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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

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