Welcome to "Trumpet On Your Own!"

Hello there! If you’re reading this, you probably either want to learn how to play the trumpet or how to play the trumpet better. Good news: this new series will help you do both. Bad news: it’s going to take effort on your part.

Trumpet On Your Own was originally conceived of as a method book that I began writing when I found myself constantly disappointed with the beginning methods used in band programs. To be fair, band methods have to try to teach ALL instruments at the same time, and that isn’t easy. What I wanted for my students was a book that really focused on just what was unique to the trumpet, but that also dug deeper into how (and just as importantly why) things work. By having a beginning method that focuses just on the instrument YOU play (which is, of course, trumpet, right?) there can be much more detail and, ideally, quicker progress.

This is not to say that this series is only for beginners. Yes, that was its original intent, but it will cover more than just how to play notes. It is also intended to teach you how to practice: a skill that too many teachers forget to teach and so many learners forget to learn. Hopefully, this will encourage you to become your own teacher (even if that puts me out of a job). It may be difficult at times, as we’re usually our own harshest critic, but learning to teach yourself will help you improve more quickly (at anything, really) and place you on a path of lifelong learning and improvement.

Keep an eye out for regular posts here as this series will cover a large amount of material. Hopefully as you follow along, you’ll find it easy enough to “Trumpet On Your Own.”