Good trumpet playing is usually a very disciplined and focused activity. But it doesn’t always have to be. I like to pursue creativity whenever possible. The idea is to embrace new ways of doing things that can satisfy your basic fundamental needs. Here are five ideas right off the top of my head, but the list could go on:
- Take a simple study and change the underlying harmony or mode
- Improvise your own etude. Record yourself. Write down the things that were interesting.
- Have a trumpet hang warmup session in the out of doors (perhaps in the woods or on a mountain).
- Learn a new song or piece of literature–but only by ear.
- Find a simple, lyrical melody, and play it slowly as your long tone exercise (think non-trumpet music like a Bach Chorale).