Get Better, Have Fun, and Express Your Musical Voice
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If you want to take your skills as a trumpet player to the next level (without wasting valuable time), nothing beats private lessons. Here are a few reasons why:
- Individually tailored practice assignments for reaching your playing goals
- An experienced set of eyes and ears on your playing for real-time course corrections
- Accountability and encouragement from your personal trumpet coach
All Ages and Experience Levels Are Welcome!
My name is James Blackwell and I am a life-long trumpeter who has spent way to much time obsessive over what it takes to play this instrument.
I also love teaching!
And there’s nothing better than watching a student ‘get it’ – especially after they thought they didn’t ‘have what it takes.’
My goal is to help you achieve your best playing through proper understanding of the fundamentals, incremental assignments and an encouraging, positive attitude toward playing.
If you’re:
- A total beginner wanting to start out on the right foot
- A comeback player who’s ready to fix all those old playing habits (and not waste your time)
- Experiencing frustrating embouchure and playing limitations
- Wanting to improve your jazz improvisation (soloing by ear)
Private lessons are the best way to make steady progress and enjoy your trumpet playing on a new level.
Together, we’ll assess your playing to create an accessible, progressive, and practical approach to building the best habits from the ground up.
Then, after making sure you’re on the right track the technique of air and embouchure, we’ll dive into learning the language of music through the songs you enjoy.
And for the record, I’m a player with a jazz bent who absolutely loves encouraging students to improve their ears, knowledge of music theory and beginning improvisation in a fun and approachable way.
How Can This James Blackwell Guy Help Me?
I have been a professional lead and jazz trumpet player for the past 20 years, blasting away across multiple genres.
I’ve also undergone three major embouchure changes (yes, three), tried just about everything imaginable to improve my playing, and have had to rehabilitate my chops from total destruction (multiple times) after many years of professional overuse.
Aside from the physical challenges of trumpet playing, I also came to ear-training and improvising later in life and had to figure out which practices work best for rapid progress.
In other words, if you’re struggling or confused in any way, I get it.
The other thing I get is that you want to play for fun. And militant, dogmatic approaches suck.
Fortunately, this unique experience combined with a somewhat obsessive and relentless demeanor taught me a great deal about how we can practice in a way that makes trumpet playing much easier.
And the good news is that getting started on the right foot (and even fixing the most debilitating embouchure issues) is a relatively simple matter.
You really only need to understand a few basics, have a reasonable approach to learning the feeling of efficient playing, and then apply helpful practice habits for continuing to make long-term growth.
And BTW, it took me, oh, about 30 years to figure this stuff out. But my loss is your gain, so let’s have some fun getting your playing straightened out once and for all.
Lesson Tuition Rates
If you’re interested in a progressive framework for improving your trumpet playing, private lessons are the way to go.
The tuition for four 30-min sessions along with tailored practice assignments is $197.
Yes, that’s right.
For the cost of your next mouthpiece you can actually improve your trumpet playing!
Plus, so we can get to know one another, assess your playing and talk about your goals, you get a FREE 30-minute introductory session.
Then, we’ll develop a tailored approach which moves you in the direction of your goals.
Not Sure Lessons Are Right For You?
I want you to be absolutely sure private lessons are right for you.
If after our initial consult (and maybe a bit of practice time) you’re not completely satisfied with the instruction, you’re entitled to a full refund – no questions asked.
Also, if you are hesitant for any reason, send me your questions and a bit about your playing history using the form below.
That way we can gauge where you’re coming from and whether or not this package is right for you.
Jumpstart Your Playing Progress!
Whether you want to start entertaining yourself and others with songs at home, play in a local band, or fix those long-standing issues, use the form to reach out below.
I currently have a waitlist for new students due to scheduling constraints, and weekly slots are first come first served. If you would like to be added, please reach out with the form below with any questions you might along with your current time zone and general times that might work for you. 🙂
I look forward to hearing from you and working toward your playing goals together!
