1.  Playing mechanically vs. musically

Focusing on musical expression will yield maximum growth as a musician.  How do you want it to sound?  What do you want it to communicate?  Technique will develop naturally from this focus.  Help them to develop a musical vision for each piece.  Nourish their creativity, imagination, and expression. This will fertilize their passion for music and make it lifelong, music education’s most important aim. 

2.  Practice habits

Please refer to the Practice Guide on my website (www.utc.edu/trumpet).  Serious students should be practicing every day, completing a warm-up/daily maintenance routine, in the morning if possible, and 1-2 practice sessions later in the day. 

3.  Endurance

Trumpeters who struggle with endurance may benefit from trying to get the air to do more work and the lip to do less.  The lips should relax around the air stream.  Do not buzz.  The air and the ear plays the trumpet.  This allows a trumpeter to play for a long time.  The trumpeter should prioritize a relaxed way of playing as a skill to practice.  This will allow them to play longer.  It is also important to rest frequently and when tired.  Listen to the messages from your body.

Concepts borrowed from MWNA program designed to retrain brass players:  https://musicianswellness.com/.