Help, I need a new mellophonium mouthpiece! What now?
July 13, 2026Leslie Saidak
First things first, let's address the elephant in the room: what even IS a mellophonium? Tiffany Johns, brass performing and...
Maynard Ferguson’s Trumpet Mouthpieces: Makers and Models Throughout the Years
June 25, 2026Leslie Saidak
by Leslie Saidak Maynard Ferguson was a charismatic and gifted trumpet virtuoso, with a career spanning over 50 years. He...
Mastering Trumpet Articulation: The Power of Articulated Air
July 10, 2024John Hutchinson
Articulated Air is a crucial concept in trumpet playing, emphasizing control and relaxation in the flow of air. Effective teaching...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Jack Sutte
February 13, 2024John Hutchinson
Jack Sutte, Second Trumpet in The Cleveland Orchestra and trumpet teacher at Baldwin Wallace University, reflects on his musical journey...
Bagpipe (or trumpet!) Lung
July 30, 2023John Hutchinson
A school year looming brings with it a fresh start, and a resolution to keep instruments clean and hygienic. If...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Philip Smith
May 3, 2023John Hutchinson
At the ITG Conference 2018 I managed to meet with a number of great people to conduct interviews, none greater...
The Carmine Caruso Legacy
July 11, 2022John Hutchinson
I think that the concept of a saxophonist and former violinist becoming one of the most well-respected and well-known trumpet...
Home Recording for Trumpeters
June 15, 2022John Hutchinson
Over the past few months, many of the articles that I have worked on and industry pros that I have...
Finding the perfect orchestral mouthpiece
June 3, 2022John Hutchinson
I have spent a lot of time recently (mainly virtually!) working with players who have used this enforced period of...
How to Clean the Trumpet
May 27, 2022John Hutchinson
Keep your horn clean and you will never have a problem with sticky valves or slides. Keeping it clean...
Claude Gordon Practice Routines
May 20, 2022John Hutchinson
This article was originally written by Jeff Purtle and published in The Brass herald in 2009. Jeff Purtle is a...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Anthony Prisk
November 9, 2021John Hutchinson
Anthony Prisk has been the 2nd trumpet in the Philadelphia Orchestra since 2013, after previously spending eleven seasons with the...
Music Stand Lighting and Your Eyes
November 2, 2021John Hutchinson
Headaches, eye fatigue, or stiff neck or shoulder? It might be your music stand lighting...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Alessandro Silvestro
October 26, 2021John Hutchinson
First trumpet with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Calabria (Italy) and Frate Precision artist Alessandro Silvestro kindly shares some thoughts and...
Faxx : Mute Review
October 14, 2021John Hutchinson
The Faxx brand may already be known to many of you. It has a reputation for reliable accessories at a...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Alexandre Herichon
October 11, 2021John Hutchinson
Alexandre Herichon is an eclectic musician, at home playing lead trumpet, improvising, and as a composer/arranger. He shares some trumpeting...
Jon Faddis on Ullvén Mutes
September 30, 2021John Hutchinson
...from Jon Faddis: "Hello, Fellow Brass Players, I would like to tell you about some really good news, not just...
Trumpet Artist Profile : John Foster
September 26, 2021John Hutchinson
John Foster is a leading exponent of performance on historical trumpets and cornetto as well as being a former member...
Instrument Review : C Trumpet from Norwich Natural Trumpets
August 30, 2021John Hutchinson
I was recently sent a new C trumpet by Matt Martin from Norwich Natural Trumpets. This was designed in collaboration...
So You or Your Kid Wants to Play the Trumpet
June 17, 2021John Hutchinson
An article by Estela Aragon, CEO/Founder at TrumpetHeadquarters.com Ahhhh the trumpet. So many of all ages fall in love with...
Do Bell Covers help prevent the spread of COVID-19?
June 11, 2021John Hutchinson
OK, so I need to say right off the bat that I have no intention of actually answering this question!...
Alliance Brass : Mouthpiece Review
June 8, 2021John Hutchinson
Alliance Brass mouthpieces were launched in 2006 by Roger Webster, former principal cornet with Black Dyke and Grimethorpe. Initially these...
ITG 45
June 2, 2021John Hutchinson
The 45th Annual International Trumpet Guild Conference begins now! Trumpeters of all ages will find this virtual workshop an opportunity...
Tone Without Tension
May 19, 2021John Hutchinson
Marcus Reynolds is a clinician and lecturer for the British Association of Performing Arts, and the British Trombone Society. Also the...
