The summer months are very important in your development as a trumpet player. Many students will leave their trumpet in the case in a closet for 2-3 months which is a terrible idea! Can you imagine not walking or running for 2-3 months and then trying to run a 5K or 10K? If you don’t play your trumpet all summer, that is essentially what you are doing to yourself! We use facial muscles to play the trumpet and as with any other muscle in the body, if you don’t use it then you lose it. So, it is vital that you practice your trumpet to at least maintain the growth and endurance that you had during the school year. Check out these tips for practicing over the summer:

1. Listening

When I was in middle and high school, I did not realize the importance of listening to professional trumpet players. When you first learned to talk, you did so from listening to your parents and others. There are many speaking accents throughout the world and those are passed on from generation to generation through children listening to those around them and recreating what they’ve heard in their head through their voice. The same is true with the trumpet. My tone and sound are similar to my private teachers’ sounds as well as the trumpet players that I’ve listened to the most. Take time this summer to listen to artists like Allen Vizzutti, Michael Sachs, Hakan Hardenberger, Wayne Bergeron, and others to find your sound. See which artist you like best and dive deep into their recordings!

2. Find a private teacher

If you are looking to really improve during the summer, then I highly recommend finding a private teacher. There are so many great trumpet teachers within the Indianapolis region as well as throughout the state of Indiana! We have a list of private teachers on our website, but you can also reach out to your band director to see if they have someone that they recommend. One of the major advantages of taking private lessons is the one-on-one training that you receive. In band class, there are so many other students in the band as well as the trumpet section that your teacher is trying to work with. In most cases, they don’t have time to help you on an individual basis with your sound, range, articulation, or other fundamentals that are key for your success as a trumpet player. If you have trouble finding a private teacher, feel free to reach out to me directly and I am more than happy to help.

3. Listen to online masterclasses or podcasts

In our current world, we have some incredible resources online that you can use to help grow as a trumpet player! There are many colleges and competitions that post masterclasses that different artists have held. There are also a few trumpet-related podcasts available to listen to that go into details on playing the trumpet. I highly recommend searching for your favorite artist with the word “masterclass” after their name on YouTube and see what comes up. You may be surprised with what you find! If you need any recommendations, feel free to e-mail me and I am happy to provide some recommendations!

4. Play your trumpet!

The most important summer practice tip is to play your trumpet! Like I said in the introduction, it is vital for you to play your trumpet over the summer. If you don’t play your trumpet, you risk injuring yourself when school starts back up especially if you are going to be in marching band. Set small goals for yourself to start and grow your practice time from there. Maybe just warm up every day for one week and then the following week play some of your favorite pieces from the previous year or look up your favorite song online to find sheet music for it. I personally recommend practicing in 15-20-minute chunks for 30-60 minutes per day. If you do that and use your time wisely, I guarantee you will feel ready for band class in the fall.

Make the most of your summer by actively engaging in these practice tips, ensuring you start the next school year at your best.