Trumpet Pedagogy & Methodology
Our Trumpet Pedagogy
When working with our students, we have five main teaching strategies for success:
Assess abilities, interests, and mindset: this helps us (the instructor and the student) to understand more about why the student is taking lessons and what hope to learn from them.
Set specific short- and long-term goals: this helps us to set clear and attainable measures of progress and analyze what works or doesn’t work.
Strengthen fundamentals with targeted, sustainable exercises: this helps us to elevate every students’ baseline level of technique.
Select repertoire that develops musical voice: this helps us challenge our students to play with musical phrasing and expression.
Develop a flexible, self-directed practice routine: this helps us teach our students how to independently problem-solve between lessons.
Our Trumpet Methodology
The 10-Part Trumpet Practice Routine: An Intermediate to Advanced Method for Improving Fundamentals, Technique, and Musicality
Our pedagogical approach to the trumpet is rooted in a method created by our founder - Dr. Chloe Swindler - called The 10-Part Trumpet Practice Routine. This methodology breaks down three major categories of trumpet playing - fundamentals, technique, and musicality - into 10 distinct categories:
Breathing and Response
Long Tones and Dynamics
Flow Studies
Lip Slurs
Finger Dexterity
Articulation and Rhythm
Range and Endurance
Scales and Arpeggios
Solos, Etudes, and Ensemble Music
Listening, Recording, Playback, and Revision
The 10-Part Trumpet Practice Routine
Below, you’ll find a breakdown of one how each of these ten parts fits under the three major categories of fundamentals, technique, and musicality.
When creating a practice routine for our students, we will choose 1-2+ categories to assign from each of these three major categories every week - depending on the student’s playing level, upcoming time availability that week, and music-related goals.
Fundamentals
Breathing and Response
Long Tones and Dynamics
Flow Studies
Lip Slurs
Technique
Finger Dexterity
Articulation and Rhythm
Range and Endurance
Scales and Arpeggios
Musicality
Solos, Etudes, and Ensemble Music
Listening, Recording, Playback, and Revision
Example Practice Routines
Here are a few examples of single-week practice routines we would create with our students based on the 10-Part Trumpet Practice Routine:
Student A - High School Freshman: Long tones and dynamics, flow studies, finger dexterity, scales and arpeggios, and one solo excerpt.
Student B - College Junior: Flow studies, lip slurs, articulation and rhythm, range and endurance, etude, and one video recording of the etude or an additional solo excerpt.
Student C - Adult Enthusiast or Comeback Player: Breathing and response exercises, long tones and dynamics, finger dexterity, articulation and rhythm, and one solo excerpt.
Student D - Professional Trumpet Player: Maintenance exercises in all ten areas, with a special focus on 2-3 of their weakest areas.
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Looking for festive music? Download "25 Trumpet Duets for Christmas" — great for duets or played solo!
About Our Instructor
Dr. Chloe Swindler is a Boston-based freelance trumpet player. Her career has included work as a soloist and gig band musician, along with performances and recording sessions as a chamber, orchestral, jazz, and studio musician. She completed her classical music performance studies at Boston University (Bachelor of Music), Yale University (Master of Music), and the University of California Los Angeles (Doctor of Musical Arts).