Clary Woodmutes : Mute Review
May 12, 2021John Hutchinson
Further to my interview with Tom Clary, the master craftsman behind 'Clary Woodmutes' , Tom has kindly sent me a...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Kissis Muñoz
May 6, 2021John Hutchinson
Originally from Venezuela, Kissis Muñoz is now based in Miami and building a reputation for herself as a top trumpet...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Lasse Lindgren
April 30, 2021John Hutchinson
Lasse Lindgren is a multi-faceted musician, with a reputation as a great 'lead' trumpet player as well as a great...
Playing Two Trumpets with One Mouthpiece?
April 26, 2021John Hutchinson
Wow, this blew my mind! This "No-Airflow Mouthpiece" demonstration from John Snell and Brett Kendall at Bob Reeves Brass really...
Edgware by BBICO
April 20, 2021John Hutchinson
I was recently sent a range of new products to take through their paces from BBICO - the British Band...
Design Innovations : Ultimate Brass
April 7, 2021John Hutchinson
Established 2013 in Philadelphia by Chinese-born bass trombonist Sun He, Ultimate Brass started as a brass instrument repair studio and...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Immanuel Richter
April 1, 2021John Hutchinson
Principal Trumpet with Sinfonieorchester Basel since 2009 having previously held the same post at La Scala, Immanuel Richter has built...
Design Innovations : Ultra Pure Oils
March 26, 2021John Hutchinson
Ken Saul is the founder of Ultra-Pure Oils LLC, and talks to us here about getting started with creating his...
Mind the Gap!
March 21, 2021John Hutchinson
Bob Reeves Brass have been at the forefront of brass custom work for many years now. The 'gap' between mouthpiece...
Power over Pressure
March 15, 2021John Hutchinson
Marcus Reynolds is an embouchure specialist and founder of the Stratos Embouchure System. I tells us here about his philosophy...
Marie Speziale : Leading the Way
March 9, 2021John Hutchinson
In an effort to share the many ways the ITG serves the worldwide trumpet community, the International Trumpet Guild is...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Evan Taylor
March 3, 2021John Hutchinson
2020 was a tough year across the globe, but despite this, Evan Taylor continued his upward trajectory as a winner...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Jason Lewis
February 25, 2021John Hutchinson
Jason Lewis has been Associate Principal Trumpet with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra since 2019, having previously been principal Trumpet...
Trumpet Headquarters : Estela Aragon
February 19, 2021John Hutchinson
Education is a lifelong journey, and a journey that often starts in schools around the world that suffer from a...
The Journey to Victory! : Melvin Quinones
February 9, 2021John Hutchinson
At the recent 2021 NAMM show I was fortunate to spend some (virtual) time with Melvin Quinones, founder of Victory...
How can we develop jazz vocabulary?
February 3, 2021John Hutchinson
How can we develop jazz vocabulary?...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Jeroen Berwaerts
January 27, 2021John Hutchinson
Belgian trumpet soloist Jeroen Berwaerts combines immense technical prowess with beautiful sensitivity across a huge range of styles. His CV...
Mental Practice Preparation
January 22, 2021John Hutchinson
“Mental practice preparation” - Getting ourselves in the right frame of mind, and then planning and executing our practice goals...
Focal Dystonia : Reprogramming your Satnav
January 12, 2021John Hutchinson
Brass players, including those at the top of their professional tree, have experienced Focal Dystonia that has either permanently, or...
How to transcribe a jazz solo
January 7, 2021John Hutchinson
Transcription is a great skill to develop in itself, but is also invaluable for developing our ears and our general...
The Collapse of the Embouchure : Marcus Reynolds
December 29, 2020John Hutchinson
Marcus Reynolds is a signed Rath trombone artist, soloist, recording artist, clinician, embouchure specialist, tutor, lecturer for the British Association...
Do you want to improve your improvisation?
December 21, 2020John Hutchinson
Jazz Etudes is a new resource that helps and supports students new to the world of jazz improvisation. The approach...
Buzz-R : Product Review
December 18, 2020John Hutchinson
It is always intriguing to receive new trumpet gadgets through to try out and review. I have always used mouthpiece...
‘Listen and Learn’ from the ITG
December 15, 2020John Hutchinson
The International Trumpet Guild’s Listen and Learn workshop is an online festival featuring five days of original performance and pedagogical...
Design Innovations : Tom Clary
December 13, 2020John Hutchinson
In May 2018 in San Antonio (TX) I had the great pleasure of meeting Tom Clary at the annual ITG...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Eric Aubier
November 27, 2020John Hutchinson
"During the lockdown we saw loads of people coming together to create virtual recordings. Videos of this type have invaded...