James
What Students Are Saying:
A few months ago I decided to join my local brass band. This required me to learn another instrument, as I already play clarinet and soprano saxophone, so I decided on the cornet. On investigating Youtube for hints and tips on how to get started I came across James Blackwell demonstrating how to get started. I followed his advice and on the first attempt at blowing into the cornet I made a creditable sound. I subsequently subscribed to his Youtube channel and then signed up for lessons. I have found James to be an excellent teacher. On each lesson we get down to business and he always picks up where I am having difficulty, and gives the help and encouragement I need. Also we have fun! There is always a lesson plan to follow, so I am not left wondering what my practise needs to be. I could say quite a bit more, but suffice to say, if you want a good trumpet (cornet) teacher, he’s your man. Our lessons are done by Zoom as I live in the UK, but it works well. Enjoy.
Rod Salvage
United Kindgdom
James Blackwell is an awesome trumpet teacher. I am so glad I found him online. I played the trumpet in grammar school and high school and decided to take it up again after 35 years. The weekly lessons with James have totally accelerated my progress and success. I have stuck with it because of the success I am seeing. I am now playing out live with a band and the trumpet has added a nice dimension to the band. I have the confidence to play out live in front of large crowds and I owe all of that to James. Everything about my playing has improved. Whether you have short term or long terms goals for the trumpet, James is a phenomenal instructor. I love his passion for his student’s success and the time and effort he puts in for the weekly lessons. I would highly recommend him!
Tom Jarema
Chicago, IL
“I am an adult student who has returned to the trumpet after a significant layoff. I have not only had a great time during the lessons with James, but have left each lesson markedly improved; practicing is more satisfying after each session. His approach to instruction is holistic as well as concrete. He is a superb instructor.”
Mark Z.
“Amazing Trumpet Teacher! I've been studying with James for four of five months now and I can play better than a friend of mine who has been taking lessons for over a year. I’ve taken a few lessons before, and most of what was offered, I could just as easily have found on Youtube.
James has a completely unique style of teaching. Occasionally his exercises are incomprehensible to me, but a week after I practice them, I find myself greatly improved in embouchure and overall technique. I also tend to get easily bored, but James varies the exercises every week, which keeps things interesting.
He is also very flexible and easy to work with. He pushes you ahead, but not off the cliff. I would highly recommend him to beginners as well as advanced trumpet players. Every time I mention a contemporary trumpet player I like, James has played with him. You definitely get what you pay for, and James is worth every cent."
Matty L.
“My son started learning trumpet a year ago and James has been teaching him since then. He was willing to accept a beginner and very patient from the start. He teaches solid basics that help my son a great deal at his school band. And his lesson has never been boring! He has tons of musical anecdotes and love for music to share. Very punctual and always provide perfect settings to play. Can’t wish more.”
“Cont’d from above- one year after my son touched a trumpet for the first time in his life, he auditioned for the exclusive school jazz band and got in! This would never have happened without James, thank you!!!”
Haruko T.
“His insights into the problems I had both physically and mentally really helped me love playing again. After studying with him I won a full scholarship to grad school to play lead trumpet at U Oregon! Maybe I could have done this on my own, but James helped me get my chops together in a few months instead of years. Thank you James!”
Justin W.
“James is the greatest trumpet instructor I have ever had. He takes his time during lessons and is always making sure that you are understanding the material. I have been his student for almost 3 years now and he has been one of my best trumpet instructors ever. Take lessons with this amazing trumpet player. You will not regret it.”
Emilio G.
“James has been my trumpet teacher for a little while now, and I can truly say he is an outstanding instructor. We work on everything from warmups and lip slurs to soloing on specific songs that I’m playing in my jazz class at school. Prior to meeting James, I had no formal jazz knowledge, but since then, I can confidently say that both my improvising skill and ear training are improving vastly. James is also an easygoing guy and a straight up good trumpet player, and I couldn’t ask for more.”
Trevor T.
