Peter Gelling - Progressive Beginner Trumpet

Progressive Beginner Trumpet assumes you have no prior knowledge of music or playing the trumpet or cornet.

This book will show you the basics of playing and reading music. The book is suitable for anyone who wants to learn to play the trumpet or cornet. No previous musical knowledge or experience is necessary. Each new note and technique is introduced separately and all examples sound great and are fun to play. The book also features a chart listing all fingerings for the trumpet. All trumpet and cornet players should know all of the information contained in this book.

After completing this book, you will be ready to begin improvising and playing with other musicians and will already be able to play many tunes and be making great sounds.

The best and fastest way to learn is to use this book in conjunction with:

• Buying sheet music and song books of your favorite recording artists and learning to play their songs. By learning songs, you will begin to build a repertoire and always have something to play in jam sessions.
• Practicing and playing with other musicians. You will be surprised how good a basic drums/bass/guitar/trumpet or drums/bass/keyboard/trumpet combination can sound even when playing easy music.
• Learning by listening to your favorite recordings. Start building a collection of albums of players you admire or wish to emulate. Try playing along with one of them for a short time each day. Most of the great trumpet players have learned a lot of their music this way.

Also in the early stages it is helpful to have the guidance of an experienced teacher. This will also help you keep to a schedule and obtain weekly goals. To help you develop a good sense of time it is recommended that you always practice with a metronome or drum machine.

For more books and recordings by the author, visit: www.petergelling.com

LESSON ONE

How To Hold The Trumpet

The left hand is used to hold the weight of the trumpet or cornet. Place yourthird or fourth finger through the ring on the tuning slide and hold the trumpetwith your left hand.

The right hand is used to operate the valves which create the various notes,and to keep the instrument steady while you are playing it. There is a hookfor your right hand fourth finger.

Fingering Numbers

The first three fingers of the right hand are used to play notes bypressing down the valves. The numbers on the illustration oppositecorrespond to the numbers used in the fingering diagrams throughout thebook.

A black valve on the diagram indicates that it is pressed down with thefinger shown by the number above it. Any valve not colored black is notpressed down. When a valve is not being used, the appropriate finger shouldstill touch the valve lightly ready to press it down when necessary.

The Note C

The note C is played without any of the valves pressed down.

How To Sound A Note

Side view showing lower lip

Close your mouth and blow out through your lips, making a buzzing sound asyou do so. Hold the mouthpiece against your lips so that the center area ofyour lips is against the cup of the mouthpiece.