Trumpet Warmup
November 10, 2020John Hutchinson
Trumpet Warmup is a great new online portal for trumpet players, allowing you to customise your routine with the aid...
Trumpet Artist Profile : John Eth
October 21, 2020John Hutchinson
John Eth is a well-respected trumpeter, originally from Phoenix, Arizona. The Legends Brass artist was kind enough to give up...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Charles Lazarus
October 1, 2020John Hutchinson
Trumpeter Charles Lazarus is a multi-faceted performer, composer, producer and band leader whose career has included tenures in Dallas Brass, Meridian...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Diego Urcola
September 24, 2020John Hutchinson
'Trumpet Artist' is far too narrow a description for Diego Urcola. Perfomer, Band leader, composer, multi-instrumentalist and jazz educator are...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Christopher Still
June 29, 2020John Hutchinson
Chris Still is a renowned musician and educator, and I was delighted that he was able to find time to...
‘Meet the Maker’ : Peter Pickett
June 23, 2020John Hutchinson
Many top players have already turned to Pickett Brass and Blackburn Trumpets for mouthpieces and trumpets. At the helm is...
Honesty Pill : In conversation with Christopher Still
June 17, 2020John Hutchinson
Educator, clinician and coach (and also a trumpet player with the Los Angeles Philharmonic!) Chris Still has a really fascinating...
Frate Precision : Black Onyx Trim Kit Review
May 25, 2020John Hutchinson
Hands up, anyone who has wasted a practice session messing around with heavy valve caps and trim in the hope...
Trumpet Artist Profile : Matthias Höfs
May 16, 2020John Hutchinson
"When you are passionate about something, you can always find room to consistently pursue what is important to you. So...
Design Innovations : Markus Arnold
May 14, 2020John Hutchinson
The challenge of adding resistance to the mouthpiece buzz is one that a number of people have tackled, but always...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Randy Dunn
May 9, 2020John Hutchinson
Randy Dunn is a trumpeter from Houston, TX with incredibly broad experience across diverse musical styles as a performer and...
Frate Precision : HM Cup Review
May 6, 2020John Hutchinson
The Frate Precision HM cup Mouthpiece range is an excellent solution for trumpet players...
What’s the story behind Trump Street?
November 28, 2019John Hutchinson
Visitors to the City of London (London's main financial district) will be accustomed to the glass-fronted homes of high finance...
Vhizzper : Mute Review
October 16, 2019John Hutchinson
So, here is a really interesting new product that I have been sent through for review The Vhizzper mute...
Frate Precision : Mouthpiece Review
October 10, 2019John Hutchinson
Since 2006 Dario Frate has been designing and making mouthpieces from his base in Lombardy, Italy. The aim across the...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Mario Guarneri
September 11, 2019John Hutchinson
Mario Guarneri will be known to many readers as a performer and educator of the highest calibre. A former...
The Bob Reeves Interview
June 18, 2019John Hutchinson
When you talk about getting your trumpets adjusted so that they respond perfectly to you or matching and adjusting a...
Johnny Thirkell : Horn Camp 2019
February 28, 2019John Hutchinson
Johnny Thirkell is one of the great unsung heroes of the music industry. With a truly prolific recording output, his...
Van Laar Trumpets : Interview and Instrument Overview
January 7, 2019John Hutchinson
Interview with Hub Van Laar (June 2018 @ ITG Conference, San Antonio) What made you want to play brass in...
Buying Guide : Practice Mutes
November 3, 2018John Hutchinson
Practice Mutes have become accepted as a necessary evil for brass players. They are not an ideal way of preparing...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Marvin Stamm
October 29, 2018John Hutchinson
Marvin Stamm is a colossus of the music world, having performed and recorded with many jazz legends throughout his illustrious...
Professional Development : Kate Amrine
October 23, 2018John Hutchinson
When I left music college (nearly) 20 years ago, the approach to building a healthy portfolio of freelance work as...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Massimo Longhi
October 18, 2018John Hutchinson
After visiting the Arena in the beautiful city of Verona some 20 years ago, I have been fascinated by not...
Professional Development : Becca Toft
October 16, 2018John Hutchinson
When I left music college (nearly) 20 years ago, the approach to building a healthy portfolio of freelance work as...
