Choosing the Right Instrument for a Beginner

When you're on a tight budget and you want just to try something new, choosing an instrument can be quite puzzling, so it would be good to have some options with a good ratio between price and quality.
Here are some options:

Thomann TR 5 Bb-Pocket Trumpet $119.66
Pro:

1. good price
2. decent quality 
3. 3 years warranty 
4. small instrument, light case, easy to carry 

Cons:

1. if you're more serious about playing, you'll need a new mouthpiece, not the included one 
2. being small and bent so many times, the sound is less stable, compared with a normal trumpet

Thomann TR 200 Bb-Trumpet $138.55

Pro:

1. good price 
2. decent quality 
3. 3 years warranty 
4. full size instrument 

Cons:

1. if you're more serious about playing, you'll need a new mouthpiece, not the included one 
2. full size instrument with full size case, a bit inconvenient to carry around (maybe)

Startone STR 25 Bb-Trumpet $110.42
Pro:

1. good price
2. good looking instrument
3. 3 years warranty
4. full size instrument

Cons:

1. if you're more serious about playing, you'll need a new mouthpiece, not the included one
2. full size instrument with full size case, a bit inconvenient to carry around (maybe)

Usually cornets and flugelhorns are more expensive (cornets starts at around 156$ and flugelhorns at 222$), the cheaper ones are made of plastic. I don't recommend the plastic ones.

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

"Puff The Magic Dragon" Easy-Medium Duo

"Puff, the Magic Dragon" is a song written by Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow, and made popular by the American folk group "Peter, Paul and Mary".

The lyrics for "Puff, the Magic Dragon"; were based on a 1959 poem by Leonard Lipton and tell a story of the ageless dragon Puff and his playmate Jackie Paper, a little boy who grows up and loses interest in the imaginary adventures of childhood.

Here is an easy trumpet duo I wrote for my pupils.
Puff The Magic Dragon 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

Mini Lessons by Trent Austin

If you are a trumpet player, you maybe came across Austin Custom Brass and their video presentations of trumpets. I've been impressed by the jazz playing of Trent Austin while comparing or presenting instruments, so I was very happy to see that he has video lessons on his YouTube channel.
I share those with you, hopefully you'll enjoy those too.

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

Playing Outside - tutorial 1

In my early jazz playing I didn't quite get how to play outside, but I always liked the sound and always wanted to learn. So here's one way to do it:

Everything is pretty self-explanatory, download the notes and follow the instructions in the video.
I recommend playing it first slow, maybe half tempo, then dotted rhythm (long-short, then short-long), and after that trying to play in tempo.

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:

   

I hope you enjoyed the video and you'll have fun playing the licks.

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

Carol of the Bells for trumpet quartet

The popular song "Carol of the Bells" has its roots in the melody of an old Ukrainian folk song called Shchedryk, featuring a four-note ostinato and is in 3/4 time signature.
Not originally a Christmas tune, Shchedryk is actually a song to celebrate New Years. The most famous version has music written and arranged by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in 1914.
More about this on Wikipedia.

Here is my arrangement for four trumpets, with video this time:

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:

I hope you enjoyed the video and you'll have fun playing it.

Carol of the Bells (for 4 trumpets) 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

"Farandole" from "L'Arlésienne" by Georges Bizet

A simple accompaniment of "Farandole" from "L'Arlésienne" suite no.2 by Georges Bizet, for trumpet. This is fitting the trumpet arrangement made by Jerry Lanning.
Buy the notes here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Classic-Experience-Collection-Trumpet-Piano/dp/B006BULGT2 

 
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" from "The Tales of Hoffmann"

This time is just a backing track. The trumpet transcription by Jerry Lanning is copyrighted to Cramer Music.
However, there is no interdiction on making a backing track fr it, so here we go 😉
The notes you can buy here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Classic-Experience-Collection-Trumpet-Piano/dp/B006BULGT2

Enjoy the 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