Ten Secrets to Playing the Trumpet
There are many tips and tricks for learning the trumpet. I show you how the pros do it.

One of my favorite Gospel artists is a Nigerian named Nathaniel Bassey. He has a great voice and he makes good music, the kind that makes you bob your head. One of my favorite things about him, though, is he plays the trumpet. You hear of artists who can play piano like Alicia Keys, and others who play the guitar like the Jonas Brothers, but how many times do you hear about an artist who plays the trumpet?

Granted, the trumpet isn’t the most common instrument for an artist, but I think that’s an advantage for you. In a world where everyone is trying to stand out, you can do much worse than being a trumpet-playing indie artist. If you get good at it, that can even become your call sign.

Here’s an extra reason for you. Playing the trumpet works on your windpipes and helps you develop better breath control. So not only does it leave your vocal cords unscathed, but it also makes you a better singer by improving your breath control. I’m telling you, the trumpet really could be your instrument.

Enough ranting, though, you’re probably here because you want to learn how to play the trumpet already. I can’t teach you how to do that in this article, but        I can share some tips and secrets that have been tried and tested by experienced trumpeters. And I promise to plug a reliable trumpet coach at the end.

Without further ado, let’s do it!

Seven Trumpet Tips

Exercise

I know you came here for a trumpet, not sports, but exercise is a super helpful way to improve your trumpet playing. As you know, the trumpet involves plenty of windpipe action, which means your lungs must be in tip-top condition. This makes cardio a necessity for you. You need to be able to play for a long time without burning out, and proper breathing and cardio exercises are a great way to make sure that happens.

Another important thing you must pay attention to is your posture. Keeping the right posture will help you sound better and play longer because it ensures all your breathing channels are open and free-flowing. So posture exercises will be great.

It’s nothing as intensive as lifting weights, but there are good exercises that will improve your playing. If you’ve been slacking in the gym, it’s time to get back at it.

Perform

One thing many artists fail to realize is that playing to perform is a different animal from playing indoors. Just because you can do nice things in private doesn’t mean you can perform. One of the best ways to improve your playing is to start performing as soon as you get good enough to play a song. Whether you play trumpet or not won’t fascinate anybody until they see you swing it out on stage.

The more you perform, the better you’ll get at playing. You don’t have to start in front of a crowd, in fact, you shouldn’t do. Start in front of your friends and family, then small venues, before you get to the big stage.

Get a music stand

Getting the right equipment is an underrated part of playing instruments. Your instrument is all you need if it comes down to it, but some accessories make life much easier for you. When playing the trumpet, it’s always handy to have a music stand. It allows you to read your music chart comfortably without straining yourself and messing up your posture.

If you can afford it, get a music stand as soon as you can. You’ll find trumpet practice much more fun to do.

Join a community

There’s an initial burst of energy we all get when we start something new. Along the line, however, that initial energy fades off. It happens in every new thing we try, be it school, a relationship, a new job, or learning a skill. In those tough times, it’s easy to give up and drop the ball. In fact, it’s almost guaranteed, unless you have a community to hold you up.

As a beginner, you need to find a community that’ll help hold you up when the going gets tough and you need a hand. You’ll also interact with more experienced trumpeters who have gone through all the struggles you’re going through as a beginner. An experience like that will put you ahead of your fellow beginners in no time.

Get the trumpeter's bible

One key part of excelling is studying. All too often, I see aspiring musicians who just want to go straight to playing. Haste makes waste, my friend. Arguably the best material to study as an upcoming trumpeter is the Arban Book. The long name is Arban’s Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet.

It contains plenty of knowledge that will be fundamental if you want to be a true trumpet professional. Your coach can recommend where to start.

Release the tension

When playing the trumpet, you want your entire body to be relaxed. Holding any tension in your body, believe it or not, will affect your sound. For example, if the middle part of your lips is under tension, you won’t be able to blow well enough to get a proper sound from your trumpet.

You also don’t want your shoulders under any tension because that’ll mean you won’t be able to hold your trumpet up as you should. These are just two examples, but you generally don’t want your body under any tension.

Practice in pitch darkness

One great way to bond with your trumpet is to turn off all the lights. With all your senses except your hearing and touch deprived, you’ll start to hear the music in a much deeper way than before. Of course, this can only be done when you can play songs without reading a music chart.

Also, doing it only once won’t make any change. You have to make it a habit. Think of yourself as Arya Stark in Game of Thrones who had to master fighting without her eyes before becoming perhaps the most dangerous assassin in the movie.

Final Thoughts

If you practice these tips, I guarantee you’ll become a better trumpeter. However, even if you ignore all the tips, there’s one you must pay attention to. Find a community to join. That will open you up to so many secrets that my list will feel redacted by the CIA.

If you need a solid coach to take you from a total beginner to a skilled professional, check out The Black Trumpeter on YouTube.