Vibrato

written by Bruce Chidester on October 10, 2026

Download exercise sheet Trumpet Vibrato Basics I mentioned in my previous post that I feel the best vibrato for trumpet playing is the hand vibrato. Some of the reasons I feel strongly about this form of vibrato over other techniques are- 1. It does not interfere with the basic sound of the note. 2. It is easier to control. 3. It can be turned on and off much easier than other methods. 4. Even though it might not be the best technique for other brass instruments, in my opinion, it is the best technique for the trumpet.…

Outstanding !!!!!!!!

written by Bruce Chidester

What You Should Know Before Buying A Flugelhorn

written by Bruce Chidester

To many people, the flugelhorn is a unique and interesting instrument. It looks bigger than a trumpet and in some ways it is bigger. It is heavier and has a larger bell. But when stretched out to its full length, a Bb flugelhorn is exactly the same length as a…

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Many Thanks to Our Readers

written by Bruce Chidester

We, at thetrumpetblog.com wish to thank our readers for their patients during the past three month. Due to the decline in my wife’s (Karen) health, I have been slow at posting new material on our site. Now that all the issues dealing with her death have been completed and I…

SINGER JOKES

written by Bruce Chidester

How do you know there’s a girl singer as a patient on the intensive care unit? She’s the only one asking for more reverb on the monitor. _______________________________________________ A chick singer is always calling tunes in strange keys. One day during a rehearsal the piano player in the band has…

Let Me Introduce You To My Friend Jen Houck

written by Bruce Chidester

Many of you may not recognize the name Jen Houck, unless you remember reading some of her comments and her very helpful suggestions on some inexpensive equipment that will make cleaning your horn much easier- Now Here Is A Great Idea! or you might remember this one Carroll Community Wind…

Preparing for Chair Placement in Your Band This Fall- Part #4

written by Bruce Chidester

By continuing in this series I hope to give you alternate views of how to prepare for an audition, whether for a chair placement or an All State tryout. You will find attached several pages of exercises which will give you alternate ways of practicing from which most players adhere.…

Preparing for Chair Placement in Your Band This Fall- Part #3

written by Bruce Chidester

Now Let’s Get Specific. Here is an example of an audition sheet for a trumpet chair in an actual High School band- Band Auditions These examples are typical of most audition material in that they begin simply and continue to get more difficult. Each of the four sections was selected…

Preparing for Chair Placement in Your Band This Fall- Part #2

written by Bruce Chidester

By continuing in this series I hope to give you alternate views of how to prepare for an audition, whether for a chair placement or an All State tryout. Rule #3. Stop practicing your audition material and start learning it! • To most students, practicing means running through it once…

Preparing for Chair Placement in Your Band This Fall

written by Bruce Chidester

We have all been through the agonizing, embarrassing and in some rare instances, exhilarating experience of auditions. The days and weeks of preparation for those few moments auditioning seem insufficient once you have played your heart out in front of a judge, band director or conductor. Thoughts run through your…

The Continuing Evolution of the Trumpet Embouchure

written by Bruce Chidester

In the beginning there was the smile. I was first introduced to the smile embouchure by my first cornet teacher, Mr.Earl E. Youngdahl in Moline, Illinois when I was in fourth grade. The lesson went something like this- “Mr. Youngdahl, how can I play the high notes”? His response went…

Danger ! Danger- Do Not Use………..

written by Bruce Chidester

Slide Creams are all alike…..Right? No About a month ago I noticed that my flugle horn’s tuning slide was working a little hard and because I had just lubricated my trombone slide with some Yamaha Slide Cream, I thought it wise to lubricate my flugle horn’s tuning slide before I…

How to Start to Get Back in Shape in 3 Days- Part #6

written by Bruce Chidester

Secrets to Improve Sight Reading Why are some people able to sight read much faster than others? Is it a natural occurrence or are there extenuating conditions which make some read much faster than others? To understand this inconsistency, we need to isolate the elements needed for rapid sight-reading. Elements…

How to Start to Get Back in Shape in 3 Days- Part #5

written by Bruce Chidester

Stiff Chops If you have been off your instrument for any length of time, stiff chops is not something you will be facing for extended rest periods will solve any stiff chop problems you might run into. Stiff or inflexible lip muscles are usually attributed to over practicing and under…