Join the Waitlist (I'll Email Ya ASAP)
Signup here to join the waitlist. You will receive an email to confirm your signup.
After confirmation, you’ll get a welcome email that you can reply to with any questions and your goals with private study.
u
1st Lesson
★★★★★
“
James was great at explaining some concepts I have been struggling with lately. Sometimes we just need to talk out the road blocks to better playing. He then prescribed an exercise for me to try to correct the bad habits. Just finished up my first set and feeling better about the situation already. Check out James Blackwell, great teacher and really great person!”
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Joel Burt
Improvisation Lesson
★★★★★
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We had a great session working on some strategies for developing a mind-to-horn connection to facilitate improvising. James was passionate about the concepts, and it was clear that it wasn't just a tool he gave to students – it's part of his practice as well. I can't wait to continue working on what I learned in this lesson.”
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Todd
Trumpet and Sleepwear
★★★★★
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I have taken lessons from James for 5 years. They have been the best designed and most effective instructional sessions, in any field of endeavor, I have ever experienced. When he abandoned me with his move to another state, it turns out I wasn't abandoned at all. I have now been advancing my skill set via Skype. The lessons are absolutely as vibrant and beneficial as those that were conducted in person. There is nothing that is lacking or compromised due to this format; in fact, for some reason, we seem to cover more territory now than previously. Don't ask me why. Anyway, if given a choice between the two approaches, I would take the Skype route. And being able to project myself as a deeply focused student, staring at James with devoted eyes via this medium, while all along lounging in boxer shorts, is no small satisfaction.”
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Mark
A great and beneficial session
★★★★★
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Jame's skype lesson was not only beneficial but delivered in a very friendly and supportive manner. Further the use of skype made it very easy for me to schedule a time to suited both of us. Thanks James; I am now just waiting for the year to start properly so that I can see my diary and then schedule some more sessions with you.”
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Andre
Excellent feedback
★★★★★
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If you are looking to improve your trumpet playing in anyway way, James is the guy! It is in my opinion that those teachers who have been through embouchure changes and then figured out how to apply basic fundamental playing ideas make the best trumpet teachers. James really knows what he is talking about as he has spent countless hours dissecting what it takes to be a great trumpet player. He is also a great listener and has a lot of empathy towards the many who struggle. I highly recommend James to anyone looking to improve their trumpet playing!”
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Jeff
7818018383
★★★★★
“
It didn't even take James 30 minutes to identify two key ways to improve my playing. One pertained to embouchure and the other to a type of exercise I had not yet included in my practice. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a quick fix. Both things required me to invest time in the practice room to reap benefits. But, even just a week later I was already noticing positive change. Now that the new approaches are integrated into my practice routine, I'm confident they'll continue to help me improve.”
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Austin Frakt
Comeback player
★★★★★
“
Great free session! I received excellent feed back from James on how to improve my playing. I definitely recommend getting in touch with James. Keep it going James.”
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Gaston
Embouchure help
★★★★★
“
I've known James a long time as a fantastic lead and jazz trumpeter, but it was only recently that I learned that he was a diligent student of that profoundest of enigmas: the trumpet embouchure. When I started having some difficulties with my set, I knew James would give me solid information to set me on a good path. In our discussions I've benefited from his unique blend of analysis, practicality, humor, and compassion. Each time he gives me plenty to think about and to explore, but he is never dogmatic about any of the advice he offers. I was previously skeptical of online lessons, so I was pleasantly surprised at the efficaciousness of the format! James knows what he's talking about, and if you've ever heard him play, you know he practices what he preaches!”
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Josh Aguiar
Take a lesson!
★★★★★
“
James knows his stuff, has some great chops, and is fun to talk to. Be sure to read his blog, too, it’s full of fantastic info.”
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Kurt
Very helpful!!!
★★★★★
“
I'm a freelance trumpet player myself. He has a lot of knowledge about trumpet playing and music in general! Very clear instructions. Highly recommend to everyone from beginner to advance players!”
