Free Jazz Practice Backing Tracks

 Whether you're learning your first jazz scale or preparing for your next jam session, playing with accompaniment makes practice much more enjoyable.

This collection contains backing tracks based on the chord progressions of well-known jazz standards. To respect copyright, the original melodies are not included, only the harmonic accompaniment.

Feel free to use these tracks to practice improvisation, scales and modes, phrasing, ear training, sight-reading of the themes or your own exercises, or simply to enjoy making music.
I hope they help make your practice sessions both more inspiring and more fun.

Click the image to download:

The collection currently includes 37 backing tracks based on well-known jazz standards and will be expanded regularly with new titles.

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material.

Cheers and happy learning,

Mihai

Chromatic Jazz Lick Warm-Up

This exercise was inspired by a short jazz lick heard in a live performance of Cantaloupe Island by Jean Caze, expanded into a longer chromatic warm-up pattern.
You can listen it here (around min 0:46)

It is a great exercise for developing finger coordination, articulation, flexibility, and smooth chromatic movement throughout the instrument.
You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

 

Although inspired by a jazz idea, this exercise can be useful for players in many musical styles.

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material.

Cheers and happy learning,

Mihai

"Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms (medium-advanced)

 "Jingle Bell Rock" is one of the most beloved Christmas songs of the 20th century. Composed by Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe, the song was first recorded by Bobby Helms in 1957 and quickly became a holiday classic. Its playful combination of festive atmosphere and early rock 'n' roll rhythm offered a modern twist on traditional carols.

This trumpet version perfectly captures the joy of Christmas with a touch of retro charm , offering a colorful performance ideal for concerts, music lessons, or holiday events.

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

   

And here's the backing track. You can use it to practice, to play it on a concert or to make a YouTube video with you playing the trumpet:

Mihai Sorohan · Jingle Bell Rock-Bb Jazz Backing Track

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Franz Schubert – Ave Maria (medium-advanced)

Franz Schubert’s Ave Maria remains one of the most cherished works in the classical canon, a hymn of purity, grace, and quiet devotion.

This arrangement for trumpet and orchestra, featuring organ and strings, preserves the sacred character of the original while giving the trumpet a lyrical, almost vocal expressiveness that soars above the ensemble.

The piece is transposed to F (G for B♭ instruments), making it more comfortable for medium-advanced players to perform. In this register, the trumpet’s tone becomes warmer and softer, blending beautifully with the orchestral texture and enhancing the overall serenity of the piece.

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

   

Here is an example:

Mihai Sorohan · Ave Maria - Schubert - Bb Trumpet Version

And here's the backing track. You can use it to practice, to play it on a concert or to make a YouTube video with you playing the trumpet:

Mihai Sorohan · Ave Maria - Schubert - Backing Track

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Marc-Antoine Charpentier - Prelude to Te Deum

 Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643–1704) was one of the most important French Baroque composers, known for his rich harmonies and grand ceremonial style. His Te Deum is a joyful hymn of praise, traditionally used to celebrate victory, thanksgiving, or great public events.

The Prelude to Te Deum—instantly recognizable for its majestic trumpet fanfares—captures a spirit of celebration and reverence. This version, arranged for trumpet, organ, and cello, preserves the solemn grandeur of the original while offering a compact and elegant form, suitable for weddings, ceremonies, or concerts.

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

   

Here is an example:

Mihai Sorohan · Marc-Antoine Charpentier - Prelude to Te Deum - Bb Trumpet Version

And here's the backing track. You can use it to practice, to play it on a concert or to make a YouTube video with you playing the trumpet:

Mihai Sorohan · Marc-Antoine Charpentier - Prelude to Te Deum - Backing Track

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Jeremiah Clarke-Trumpet Tune

 This elegant and festive piece by Jeremiah Clarke (late 17th century) is one of the most beloved trumpet works, often performed at weddings, ceremonies, and special occasions.

This version is arranged for trumpet, organ, and cello (doubling the bass line), offering a warm and balanced sound, ideal for both study and live performance.

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

   

Here is an example:

Mihai Sorohan · J Clarke-Trumpet Tune-Bb Trumpet Version

And here's the backing track. You can use it to practice, to play it on a concert or to make a YouTube video with you playing the trumpet:

Mihai Sorohan · J Clarke-Trumpet Tune-Backing Track

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Four Christmas Easy Trumpet Duets

 At the time I write this post, is December and the weather is gloomy and rainy... so, because we might need more Christmas joy, here is a collection of Christmas carols arranged for two trumpets (or trumpet and flugelhorn, or cornet and clarinet... you get the idea).

