| I like mix it up, especially with my jazz playing.
Sometimes I get bogged down with complicated changes and don't play anything interesting because I'm just trying to navigate the chords on the page. Although it's important to learn tunes the hard way I often like to play with an Aebersold album(esp. standards) without thinking about the changes too much. It's great to practice playing a tune when I know the melody but haven't learned the changes yet. I get to develop my ear and often end up playing much better jazz because I'm thinking musically instead of technically.
Remember to keep trumpet playing fun but the reality is that it's hard work. It's okay to play just for fun because as long as you're playing musically you can't really do any damage. However, make sure you spend time on dedicated practice because you'll be happy you know your harmonic minor scales, can multiple tongue, and have great flexibility(and a million other things!) if you study trumpet after high school. |