Good Trumpet Beginner's Book

atneks · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2017 4:32 pm Post subject: Good Trumpet Beginner's Book

Hello! My son is starting trumpet in the school band, and I was wondering if you guys have any recommendations for practice books.
When I used to play the trumpet I remember using the Essential Elements book. Do you guys have any other recommendations?
Thank you for reading!

Craig Swartz · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2017 4:43 pm Post subject:

At least buy what ever book the band program uses. Then, if you have some dominion over your son and will require practice at home on a regular basis, go out and find a private teacher to move the kid in the right direction faster. Speaking from 40 years of public ed, most of the students will not play a note outside of band class after the first 2 weeks when the novelty wears off.

If you do private instruction and insist on home practice, the private instructor will likely recommmend something more suited to learning and moving ahead faster. (Speaking from about 55 years of private/studio instructing...) Don't assume your son will learn much in the school program- most of those move only as quick as the slowest kids. Public ed now definitely caters to the lowest common denominator. Good luck.

zaferis · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2017 6:08 pm Post subject:

yes, good first response... ditto.

Hopefully, your school band is using Smart Music (a computer based music program) along with the Essential Elements book.. a good resource and home practice aid.
Plus with your membership you will have access to materials beyond the bands text.

Private lessons are always the way to go, individual attention, motivation, and good habit grooming.

minimum practice time=30 minutes per day, outside of band, 6 days a week.
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trpt.hick · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2017 7:32 pm Post subject:

May I recommend my book, 100 Progressive Lessons for the Beginning or Comeback Trumpet Player? It is published by Hickman Music Editions

David Hickman

solo soprano · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 12:51 am Post subject:

Claude Gordon said publicly concerning Bill, "In all my years of teaching, I have never had a student who understands how to teach trumpet as does Bill Knevitt."

http://qpress.ca/product/getting-started-right-trumpet-knevitt-pdf/

http://qpress.ca/product/developing-trumpet-player-knevitt-pdf/
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gwood66 · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 6:55 am Post subject:

Claude Gordon's Physical Approach to Elementary Brass Playing would be a good starter book.....for both of you. Another methods that comes to mind is the Mitchell on Trumpet. Make sure you read and re-read the text in these books and teach your son to "rest as much as you play". To Criags point, my grandson just started playing trumpet. When I asked him to play something for me over Skype, he told me he couldn't because he had left his trumpet at school for Christmas break.

Good Luck.

Billy B · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 7:07 am Post subject:

dstdenis · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 7:49 am Post subject:

jadickson · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 7:51 am Post subject:

Middle school band director here. If anything on my curriculum website may be useful to you, feel free to use it: www.JustinDickson.com/Band
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Billy B · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 8:21 am Post subject:

Beginners need to hear an example of a good trumpet sound. You can't expect them to manufacture a characteristic sound out of thin air.
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dr_trumpet · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 8:26 am Post subject:

Are you thinking single book for ease of use, or multiple books for coverage of all potential materials? That will make a difference in what is suggested.
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Rod Haney · Heavyweight Member Joined: 22 Aug 2015 Posts: 937

I have been looking around for a good method book or (actually) teacher to take me thru all phases of play and be able to help me address areas needing work, and be able to help me thru this work. I'm not looking for a double c ( yeah I am but as a part of being better not a goal) or any specific fix to anything. I want someone who can assess and address the whole player and not a single phase.
I can afford weekly lessons but at this point I'm just not seeing many taking on long term students this way on skype, I won't use Facebook. May be lots of guys who do this but you're not easy to find. DOCS are fairly common. If you're out there let me know.

I have seen a program that I just bought that I'm going to try. Mystery to Mastery by Greg Spence. It looks like an approach I can live with and progress on and still have skype access for one on one. I am all about effeciency and much more buy into this than the huge breath methods so it may work for you guys too. Low buy in price too. Full materiAls for less than a $200 bill. He puts himself out there so you can see what he's about. And he is addressing all areas of play.
May be an alternative to skype or expensive books that people have been using for 100 years.

kehaulani · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 9:19 am Post subject:

I hope this comment is still current, but a word on books.

I think the Mitchell begins a little too fast. Of course you can take longer per lesson before moving on but that can be a little boring. Eventually it moves along a little better. A great thing about it is that it's a one-source-does-it-all type of book. For a kid to have all he needs in one source vs. several books is convenient.

I find some rhythmic exercises in Hickman's book a little out of proportion to the other exercises. On the one hand, because of that, I personally find the collection of exercises per lesson a little imbalanced. Could be just me. But the Hickman also moves more slowly than the Mitchell and there is incentive that comes from keeping moving along.

Something a budding instrumentalist (or his/her teacher) should keep in mind is that, while the writer has been clever and done his best, the book you use in class has compromises because it must cover all and not just one type instrument. That means it is usually going to ignore certain exercises that are important to cover for your instrument alone.
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Turkle · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 11:35 am Post subject:

For young beginners, I like the Walter Beeler books. They move at a pace appropriate for the younger set.

Those that already have piano and music training may find them too slow, but for the young beginner I think they're great. My nephew is starting trumpet and I'm going to be teaching him out of this for a while.
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