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Ryo Sasaki
Great!
★★★★★
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I’m pretty new to playing the trumpet and James did a fantastic job coaching me on my embouchure, posture and airflow. I have been taking Skype lessons through another provider and that was fine for learning the basics. But since James has been playing for a gazillion years, I think he’ll be able to help me with some of the nuisances of playing. I haven’t pulled the trigger, but I will probably sign up for a five-lesson set.”
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Dan Westrum
Great!
★★★★★
“
I’m pretty new to playing the trumpet and James did a fantastic job coaching me on my embouchure, posture and airflow. I have been taking Skype lessons through another provider and that was fine for learning the basics. But since James has been playing for a gazillion years, I think he’ll be able to help me with some of the nuisances of playing. I haven’t pulled the trigger, but I will probably sign up for a five-lesson set.”
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Dan Westrum
Great job James!
★★★★★
“
As a 48 year old trumpet player I have never had a single lesson in my rich trumpet career – a year and a half long :). In a half an hour free lesson over Skype James helped me a lot to correct some fundamentals and now I'm practicing like never before. Definitly I will take some more lessons in a future.”
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Gojko
The best!
★★★★★
“
James rocks! He's given an old returning pro hope that I did know something once and that it's not just the bad habits that I remember. Thoughtful, patient and knowledgeable, James is an excellent teacher. Thanks, man. See you soon.”
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Tony Young
30-minute Assistance
★★★★★
“
I came prepared to discuss and demonstrate a few bad habits related to my embouchure. James was patient and willing to work with me through these, which I appreciate. In fact, he pointed out that the actual issue was something completely different than I'd anticipated! I'm fairly confident that implementing these changes will help me enjoy more progress in trumpeting!”
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Jacob
Skype Lessons
★★★★★
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I did a trial Skype lesson with James and I can say it was very helpful. James is a great teacher and his assessment and advice was spot on! Definitely going to move forward with some paid Skype lessons!”
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Tom J
Game changer
★★★★★
“
I’m going to try not to make this review sound like a puff piece, but it’s not going to be easy. My first lesson with James took place a week ago. I knew I was going to need an hour for our initial session so I offered to pay the full rate, but James threw in the free trial lesson anyway and only charged me half the hourly rate. I should mention that the first time I picked up a horn was about four years ago, when I was in my early sixties, and despite having teachers and practicing regularly, progress was frustratingly slow. My tone was breathy, my attacks were hit or miss, and there was this horrible double buzz that I could never really shake. It’s no exaggeration to say that since the hour that James spent with me on FaceTime, there’s been a dramatic change for the better. After listening and watching me play, James made some specific comments about my embouchure, and suggested exercises to facilitate the transition to a more compact and focused embouchure. For the first time ever, I can hear some sizzle in my sound and the breathiness is disappearing. James also explained the role of the glottis in regulating the breath, and how using the glottis doesn’t mean that you’re not free blowing. That was a eureka moment for me. I’d been obsessed with keeping everything open while playing, which just caused tension and overblowing, and subjected my throat to huge strain, not to mention blowing the lips apart. Now I feel more confident in my attacks and no longer wake up in the morning with a sore throat. Obviously it’s going to be a long road ahead, and bad habits are hard to get rid of. But now at least, thanks to James, I feel like I have a handle on things. James is an attentive and sympathetic listener. He seems to possess that rare knack of being able to zero in on the actual difficulties of the student and proposing concrete solutions. I look forward to many lessons in the future.”
