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Beginning trumpeters have a wide variety of music options ahead of them, if they stick with the instrument. If you truly love (or learn to love) music, are willing to learn all sorts of musical styles, and learn about the different trumpets available, you'll have beautiful notes coming out of your trumpet in no time.

Do yourself a favor and take private lessons. Yes, it may be tough at first, but don't give up. This goes for any instrument, or any pursuit, really. A wise person once said, "If you do something long enough, you'll get good at it." This thought will hopefully keep you going through those frustrating times when the notes just won't come out the way they should. Like most worthwhile pursuits, playing an instrument well requires lots of practice, some talent, and plenty of persistence.

You should try to cultivate a true love for most types of music, due in part to the trumpet's incredible versatility. Other multipurpose instruments are the clarinet, trombone, violin, and piano, all with great musical ranges, and all widely used for solo work as well as within ensembles of varying sizes.

When people meet a trumpeter, most usually ask if s/he plays jazz. While jazz is a mainstay of many a trumpeter's repertoire, it is not for all. Some trumpeters stick to orchestral music, Broadway show tunes, or some other genre, based on what s/he enjoys.

Trumpeters play such styles as:

- Swing (i.e. "The Pink Panther", "Stardust")

- Latin (i.e. "The Girl From Ipanema", "Tijuana Taxi")

- Dixieland (i.e. "When the Saints Go Marching In", "Down by the Riverside")

- Orchestral ("Allegro" from Beethoven's 5th Symphony, Pachelbel's "Canon")

- Broadway (i.e. "Phantom of the Opera", "Guys and Dolls", "The Producers")

However, please keep in mind that quite a few rock groups like Chicago, Huey Lewis and The News, Kool and the Gang, The Commodores, and Blood Sweat and Tears all made use of horn sections (usually trumpet, trombone, and saxophones). These are older groups, but current rockers use horns as well.

Another luxury of playing the trumpet is that, with only a little more work, you have the ability to play similar instruments. The cornet sound is slightly less "in-your-face" than the trumpet, but just as versatile, and is traditionally preferred by most British brass players. The flugelhorn provides a beautiful, rich tone that is mellower than the trumpet or cornet, can blend extremely well with the lower brass, but has an almost magical quality when played solo. Listen to any Chuck Mangione tune for a good example.

The "normal" trumpet is manufactured in the key of B-flat, but there are trumpets in many other keys as well: C, D, E-flat, F, G, and A. The most popular of these is the C trumpet (slightly smaller and brighter than the B-flat), which is usually used in a church setting.

Why make trumpets in all these different keys? Some composers prefer the sound of the higher keyed versions, but personally, if you can get your hands on the same sheet music written in a different key, the fingering (the combinations and order in which the valves are pressed down) can be less complex, making the piece much easier to perform. If you ask around, you will no doubt run across composers, arrangers, and other musicians with their own reasons for using their favorite type of trumpet.

On the high end, the piccolo trumpet ("picc" for short) sounds an octave higher than the trumpet and is used primarily for church hymn ornamentation, Dixieland jazz, and if you're not careful, piercing the eardrums of your fellow musicians. It takes anywhere from a few week to a few months to get used to the feel of it, and to work up the necessary endurance. A picc looks like a trumpet that was run through the dryer - a tiny little thing - but it's lots of fun to play! Some models have four valves instead of three, the fourth allowing the trumpeter to play a few notes lower, into the middle register of the instrument.

The piccolo trumpet is also in B-flat, but the many come with an "A" lead pipe, which is the piece of tubing that goes from the mouthpiece to the rest of the instrument. (The piccolo trumpet is not to be confused with a pocket trumpet, which has the same sound and amount of tubing as a B-flat, yet has been compacted; hence, the name.)

When shopping for a trumpet, you will want to be aware of manufacturer names. Like most products on the market, some brand names denote high quality, while others, well...not so much. Luckily, many musical instrument salespeople are extremely knowledgeable, and are musicians themselves, so they will help guide you towards the best horn for your situation.

Bach, Kanstul, Schilke ("shill-kee"), and Yamaha are generally regarded as the top manufacturers. Other brands are Amati, Benge, Besson, Conn, Getzen, Holton, Jupiter, King, and Stomvi. Also, big name players such as Doc Severinsen and Arturo Sandoval have designed their own models. No matter what you do, however, make sure you tell the sales person that you are looking for either a professional or student model - this makes a big difference.

And lastly, don't forget the mutes, especially when a beginner's practice time rolls around. They make it much easier on the ears.

Happy trumpeting!

Learn more about this author, Len Morse.
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