, but every school I have been to for contesting or whatever has had these books lying around with dog ears and broken bindings, so they must be good :)

When practicing, there are three phases. The first third of your session should be warming up. Take it nice and easy. You are literally raising the temperature of your instrument and that is important. I usually stop when I feel a slight tingling sensation on my lips. The second third should be dedicated to actual music, because the music deserves better than sloppy seconds. Short songs from the book, or maybe you have music assigned by your school's band director that you need to learn. The last third should be technical exercises. These might be boring but you need them to build up your endurance, range, flexibility, and tone. Do not eschew these.

If you're in central Illinois I've got an extra student trumpet I could hand out to a good home. I dragged it through marching band so it's got its fair share of scratches and dings but everything is in good working order.

You really need a trumpet teacher sitting right next to you to help you with this. But I will try to answer.

First of all, stop caring about range and start caring about correct, musical playing for every single note you produce out of the trumpet. For example, it doesn't really mean anything if a trumpet player can hit a grand C but can't play (and read) a nice, lyrical melody.

Now, on to your embouchure and your question. The tongue should be behind the lower teeth when paying. You articulate by hitting the top of your upper teeth with your tongue. You bracing your lower lip actually sounds kind of interesting, but over time you may utterly destroy that lip.

You need to replace your bad habit with a good one. This means you must consciously notice every time you brace your lower lip with your tongue, and move your tongue behind the teeth. Every time you notice the tongue doing the wrong thing you must correct it. This will take time, you need to ingrain this as a new habit and stop the old. Sometimes you will sound bad. Practicing will be filled with you just correcting this problem, but you gotta do it. I've been there, many trumpet players have when it comes to the embouchure.

You must support your playing with proper air support. Your shoulders must be relaxed, and your abdominal muscles must do the work of pushing the air. This must be a habit, if it isn't already. When you play those high notes instead of pushing your bottom lip, your strong abdominal muscles should do that work. You're probably young and strong, work your abs!

Even though your embouchure problem seems to be internal, you may benefit from doing some other things. Try standing in front of a mirror to keep an eye on your embouchure. Buzz, a lot, on the mouthpiece. Hold the mouthpiece near the end, away from the cup. This is difficult at first but will train you to produce sound without pressure. Maybe make use of one of these things.

Good luck, but you can do it. Many trumpet players before you have. Also, don't get down on yourself, if it's difficult just tell yourself to keep at it because it takes time (weeks). If you keep at it you will benefit greatly. You obviously don't have a problem hitting the high notes based on your post, so if you make this change you will surely be making some great music on the trumpet.

But, like I said, seek out a teacher. Let us know how it goes. If you really want I can give you a skype lesson (for free), I've been wanting to try that out.

Don't twist. You run the risk of breaking a weld making a free fix into an expensive one.

Fisrt thing to try is to dip the mouthpiece into a cup of ice water for a few minutes until the cold has a chance to chill the shank. Now put your hot hand on the receiver and try to remove it. The idea is to chill, and therefore slightly shrink the mouthpiece and then warm and slightly expand the receiver, there are other ways to achieve this, but I think this is the easiest.

If this doesn't work, take it to a shop and they'll pull it with a specialized tool, usually for free. If you don't have a local shop, call the local schools, I guarantee one, or all, of the local band teachers have a puller and would be happy to help you out. Or, you can buy your own on Amazon for $25 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQYMHYL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TQqVCb076Y3AF

I've never used this one, but most of the reviews are positive.

I studied trumpet at North Texas with Keith Johnson. I cannot recommend his book The Art of Trumpet Playing enough. Unfortunately it's "out of print", so head to your local used book store and see if you can snag a copy, because 80 bucks is highway robbery. He is one of the best teachers I have ever had the pleasure of working with, and he made me into the professional I am today. He taught me more things than I will ever be able to write down, but let me try to share some important pointers...

Practice, practice, practice. It's not going to be easy. If it was easy, everyone would do it.

Pick up a copy of the Arban's book. Much of it may seem boring, but it's not called the "trumpet bible" by accident.

Your breathing is the most important part of playing the trumpet. Your trumpet is just the equivalent of a guitar amplifier. Your lips are important as they are the "reed" of the instrument, but your breath trumps all. Forever and always. Breathe deeply and freely. (Oh-Ho ... where oh is intake, ho is outward expulsion of air. Don't force the air, simply "sigh through the horn".)

Your hardware doesn't matter nearly as much as some may try to make you believe. When you are inevitably trying to fix a problem, your airflow (typically the lack thereof) is the culprit 7 times out of 10.

Get into the habit of playing every note more musically than you think you can. You want every note to sound better than the previous one. If you play with this attitude, you'll quickly surprise yourself. Even if you're playing boring, sustained notes, there is music to be made. It is your duty to find it using whatever means necessary.

Playing an instrument is an artform. It is your job to force the listener to pay attention to what you are doing. If you aren't convinced what you're playing is important, no one else will care enough to listen... except maybe your parents, but their opinion is always a little biased.

