Can anyone suggest any good books for an adult beginner please? I used to play the cornet (about ten years ago) and am now getting to grips with it again. I'm working through Learn as You Play and have a scales book but would like something with pieces and studies that will challenge but aren't too difficult.

Thanks

I never used books for cornet. Just learnt some notes and played in the band.

When I'm feeling conscientious, my horn practice is exercises (mostly slurred arpeggios), solos and tricky passages from the orchestral and chamber music repertoires, and parts that I need to play in the concert band and the brass quintet. When I'm not, I play tunes I know, in randomly chosen keys: light music, hymns, and ballads from 1920 to 1945. If you try the latter group (I expect you know many tunes that I don't), you will find that it improves your ear, because you have to turn the intervals into notes and fingerings.

Thanks sbhoa and kenm. Might look into local brass bands, maybe swap and play cornet occasionally at my Thursday band.

Went to a brass band rehearsal last night, not sure that particular band is for me. Will have to dig further and find another one.

Pity

Best of luck in your search, Louise

I think theres a cornet starter book by a fellow called Arban, but my memory is a bit hazy going back to when son was learning cornet/trumpet. We probbaly have a copy at home but Im in Yorks till tomorrow evening.

I'm not terribly knowledgeable about cornet, but judging by the amount of trumpet players I've seen carrying around a large tome with a cream cover with 'Arban' in big letters on the front, I think you may be right!

Thats the one.! Cream with black lettering.

This is the Bible for cornet and trumpet players and has been continuously in print since 1864. Michael Thompson uses it and, I understand, makes his horn students do so also. The studies vary enormously in difficulty, so it is a suitable book for a beginner also.

Thanks b-c



Ah, will have to keep a look out for it

Arban definitely - though NB that it isn't cheap (c. 20 pounds); however, there is lots and lots of material in it, with a considerable range of difficulty. There are pieces in it which are on the syllabus for the upper grades, but also lots of much simpler exercises.

One other point to note - it is physically so large and heavy that it tends to make Son No.1's folding music stand collapse unless we tighten the screws before placing it on the music desk!!

I will try to find my sons copy , its in our house somewhere, he's hasnt touched his trumpet since he was about 17 , and he's 33 now. We have the trumpet somewhere too ( an almost new Yamaha).
Possibly he will be happy to part with his Arban.

You can also buy Arban as 3 separate parts.

Looks like this is sorted for Louise now, as my son has agreed to part with his copy

Thanks fsharpminor

Incidentally, Arban is way out of copyright, so as long as it's not a new edition, you can copy away to your heart's content. I've got an email from Boosey & Hawkes somewhere confirming that their ?20 old edition is out of copyright, and that photocopying from it is fine. There's also an other old edition here, though it's not as easy to read as the B&H version.

Thanks briantrumpet, I now have a copy of this tiny little book thanks to fsharpminor, or rather, son of fsharpminor Had a quick look at it, and I think I'll be ok for the first page, maybe the second as well It's definitely going to keep me going.

Don't feel you need to do the book sequentially - it's worth picking different bits to work on at the same time - if you want tonguing challenges, there's triple & double tonguing sections later on (start them VERY VERY slowly till you've got the clarity sorted), then there are the lip slurs from p.42 (I think) - again, very slowly at the beginning, and don't push anything: if you're tired, stop.

Anyway, good luck - you've taken on a challenge!! There are other books thanArban, of course, if you find it a bit too heavy!! But it does cover most things you'll ever need (apart from jazz!!) if you have the time & patience.

thanks, some very useful advice there had a little play tonight, was good fun

Glad youve got going with it so quickly Louise !

Thanks, the cornet will never get as much practice time dedicated to it as the clari does but it is good fun making so much noise