Trumpet Practice Plan

Phase 1: Foundation — Tone, Air, and Comfortable Mid-Range

Goal: Solid, consistent tone; clear articulation; relaxed playing from low C up to about G in the staff (concert B♭ to F). No rush into high notes yet.

Approximate duration: 4–8 weeks at 30 min/day (depends on when you meet the move-on criteria).

Next: Phase 2: Range Extension

Skills you need before starting Phase 1

You can already play a few major scales and keep steady time.
You can get a clear sound in the middle register (roughly low C to G in the staff).
You’re ready to improve tone, articulation, and consistency—not to learn the instrument from zero.

Skills to Build in Phase 1

Skill	What to do	How to know you’re doing it right
Steady air	Long tones 4–8 counts on middle C, D, E, F, G. Keep the sound exactly the same from start to finish.	Sound doesn’t waver or get quieter at the end. Your stomach stays engaged (slightly firm), not collapsed.
Clean attacks	Start each long tone with a gentle “too” (tongue, no throat). No “hu” or grunt.	Each note begins clearly with one motion; no double buzz or hesitation.
Lip slurs	In staff: C–G–C, D–A–D, E–B–E, F–C–F (no tongue, just change air and lips).	Notes change without tonguing; no “bumping” or cracking.
Light articulation	Scales (e.g. B♭, C, F) with even “too-too-too” on each note at a comfortable tempo.	Every note the same length and volume; rhythm even.

30-Minute Session in Phase 1

Warm-up (5 min): 2–3 long tones, 2–3 lip slurs, one scale slowly.
Fundamentals (10 min): Long tones and lip slurs from the table above; one scale with metronome (quarter = 60–72).
Piece work (15 min): Work on your chosen Phase 1 piece.

Phase 1 Pieces (three pieces — two bridges)

There’s a real step up from simple tunes to a piece like Trumpeter’s Lullaby. So Phase 1 has three pieces: a first one, then two bridge pieces that get gradually a bit longer and more shaped. Do all three before moving to Phase 2.

Piece 1 — First piece

“Ode to Joy” (Beethoven) in B♭ — stays in the staff, familiar tune, good for tone and even rhythm.
→ Sheet music: method books or First Book of Trumpet Solos

Alternatives (pick one):

Piece	Source / notes
“Mary Had a Little Lamb” in B♭	Any method book or write out; sources.
First concert piece from your method book	e.g. Standard of Excellence, Essential Elements — sources.
“Lightly Row” or “Hot Cross Buns” in B♭	Simple tunes; sources.
First piece from First Book of Trumpet Solos	Sheet music — e.g. “Lullaby” or the opening piece.

What to work on: Steady tone, clean starts and releases, even rhythm (metronome), logical breaths.

Piece 2 — Bridge piece (do this before Phase 2)

After Piece 1 is solid, learn a second, slightly harder piece that’s still in the staff (no high register, no double tonguing). It should be a bit longer or more melodic so the jump to Trumpeter’s Lullaby isn’t so big.

Primary	Alternatives
“Long Long Ago” or “Beautiful Dreamer” in B♭	Sheet music: often in method books.
Next piece in First Book of Trumpet Solos	Sheet music — the piece after the one you used for Piece 1.
“Air on the G String” (Bach) arr. for trumpet	Easy arrangement in staff; sources or method books.
Next 1–2 concert pieces from your method book	Sheet music.

What to work on: Same as Piece 1, plus: slightly longer phrases, breathing at phrase ends, making the melody shape clear (a little louder in the middle of a phrase, softer at the end).

Piece 3 — Second bridge (do this before Phase 2)

After Piece 2 is solid, learn one more piece that’s a step up from Long Long Ago / Beautiful Dreamer: longer, or with two or three clear sections, or with one dynamic change (e.g. p then mf), and—if you’re comfortable—maybe one or two notes at the top of the staff (G or A). Still no double tonguing and no full high-register work; this just gets you used to a bit more length and shape before Phase 2.

Primary	Alternatives
“Greensleeves” or “What Child Is This” in B♭	Sheet music.
“Aura Lee” / “Love Me Tender” in B♭	Sheet music.
“Theme from Brahms Symphony No. 1” (easy arr.)	Sheet music.
Next piece in First Book of Trumpet Solos	Sheet music — after the piece you used for Piece 2.
Next 2–3 concert pieces from your method book	Sheet music.

What to work on: Everything from Piece 2, plus: playing through a longer piece without running out of steam, one clear dynamic change if the piece has it, and—if the piece goes to G or A at the top of the staff—keeping those notes steady and in tune (no pressure; this is just a gentle introduction).

Ready to Move On?

You can say yes when you’ve done all three pieces (Piece 1, Piece 2 bridge, and Piece 3 second bridge), and for each:

You can play the piece three times in a row without stopping, with steady tone and even rhythm.
A recording of one run-through sounds steady and in time (play it back and listen).
You can play it at two different tempos (e.g. slow and medium) and still keep it even.

How to Self-Assess

Record yourself once a week. Listen for: wobbles, uneven notes, rushed or dragged rhythm. Fix one thing at a time.
Ask: “Did every note speak clearly? Did I run out of air?” If yes to both, you’re close.

Videos to Watch (Phase 1 Skills)

Each skill below links to the video section in Skills & Video Reference:

Long tones — Steady air: how to practice, what to listen for, play-along options.
Lip slurs — What they are, how to do them without tension, beginner exercises.
Clean attacks / articulation — Tongue placement, “too” vs “hu,” starting notes with air.
Breathing / air support — Full breath, steady air, avoiding tension.

See also the Skills → Video sections index at the top of skills-videos.