Practice pieces for beginner trumpet players
Speaking of the trumpet, it’s an instrument that shines across a wide range of genres—jazz, classical, pop—and it’s also a star among wind instruments in concert band.
Of course, daily practice is essential to be able to play, but if you only do fundamentals, it can get boring… For those feeling that way, I’ve picked some recommended practice pieces that are great even for beginners! Naturally, the difficulty will vary depending on the sheet music you choose, but the selection this time spans a variety of well-known tunes—from children’s songs to pop—that almost everyone has heard at least once, making it easier to get the hang of things.
I’ve included videos of actual trumpet performances wherever possible, so please use them as a reference!
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Practice Pieces for Beginner Trumpet (1–10)
From Dragon Quest: “Overture March”sugiyama kouichi
Composed by Koichi Sugiyama, this piece opens with a grand, fanfare-like resonance that heralds the beginning of an adventure.
Performed by an orchestra, it incorporates elements of classical music while brilliantly capturing the game’s worldview.
Since its debut in 1986, it has been beloved as a symbol of the Dragon Quest series and is highly regarded as a work that expanded the possibilities of video game music.
The piece’s tone instills anticipation and courage for a new journey, evoking the feeling of a majestic tale about to unfold.
From Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride onward, the fanfare is played by trumpets, and the overture’s melody is well-suited as a trumpet practice piece.
It’s approachable even for beginners, so why not give it a try?
Londonderry Air (Danny Boy)Airurando min’yō
This is the Irish folk song “Londonderry Air.” With lyrics it’s known as “Danny Boy,” and many of you may know it by that title.
Since it’s a slow, lyrical piece, the range is comfortable and it’s suitable for beginners on the trumpet.
Let’s practice so you can produce clear, well-shaped tones.
For the slurred passages that should be played smoothly, it’s fine at first to tongue the notes instead.
If you combine scale practice with solid long tones, you should be able to play it soon.
Theme of Lupin the ThirdŌno Yūji
Composed by Yuji Ohno, this is a popular piece as the theme song for the hit anime Lupin the Third, beloved alongside the show itself.
It has been arranged in many ways and is known as a staple cheer song for Japanese high school baseball.
The tempo is relatively fast, and some passages require practice to play cleanly.
However, the range is comfortable, making it perfect for beginners to tackle.
Highly recommended for those who want to practice precise tonguing or play a piece with a sense of speed!
Practice Pieces for Beginner Trumpet Players (11–20)
Bitter Sweet SambaSol Lake
This is a piece known as the theme music for the late-night radio program “All Night Nippon.” It’s a jazz instrumental by Herb Alpert, a trumpet player and music producer, and—as you’d expect from a trumpeter’s work—the trumpet takes the spotlight right from the start! Since the trumpet parts harmonize, it could be fun to multi-track the upper and lower lines by recording them separately.
When you’re just starting out on the instrument, even playing sixteenth notes can be tough.
Practice the sixteenth notes slowly so they don’t get too fast and so your fingering can keep up.
For the leaps, work on hitting the notes steadily without letting them get too forceful.
The phrases themselves are repetitions of the same melody, so once you can handle one section, you should be able to play the other parts as well.
Someday My Prince Will ComeFrank Churchill
Composed by Frank Churchill, this masterpiece appeared in 1937 as an insert song in the Disney film Snow White.
Its lyrics, filled with pure love and hope, portray Snow White’s feelings for her prince and have warmed the hearts of many.
It is widely cherished as a jazz standard as well, with numerous arrangements by renowned musicians such as Miles Davis and Bill Evans.
This piece inspires the courage to keep moving forward without giving up on your dreams.
It is also popular as a trumpet étude; its accessible melody makes it friendly for beginners and a motivating aid for improving technique.
From Titanic: “My Heart Will Go On”Céline Dion
This is the theme song from James Cameron’s epic film Titanic.
Sung by Canada’s celebrated vocalist Celine Dion, this piece evokes the film’s grandeur and moves us every time we hear it.
Many people likely dream of playing such a masterpiece on the trumpet.
It may seem like you could manage it by practicing at a relaxed tempo, but in fact the original key is E major with four sharps—and if you try to play it on trumpet at the same pitch level, you end up with five sharps.
Still, if you approach it calmly, the trumpet is just a matter of pressing valves, so at first try producing notes while keeping a tuner close at hand.
Mark the places in the score where sharps appear and memorize them, and you should be able to play it in the original key! How about tackling this piece in its original key?
Little Brown JugEastburn
This piece is also perfect as a trumpet etude.
It skyrocketed to fame when Glenn Miller arranged it in a swing jazz style.
With its lively rhythm and bright, showy melody, even beginners can enjoy practicing it.
Since its release in 1939, it has been widely loved as a jazz standard and played an important role in the 1954 film The Glenn Miller Story.
If you’re tackling it as a practice piece, start at a slow tempo and gradually increase the speed.
Its cheerful, fun vibe also makes it great for a change of pace.