What do you think of when you hear the word “trumpet”? I personally think of angels blowing horns, or of a band where the trumpets have the melody. The trumpet is one of my favorite instruments. It has a rich tone that rings out clearly, and the shiny bright look of it adds to its appeal. I first was introduced to the trumpet seven months ago, when a friend loaned me one. I had trouble figuring out how to produce a noise at first, but eventually got the hang of it.
To play the trumpet, you have to learn how to buzz. Buzzing is where you vibrate your lips by pushing air through them. You do not want to puff up your cheeks as you do this. Once you know how to buzz, you can try experimenting with a trumpet and adjust your buzz as needed. I learned best by buzzing into the mouthpiece already on the trumpet, listening to the tone, and making sure I was buzzing correctly. After buzzing, fingering and form are next. Notes are formed on the trumpet by buzzing and pressing different valve combinations. If you blow air through your mouth harder, and make a smaller hole with your lips, you will get a higher sound. The individual notes come from pressing down the three valves on top of the trumpet.
The trumpet can be used in many different styles of music. It can play anything from screaming jazz to relaxing classical melodies. The sound of the trumpet can be changed with mutes to accompany pieces better. There are several different types of mutes; the most common mute is a straight mute. Straight mutes dampen the trumpets sound so it is not as loud. They come in handy when you want to practice at home.
Whether you enjoy instruments or not, I think everyone should be knowledgeable and appreciate where music comes from.
Sources:
trumpet mutes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mute_(music)
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