Jingle Bells

We start with "Jingle Bells", one of the most commonly sung Christmas songs in the world, composed by James Lord Pierpont .

Jingle Bells-Trumpet Duo by Mihai Sorohan

Det lyser i stille grender

Next stop is in Norway; "Det lyser i stille grender" by Lars Søraas d.y., based on a Norwegian poem written by Jakob Sande in 1931.

Det lyser i stille grender-Trumpet Duo by Mihai Sorohan

O, ce veste minunată!

From the cold North we go to Romania, my native country, with the  popular traditional Romanian Christmas carol "O, ce veste minunată!" attributed to Dumitru Kiriac-Georgescu (1866–1928).

O ce veste minunata-Trumpet Duo by Mihai Sorohan

Stille Nacht

And from traditional music we switch to classical music. A carol I associate with German/Saxon culture, one of the biggest minority in Romania; "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht" is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber. It got in Romania probably during the time when Transylvania was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire.

It was translated in many languages, one of the most popular is the English translation "Silent Night". In Norway it is known as "Glade Jul" (Happy Christmas).

Stille Nacht-Trumpet Duo by Mihai Sorohan

Disclaimer: 

All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer - easy jazz duo

December 2024, Christmas approaching so, this easy jazz version with a backing track with one chorus impro in the middle might come in handy to some.  

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

  

Here's the backing track. You can use it to practice, to play it on a concert or to make a YouTube video with you playing the trumpet.

Mihai Sorohan · Rudolf-Bb Backing Track

Disclaimer: 

All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

"Trumpet Unleashed" the Book!

 Hi everyone

Finally, out of the materials available here, and some others, I made a book.
Why? 
Because despite this website having all the categories and labels, it's not easy to navigate the materials if you have to learn from scratch. Which should be the first lesson? What should you do next?

So, here's the solution: TRUMPET UNLEASHED!
Takes you from the first step up to C2 and gives you the basics, some exercises and lots and lots of fun to play tunes.

For now it's in English and Norwegian, but soon it will be available in more languages.
Here you get the book as PDF file, and the mp3 album (zipped). All for free, all on Google Drive, so it gets scanned automatically for viruses.

The PDF is quite a big file, 52 pages, some with graphics and illustrations.

  

              PDF English                              PDF Norwegian

And here is the mp3 album, about 38 tracks; with example tracks and backing tracks.

MP3 zipped

Disclaimer: 

All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Entrance of the Gladiators

There are famous melodies that we know and we don't know their titles. One example is "that circus one... the one with the clowns...". Well, that would be "Entrance of the Gladiators" or "Grande Marche Chromatique" by the Czech composer Julius Fučík.

Here's a video playalong:

 

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

   

Here's the backing track. You can use it to practice, to play it on a concert or to make a YouTube video with you playing the trumpet.

Mihai Sorohan · Entrance Of The Gladiators - Backing Track

Disclaimer: 

All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

"Barcarolle" by Jacques Offenbach

"Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" ("Beautiful Night, Oh Night of Love" in French, often referred to as the "Barcarolle") is a piece from The Tales of Hoffmann , Jacques Offenbach's final opera. A duet for soprano (here the trumpet part)  and mezzo-soprano (a trombone on the backing track) , it is considered the most famous barcarolle ever written and described in the Grove Book of Operas as "one of the world's most popular melodies.

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

   

Here's the backing track. You can use it to practice, to play it on a concert or to make a YouTube video with you playing the trumpet.

Mihai Sorohan · Offenbach - Barcarolle - Backing Track

Disclaimer: 

All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Trumpet Rick Roll

"Never Gonna Give You Up" is a song by English singer Rick Astley, composed by Stock Aitken Waterman and released on 27 July 1987, which gained popularity because rickrolling, an internet meme involving the unexpected appearance of the music video.

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

   

Here's the backing track. You can use it to practice, to play it on a concert or to make a YouTube video with you playing the trumpet.