If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me a message.

Right. And I'm not saying dont buzz, but be careful not to do hours of just buzzing. Here's the book with the routine. Its touted by a large amount of players for being the reason they play so well. It didnt work for me in college, but I've come back to it and have been enjoying it a lot more and feeling better chopwise. Its best to have a teacher take you through it to do it properly. Or read about it online.

Yamaha 2xxx series horns are great places to start. At first you really won't notice a difference between that and a more expensive instrument.

Yamaha YTR-2335 Bb Trumpet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007KPKXK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uOI0Bb0GE3ZC2


Trumpet is hard. It will take a lot of practice to make a good sound on a few notes. So don't get discouraged when you don't sound like Miles as fast as you would like.

Try to stay relaxed, tension breeds bad habits and will serious impede your sound.

If you can find a teacher you should definitely take a few lessons to get started. A little bit of guidance goes a long way.

I hope you love the trumpet and stick with it. Good luck on your journey!

I've never used a gig bag, but one of my friends messed up his horn using one. To be fair, he was on a bike and some idiot in front of him randomly stopped and he fell.

I've been using [this Protec case] (http://www.amazon.com/Protec-CLASSIC-SLIMLINE-TRUMPET-PRO/dp/B0002MM6PS/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1374639171&sr=8-13&keywords=protec+trumpet+case) and it is pretty solid and pretty small as well. I don't think it comes with a backpack strap, but I'm sure you could get something for it.

Gig bags are definitely convenient, but if you do want a little more protection I would recommend that case.

• Rent a trumpet from a nearby music store (I see you live in Sweden, do they offer instrument rental programs there?): cheap, and you can ensure it works (instead of buying a possible dud from ebay). Most shops will ask for a minimum of 3 months- this will give you some time to figure out if this is something you'd like to continue with.
  
  
• The trumpet is a very physical instrument and it's easy to develop lasting bad habits that will really hurt you down the road. Try to take at least 1 lesson with a teacher so you can get the ball rolling. If that's REALLY not possible (a 30min lesson is $20-45 usually so it's not much!) search for Charlie Porter on Youtube and check out his vids.
  
  
• You will improve fastest if you can play everyday: even if it's only 5 min. Rest often! The goal is to reinforce good habits.
  
  
• Get a method book that will inspire you to continue playing. If you have not played an instrument before, I wouldn't recommend Clarke/Arban like another poster suggested- those are extremely technical and Arban is frankly probably out of your range right now. Try The Jazz Method for Trumpet. It has a playalong CD and tunes that are much closer to the type of music you like (rock) than most other method books. Other good beginner books: Embouchure Builder, or Getchell (might be a little out of your range for the 1st few weeks).
  
  
• Lastly, please do not get discouraged! Most people sounded awful when they first started out- that will probably include you. Don't judge yourself too hard- just be patient and practice consistently and I promise you that the improvement will come.

I have the "travel light" which I like because it's a different color than everyone else's (and thus easy to find) but doesn't have a ton of storage, so I always have to carry separate mute and music bags. Also, the backpack straps (you have to purchase them separately) are sort of upside down from the rubberized feet that allow you to set the case on end. It's a bit weird, but not weird enough for me to send the thing back, so I've just been adjusting.

The "contoured" version has a bit more storage (though I think still not big enough for mutes, but definitely can handle oils) and can also accept backpack straps. If I had to buy it again, this is probably the one I'd get.

The "standard" version has enough storage for mutes inside the case, but I'm fairly sure you can't put backpack straps on it (from the image on Amazon, it doesn't look like it has the correct loops available), and backpack straps are somewhat necessary for me.

I haven't seen the platinum series in persion, but I'd be hesitant to use it based on it's images...looks like a semi-soft case (it advertises wood panels at the "back" and bell only, instead of all the way around). I have enough hustle and bustle in my life that I wouldn't feel secure that the case wouldn't get tossed around. IT's probably lighter than the other choices, but doesn't work in my life. That said, the permanently attached backpack straps look better than the detachable ones that go with the other cases.

I would use the Blitz silicone treated polishing cloth https://www.amazon.com/Blitz-silicone-treated-Polish-Cloth/dp/B002Q0WT9W

It's impregnated with silicone and helps keep your lacquer looking shiny and new. Actually, I use this cloth on my silver trumpet, even though it's not designed for that.

Silver polishing cloths have an abrasive that physically rubs the tarnish off. They leave scratches in your silver plate, and if they scratch silver, they'd definitely scratch lacquer. Plus, silver polishing cloths tend to be thick and hard to use.

In order to keep the silver tarnish-free, I use Twinkle Silver Polish https://www.amazon.com/Twinkle-525005-Silver-Polish-Kit/dp/B000QRARKU when I clean my horn. It has a chemical reaction that makes the tarnish disappear without any abrasive.

