Comprehensive Trumpet Skills, Book 6: Music Literacy

Why is music literacy included in a collegiate-level trumpet method? There are many benefits to reviewing even the most mundane information contained in this book, including proper terminology, spelling, filling in educational holes, writing correctly (orthography), ear training, recognition of intervals, familiarization with chords, enharmonics, history of notational development, and many other topics. (See the Table of Contents.) Mastery of the concepts in this book are essential before tackling Book 7: Intonation.

Particularly useful to the growing trumpeter are the many musical and graphic examples, the unique explanations of scale degrees and modes, manuscript rules and practice, intervals and chords, and of course the plentiful practice through worksheets and knowledge-testing quizzes and tests. Although this book is intended for the university trumpet music major, it has proven wonderfully beneficial for students of all ages and all levels of aspiration.

Of the volume's approximately 150 pages, the instructive pages are concise and complete, comprising 44% of the book’s contents. Worksheets, rhythmic exercises (clapping pages), and test reviews make up a full 37.5% of the book, putting the superb instruction into abundant practical application. The remaining 18.5% consists of eight quizzes (one at the end of each chapter) and three comprehensive tests (one at the end of each unit). The answers in the back of the book make this “course” virtually a self-study music literacy course, comparable to first semester college “music theory” course.