Mihai Sorohan · Never Gonna Give You Up - Short Backing Track

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Spooky Scary Skeletons - Trumpet Version

We had before some horror/Halloween themed tutorials, but today we have a proper Halloween song; "Spooky Scary Skeletons".
"Spooky, Scary Skeletons" is a Halloween song by American musician Andrew Gold, first released on his 1996 album Halloween Howls: Fun & Scary Music.

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

 

Here's the backing track. You can use it to practice, to play it on a concert or to make a YouTube video with you playing the trumpet.

Mihai Sorohan · Spooky Scary Skeletons - Backing Track

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Habanera (from opera "Carmen") - medium level

Habanera is the popular name for "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" ("Love is a rebellious bird"), an aria from Georges Bizet's opera Carmen. 

The score of the aria was adapted from the habanera "El Arreglito ou la Promesse de mariage", by the Spanish musician Sebastián Iradier, first published in 1863, which Bizet thought to be a folk song.

This version is transposed a whole tone down, to fit better the register of my trumpet pupils.

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

   

Here's the backing track. You can use it to practice, to play it on a concert or to make a YouTube video with you playing the trumpet.

Mihai Sorohan · Habanera - Trumpet Version - Backing Track

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Crazy Frog (Axel F theme) - medium

For some reason, this old tune is popular with my pupils, so I decided to make a trumpet version of it.

Most of them know it as "Crazy Frog", but as an older generation, I know the original from 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop, starring Eddie Murphy. The title comes from the main character's name in the film, Axel Foley (played by Eddie Murphy). It is composed in the key of F minor. This version is transposed to C minor, to fit the ambitus of my pupils.

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

   

Here's the backing track. You can use it to practice, to play it on a concert or to make a YouTube video with you playing the trumpet.

Mihai Sorohan · Crazy Frog Trumpet - Backing Track

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Diminished Scale Aerobics

Here are some exercises based on the diminished scale, which could be practiced like Arban, Clarke, Quinque...etc.

A lot of classical trained musicians develop playing reflexes based on the "classical" scales  (major and minor), which prevents them from improvising in true jazz style. A good idea would be to develop reflexes on all scales, and by practicing them on a daily basis you would also get more familiar with the sound.

If you don't know what diminished scale is, the diminished scale is a symmetric scale formed by the sequence: Tone - Semitone - Tone - Semitone - Tone - Semitone - Tone. In classical theory (in contrast to jazz theory), this symmetrical scale is commonly called the octatonic scale or Rimsky-Korsakov mode.

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

 

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Coffin Dance - medium

The famous "Coffin Dance" meme has now a trumpet version.
This one is NOT in the original tonality, I had to transpose it to make it fit the medium level pupils. If the high notes are too difficult, you can play them one octave lower.
There are no articulation or slur notated in the sheet, feel free to add them (or ask your teacher to do so) to fit you and your own style.

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

Here's the backing track. You can use it to practice, to play it on a concert or to make a YouTube video with you playing the trumpet.

Mihai Sorohan · Coffin Dance - Trumpet Version - Backing Track

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Super Mario Bros. Overworld Theme - Medium Level Trumpet Duo

The Super Mario Bros. theme, composed for the game by Nintendo sound designer Koji Kondo, officially known as the "Ground Theme" or "Overworld Theme", now transposed and arranged for trumpet, medium level.

Super Mario Bros - Overworld – Koji Kondo by Mihai Sorohan

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

 

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Maxwell the Cat medium-easy

 Trying to motivate the young ones (mostly my kid who likes the "Maxwell the Cat" internet meme), I made this transcription, and a video to pair with it 😄

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.

Click the image to download the format you want:

 

Here's the backing track. You can use it to practice, to play it on a concert or to make a YouTube video with you playing the trumpet.

Mihai Sorohan · Maxwell The Cat - Backing Track

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai

Emil Bizga solo on Giant Steps transcription

 Giant Steps; "the most feared song in jazz"(sic) as Vox declared, notoriously difficult, as played by the Romanian trumpet player Emil Bizga on one of his recordings with Marius Preda on cimbalom.

Emil Bizga is one of the best Romanian jazz trumpeters, if not the best. More about him later on. I will invite him for an interview on my YouTube channel. For now here's a transcription of his solo.

As it goes pretty fast, and it's difficult maybe to play along with the recording, even if you adjust the playback speed, here's a PDF for B♭ instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor sax...etc).

Click the image to download:

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. 

Cheers and happy learning, 

Mihai