What Do I Have to Practice In Order to Become a Great Trumpet Player?

written by Bruce Chidester on October 28, 2026

ChatGPT said: To become a great trumpet player, you need to practice more than just playing songs. You need to build a beautiful tone, strong breath control, accurate technique, a great ear, and musical expression. The secret is consistent, focused practice every day—not simply playing for hours. Even 30–60 minutes of deliberate practice can make a big difference. The 7 things you need to practice Tone and long tones Highest priority Your sound is your identity as a trumpet player. Practice holding comfortable notes with a full, clear, steady sound. Hold notes for 8–12 seconds without squeezing. Keep the sound…

Trumpet Tips

Vibrato

written by Bruce Chidester

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…

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…

Three Good Reasons Why You Should NOT Practice Long Tones!

written by Bruce Chidester

Three Good Reasons Why You Should NOT Practice Long Tones! 1. They are boring. 2. They tend to build stiffness in your chops. 3. No one ever pays to hear long tones. Now that I have angered most of the trumpet players reading this post, I need to explain my…

The Kids of Cateura and their “Recycled” Orchestra

written by Bruce Chidester

The Kids of Cateura and their “Recycled” Orchestra After you have viewed the video, I think you will get their message. And we complain about not being able to get another trumpet.

“Hi-Yo, Silver! Away!”

written by Bruce Chidester

To most people my age, and there still are a few left, this cry from the masked man mounted on his pure white horse named silver, brings back fond memories of earlier times. To the younger people, it means there is a new motion picture in town and many may…

Please Welcome to Our Stage “Trombamania”

written by Bruce Chidester

Once again I have showcased an exceptional trumpet ensemble from France. Please welcome the wonderfully talented trumpet ensemble “Trombamania”. The following information was translated from their web site…. For nearly 15 years Trombamania has created his own vision of chamber music. As confirmed by all the awards at international competitions,…

Testing A Possible New Way To Tune A Trumpet- Part 2

written by Bruce Chidester

After doing my own tests on this theory, I came to this conclusion- Matching the pitch of both the bell vibrations and the pitch of the air passing through the lead pipe and tuning slide did make a difference in how the instrument sounded and responded. The only problem with…

Testing A Possible New Way To Tune A Trumpet

written by Bruce Chidester

This was a recent post on one of the more active trumpet bulletin boards and caught my inquisitive eye. After careful reading I decided to test the good Doctor’s theory. I will reserve my conclusions until our next post so that you will not be biased in any way when…

The Trumpet Ensemble Of Paris

written by Bruce Chidester

The Trumpet Ensemble of Paris was created in 1981 and I think you will agree that their playing and stage presence is well worth the time listening to. Their style of entertainment is similar to the Canadian Brass quintet; mixing fun and humor with outstanding musicianship. I have included two…

Why Do Trumpet Players Pass Out? Part III

written by Bruce Chidester

The problem of getting light headed and in some cases passing out is something lead trumpet players are always aware of. The occurrence of these episodes is rare but if you know the cause, you may be able to ward off a serious accident while playing. This entertaining video has…

The Natchez Fire- Part 3 “The Museum”

written by Bruce Chidester

Now that we have addressed the fire as well as the band and band leader who perished in the Natchez Blaze on April 23, 1940, I would like to introduce you to a couple who have worked diligently to preserve the names and history behind the fire. Their names are…

The Natchez Fire- Part 2 “The Remarkable Walter Barnes”

written by Bruce Chidester

Walter Barnes was an important figure in history for several reasons. • Mr. Barnes was a popular columnist, writing for the Chicago Defender, the national black news of the day. • Walter Barnes & His Royal Creolians became the first black band to broadcast in Chicago, over WHFC. • Barnes’s…