To play the trumpet, you only need a good instrument and the patience to practice enough. But once you take your hobby seriously, there are a lot of other great accessories you might want to get to take it to the next level.
Let’s look at 9 trumpet accessories, what they do and if you need them!
Trumpet Accessory #1: Cleaning Kit
To keep your trumpet in great condition, you’ll need to clean it regularly. The easiest way to clean a trumpet is to get a trumpet cleaning kit*. They usually include everything you need, from brushes to valve oil to a nice microfiber cloth.
Use a cleaning kit to wash your instrument in warm (but not hot!) water and make sure to dry it off well afterwards. Then oil those valves. See our guide to cleaning your trumpet to find more about the cleaning process.
Trumpet Accessory #2: Trumpet Stand
A trumpet stand is a great investment and a great alternative to always putting your instrument away in your case.
There are a variety of trumpet stands out there, and we have a complete guide to trumpet stands where you can see all the different kinds. What’s important is to find the right one for you.
The simplest kind of trumpet stand* is a foldable stand lets you put your instrument bell-first on a small cylinder. These are great and won’t break the bank. They’re also portable and useful if you switch between instruments during performances, as some of us do.
Another classic is a wall-mounted trumpet holder. These are not great if you rent and don’t want to put wall-plugs into your pristine walls, but if you live in a house or other accommodation that allows it, they will save you a lot of space. They make models that let you mount your instrument horizontally* or vertically*, whichever you prefer.
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Trumpet Accessory #3: Trumpet Case
You likely already have a trumpet case or some sort of trumpet bag, but once you’re sure you’re staying with your hobby, it’s worth it to upgrade!
If you think about it, your trumpet needs all the protection it can get. Sure, you can get a decent trumpet bag for $40 or $50, but what’s another $50 if it keeps your expensive instrument from irreversible damage? Not every damage can be repaired and not every repair is cheap.
That’s why it can be worth it to invest in a hard case for your trumpet. Crossrock make good hard-shell trumpet cases* that don’t break the bank and that look like an inconspicuous suitcase. Even if your case falls or something falls on your case, your instrument will likely survive without any dents or scratches.
If you can invest a little bit more, you might want to go for their Fiberglass Hard-Shell with backpack straps*. Sometimes you’re lucky and you can find it in a fancy red or blue color. Either way, your instrument will be safe int here!
See our complete guide to trumpet cases to learn more about all the different kinds of trumpet cases.
Trumpet Accessory #4: Trumpet Mute or Yamaha Silent Brass
We mentioned the importance of practice before, but if you’re leading a busy life or just have neighbors or roommates who are home a lot, it can be difficult to find the right time to practice. You don’t want to get any noise complaints!
Yes, it’s absolutely possible to practice to trumpet quietly, and the best way to do that is by getting a good trumpet mute or, even better, a Yamaha Silent Brass.
Trumpet mutes, you will have guessed this, mute your instrument. They are used to change the sound of the trumpet for artistic reasons (like a bucket mute), but a practice mute can also be used to play more quietly in order not to disturb anyone.
The Yamaha Silent Brass* takes this to the next level and permits you to practice very quietly – while still hearing the full sound via headphones.
The Yamaha Silent Brass also makes it possible to play along to music or to record your playing digitally on your computer. It’s both, a useful accessory and a fun gadget to own, and if you’re one who practices late at night in a house full of people, it might just be indispensable.
Trumpet Accessory #5: High-Fidelity Earplugs
It’s important to protect your hearing when you’re playing the trumpet, as long exposure to the noise can damage your hearing. While you can get custom-made earplugs done, there are also many generic high-fidelity earplugs that decrease the volume of the music without muffling the sound.
Trumpet Accessory #6: Clamp-on Trumpet Lyre
A trumpet lyre* is a small gadget that makes it possible for you to attach your sheet music directly to your trumpet. This is useful if you’re in the marching band or if you’re playing anywhere where you’re moving a lot.
Trumpet lyres are cheap but many of them are also not particularly well-made. If you want to be sure to get one that fits properly, it might be worth taking your trumpet to the music shop and trying it out first. Or you could just chance it!
Trumpet Accessory #7: Trumpet Tuner & Metronome
Another great gadget to own for your trumpet is a trumpet tuner and metronome. It’s important to own a trumpet tuner in general to tune your trumpet, but more than that a metronome is something that can help you advance in your mastery of the instrument.
Metronomes are easy to use, especially digital ones, and offer you many possibilities for tapping in or choosing the rhythm you need.
For effective practice, you can start playing very slowly and then increase the speed bit by bit to reach the desired target speed. Practicing slowly helps you really learn what you’re playing and helps you avoid slurring the notes.
Metronomes are fairly cheap and easy to take along, plus in my experience their batteries last forever. I have a cheap Korg metronome* that’s been helping me play music for over 20 years now, so I’d recommend them without a second thought.
If you’re strapped for cash, just get one of seemingly hundreds of free metronome apps on your iPhone or Android device.
Trumpet Accessory #8: Trumpet Practice Gadgets
- Embouchure trainer
A good embouchure is important for trumpet players, and the embouchure trainer* lets you practice your chops even when you don’t have your instrument with you. It’s a neat little gadget that can help you train your muscles.
- BERP
The BERP or Buzz Extension Resistance Piece* lets you buzz into the mouthpiece while practicing fingerings and remaining silent. You attach it to the open end of the lead pipe.
Trumpet Accessory #9: Trumpet-Related Apparel
Granted, you don’t need to have a cool trumpet hat* or socks* in order to play the trumpet any better. But if playing the trumpet is your hobby, it’s nice to show this to the outside world. How about a cool trumpet t-shirt that might start a conversation?
I hope you found some useful accessories in our list of the best accessories for your trumpet. There is always more stuff you’d like to get – we also have a list of 31 Gift Ideas For Trumpet Players – but let’s not get carried away!
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