Trumpet

Recommended Brands

For beginners:

• Yamaha

• Bach

Pro models:

• Bach

• Schilke

• Stomvi

Recommended Mouthpieces

For beginners:

• Bach 7C

For Mustang, Advanced, and higher:

• Bach 5C

• Bach 3C

Daily Required Supplies

• valve oil (not key oil)

• tuning slide grease or Vaseline (not cork grease)

• mouthpiece brush

• cleaning snake

For Mustang and Advanced Band only:

• students should also have their own straight (and preferably Harmon) mutes

Trumpet Embouchure Instructions and Pictures

(Under Construction)

Tuning Instructions for the Trumpet

Trumpet tuning note is 3rd space C, 2nd line G.

Play your tuning note into the tuner. If the needle stays towards the right, your note is sharp. If it stays towards the left, your note is flat. The goal is to get the tuner to stay in the middle. Play "freeze the needle" - hold the note steady and in tune.

Move the tuning slide(s) in or out to make the tubing of the instrument longer or shorter.

Keep in mind that even though you will first use these notes to tune, other notes on your instrument may not be in tune. It is the nature of instruments. The longer you play your instrument, and the better tone you have, the more you will be able to play all notes in tune on your instrument.

In a nutshell...

The longer the pipe, the lower the pitch. If your pitch is sharp (high), you need to make it flatter (lower).

The shorter the pipe, the higher the pitch. If your pitch is flat (low), you need to make it sharper (higher).

More Resources

Tips for Trumpets by Dr. Gary Wurtz

How to Care for your Trumpet from West Valley Music

Basic Trumpet Playing from the U. S. Army Master Classes (PDF)