And just to keep the silver bright, I put 3M Silver Protector Strips https://www.amazon.com/3M-Silver-Protect-Strip-Protector/dp/B003LDL8SG in my case. I have used a Pacific Silvercloth-based tarnish prevention bag in the past, but haven't found it to be needed as long as I use Twinkle when washing the horn and keep the trumpet in the case with anti-tarnish strips.

Hope that helps those of you who own silver instruments!

Well, you may try:

• The Pencil Exercise, or the Warburton PETE
  
  
• Warburton ATV
  
  
• Carmine Caruso exercises
  
  
• Working on your soft playing, so you have a better grasp and control over your chops.
  
  That's what I'd do, anyway, if I had to make it through something blisteringly long like that. I have to ask, though: are you being realistic about how much time you can take with the horn off your face while playing it? Have you seen it done live?

If it's just your horn you need to carry go with a single trumpet bag like a protec single trumpet bag. They also have a triple trumpet bag that has an awesome front pocket and plenty of inside space. It's called the ipac triple trumpet case.

http://www.amazon.com/ProTec-C238-Protec-Deluxe-Trumpet/dp/B0002D03ZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377733666&sr=8-1&keywords=protec+trumpet+bag

When you're first first starting, like the first month or two, get one of the trumpet method books they use in elementary school.
http://www.amazon.com/Rubank-Elementary-Method-Trumpet-Educational/dp/1423444795/
It will help you with reading and sounding melodic. Practice going up and down intervals without changing fingerings. Then move on to wider interval patterns. Use only a small amount of pressure against your lips, even for higher notes. Do chromatic scales starting from different notes. I personally think Clarke's technical studies is a better starting point than Arban's for an absolute beginner.

Arbans

Saint Jacome

Clarke

Schlossberg

And my personal favorite The Embouchure Builder

I personally use the Contoured PRO PAC.

It’s pretty light, and takes up less space than a traditional hard case while still providing solid protection.

This kind does not suck. The way it's designed secures it to the lead pipe.

"TOP 50" Orchestral audition excerpts for trumpet, compiled and edited by Philip Norris.

https://www.amazon.com/Top-Orchestral-Audition-Excerpts-Trumpet/dp/B002QKVVN2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496192838&sr=8-1&keywords=top+50+orchestral+audition+excerpts

It's an expensive book. Especially with our Canadian dollar.

I'd stick with a Yahama, Jupiter, or Bach beginner horn then. Those are going to be the highest quality and within your price range. Something like this

Carmine Caruso - Musical Calisthenics for Brass https://www.amazon.com/dp/0634046411/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_jxPrxbVSF6SB1

You can also find some pdfs of the some excersices easily on google

Protec hard-ish case, kind of like this one, mine's probably an older version. Slings over the shoulder nicely and I'm too clumsy to use my gig bag regularly. I've got an extra bag for mutes that clips on to the strap rings; it's a little cramped but I make it work by putting them in socks so they don't scratch each other up. Packing up takes a while, though.

All hail lord Arban!

https://www.amazon.com/Arbans-Complete-Conservatory-Method-Trumpet/dp/0486479552/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0/134-8858806-8213747?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=91J5YXHYR73PD3QP3NKN

I had no idea they existed until today either. Mouthpieces like this

http://www.amazon.com/Arbans-Complete-Conservatory-Method-Trumpet/dp/0486479552/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456986453&sr=1-2&keywords=arbans+complete+conservatory+method+for+trumpet

Twinkle Silver Polish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwHU0iRtJa0

https://www.amazon.com/Twinkle-525005-Silver-Polish-Kit/dp/B000QRARKU

It's one of those convertible ones isn't it? Does it look similar to this?

Protec gig bag - $40 from Amazon.

It has a side pouch that can hold mouthpieces, music, and a couple of mutes.

I also have my Bach case, but I don't carry it around.

Here it is

I realize now that PB301 essentially just means trumpet case from them

Essential Elements for Trumpet 2000 Books 1&2

https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Elements-2000-Comprehensive-Trumpet/dp/0634003208/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Essential+Elements+2000+Trumpet&qid=1563383823&s=books&sr=1-1

you can probably make this style of puller with wood and machine screws/wingbolts if you don't want to get a real mouthpiece puller.

https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Young-Professional-Mouthpiece-Brass-wind/dp/B01MQYMHYL

Based on the demo video, this looks like an embouchure visualizer, except instead of a stick you hold on to the larger, outer ring, then buzz into the smaller end. For some reason there are springs separating the two halves, I guess to cushion the impact force on your face?

Their product description uses some confusing terms ("aperture strength"?!) and makes some big claims.

Personally, I think there is some merit to lip buzzing or using a visualizer, but you might need some guidance from a trumpet teacher familiar with these techniques. On your own, you can do more harm than good. Many trumpet players do not believe in lip buzzing or do it at all, so I certainly wouldn't say you need to do it.

However, my biggest reaction is that this costs $70! You can get a visualizer for less than half of that. Or spend even less and just use a pair of scissors or a ring. Or if you really want to shell out $70, get one of these bad boys.