Marc Geujon and the New Schilke ‘Soloiste’
May 8, 2018John Hutchinson
Marc Geujon is Principal Trumpet of the Orchestre de l’Opéra National de Paris. As well being a Professor at the...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Rex Richardson
April 24, 2018John Hutchinson
Acclaimed trumpet soloist and respected educator Rex Richardson has been described as "one of the world’s most engaging and astonishingly...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Markus Stockhausen
April 21, 2018John Hutchinson
I met up with Markus Stockhausen on a (typically) rainy day at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Fabrizio Bosso
March 28, 2018John Hutchinson
Italian readers will most likely need no introduction to Fabrizio Bosso. He is already a jazz superstar in his native...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Jerry Hey
March 19, 2018John Hutchinson
"There are so many recordings that I am very proud of, but maybe the proudest moment was the first time...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Winston Byrd
March 10, 2018John Hutchinson
Winston Byrd has made a career out of drawing on many different styles including classical, blues, pop, jazz and improvisation...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Vince DiMartino
March 8, 2018John Hutchinson
Vince DiMartino is sought after as both a trumpet performer and educator. His vast wealth of performance experience includes lead...
How To Be a Versatile Trumpeter
March 5, 2018John Hutchinson
D.H. Lawrence writes: “Never set a child afloat on the flat sea of life with only one sail to catch...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Matilda Lloyd
March 2, 2018John Hutchinson
There are not many 22-year-olds that made it onto my list of fabulous trumpet players that I wanted to try...
Trumpet Artist Profile: John Thirkell
February 27, 2018John Hutchinson
Johnny Thirkell is one of the most recorded trumpet players still working today. Through the 80s and 90s, as well...
Freddie Gavita: Interview & Instrument Review
December 1, 2017John Hutchinson
Freddie Gavita is a young trumpet player at the top of his game. The trumpet category winner at the 2017...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Eric Miyashiro
November 24, 2017John Hutchinson
With a trumpet in his hands, Eric Miyashiro is a force of nature. The powerful sound, blistering range and flamboyant...
Frate Precision: Interview and Mouthpiece Review
October 18, 2017John Hutchinson
Established in 2006, Frate Precision is the brainchild of trumpet graduate and expert metal-worker Dario Frate. From the facility in...
Instrument Review: New Bach B-flat Trumpet Models
October 12, 2017John Hutchinson
The past few years has seen a number of new Bb models enter the Vincent Bach catalogue. Below is a...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Allen Vizzutti
September 22, 2017John Hutchinson
Regular readers will most likely need no introduction to Allen Vizzutti - an artist of the highest calibre: soloist, recording...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Raynald Colom
September 14, 2017John Hutchinson
Raynald Colom is one of the bright talents to emerge from the thriving Spanish jazz scene to make a splash...
1st things 1st…
September 5, 2017John Hutchinson
A new school term is just starting, with thousands of children picking up a trumpet for the first time this...
What difference does mouthpiece material make?
July 18, 2017John Hutchinson
What difference does mouthpiece material make?...
Trumpet Artist Profile: Steve Fishwick
May 8, 2017John Hutchinson
With a rapidly growing profile on the UK and International Jazz circuits, and an ever-increasing back catalogue of critically-acclaimed recordings...
Adams Trumpets in the UK
April 12, 2017John Hutchinson
The past few years has seen some tough times for the Musical Instruments industry in general, with many established manufacturers...
Residential Trumpet Course Feature: The Australasian Trumpet Academy 2017
February 4, 2017John Hutchinson
Residential Trumpet Course Feature: The Australasian Trumpet Academy...
Resources for Group Trumpet Tuition
January 25, 2017John Hutchinson
Music education has changed drastically over the past few years, and is a topic upon which instrumental teachers have often...
Mike Lovatt: Interview and Instrument Review
January 7, 2017John Hutchinson
Mike Lovatt has one of the most heard and recognisable trumpet sounds in the world right now. If you do...
Bagpipe Lung
January 3, 2017John Hutchinson
A New Year brings with it a fresh start, and a resolution to keep instruments clean and hygienic. If you...
Playing with Braces
December 9, 2016John Hutchinson
The decision to have braces during childhood can be a difficult decision to make even before you consider how it...
The ‘All Rounder’
December 2, 2016John Hutchinson
There is a multitude of great pro trumpets currently on the market, and some wonderful manufacturers working alongside players and...
Practice Mutes
November 23, 2016John Hutchinson
Choosing the right practice mute can be a tricky decision. Weighing up characteristics such as volume, resistance, sound and of...
Never Mind the Day Job
November 21, 2016John Hutchinson
For 12 years after graduating from music college, I considered myself to be a professional trumpet player – in that...
Resonance vs. Resistance
November 17, 2016John Hutchinson
It has become an almost daily occurrence that I speak to trumpeters who believe that they are either looking for...