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Jean Coté
Game changer
★★★★★
“
I’m going to try not to make this review sound like a puff piece, but it’s not going to be easy. My first lesson with James took place a week ago. I knew I was going to need an hour for our initial session so I offered to pay the full rate, but James threw in the free trial lesson anyway and only charged me half the hourly rate. I should mention that the first time I picked up a horn was about four years ago, when I was in my early sixties, and despite having teachers and practicing regularly, progress was frustratingly slow. My tone was breathy, my attacks were hit or miss, and there was this horrible double buzz that I could never really shake. It’s no exaggeration to say that since the hour that James spent with me on FaceTime, there’s been a dramatic change for the better. After listening and watching me play, James made some specific comments about my embouchure, and suggested exercises to facilitate the transition to a more compact and focused embouchure. For the first time ever, I can hear some sizzle in my sound and the breathiness is disappearing. James also explained the role of the glottis in regulating the breath, and how using the glottis doesn’t mean that you’re not free blowing. That was a eureka moment for me. I’d been obsessed with keeping everything open while playing, which just caused tension and overblowing, and subjected my throat to huge strain, not to mention blowing the lips apart. Now I feel more confident in my attacks and no longer wake up in the morning with a sore throat. Obviously it’s going to be a long road ahead, and bad habits are hard to get rid of. But now at least, thanks to James, I feel like I have a handle on things. James is an attentive and sympathetic listener. He seems to possess that rare knack of being able to zero in on the actual difficulties of the student and proposing concrete solutions. I look forward to many lessons in the future.”
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Jean Coté
From italy
★★★★★
“
Frankly I was skeptical about a web lesson using skype. I'm old fashioned. To my surprise it did work! James diagnosed my tone fairly quickly to then make some lips related suggestions. We then spoke about air, tongue and other known critical factors which I was anyway doing better. Definitely a knowledgeable trumpet teacher as he spoke about different approaches to brass playing. Will see him again and do recommend giving him a try !! Regards Riccardo”
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Riccardo
Fantastic Teacher
★★★★★
“
James is right on the money with everything. From the mechanics to the mental mindset, he has it going on and helped me get back on track. As a professional trumpet player, sometimes the workload makes it tough to practice effectively and perform efficiently, but James has the know how to make that journey easier for me. Thanks again for such a good lesson and hang.”
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Michael Brehm
Great trial lesson
★★★★★
“
Had a very productive trial lesson with James and will definitely be coming back for further lessons once i've worked through the exercises he's sending me”
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Chris Brookes-Hoy Ryan
Accelerate Your Progress
★★★★★
“
I'm two lessons in and I can say that James is an excellent instructor. I have accelerated my progress and I have learned more in two lessons than I have over several years. It's a master class on trumpet and I am glad I made the investment in myself and my trumpet playing.”
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Tom J
Great insights!
★★★★★
“
After watching me play for about two minutes, James gave me two specific and easily executable suggestions that immediately and radically increased my efficiency as a brass player. I have a teacher with whom I work well and like a lot; but I really benefited from James' fresh eye and perspective. I was amazed at how effectively he could observe and indeed diagnose via Skype.”
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Matthew Eichner
Greatest Teacher & Guide For Every Level"
★★★★★
“
"James really gives these online courses with great attention and provides immense feedback. He is a great listener, and will give you all the attention you need. I'm planning to take more courses from him, just because he will push your limits without causing any stress. He told me to play some notes, and being an absolute beginner I thought I couldn't, but his aura makes you accomplish things. It's an enormous opportunity to find such a good teacher online. Thanks James!”
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Elvin
Very Insightful!
★★★★★
“
James was very supportive and gave a lot of unique advice, and he was patient even when my Wi-Fi cut off.”
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Joseph
Old guy, Old dream
★★★★★
“
Ed Coyle ed@egcoyle.com Old guy, Old dream As I stated in my first message to James, I am 73. I’ve wanted to learn to play trumpet since I was 10 years old. So here I am with a borrowed cornet and wobbly lips. James appears to be a dedicated musician and a compulsive teacher. He is driven to share his knowledge with willing students regardless of the students skill level or long range goals, if there are any at all. During our short “free” lesson, he honed in on my needs when I could not state them clearly myself. He offered a bit of theory and a few spot on exercises that have allowed me to make immediate and rapid progress. His spontaneous and fluid conversational way of communicating allowed for a half dozen asides that were unintentional but valuable add-ons to the session. James, thanks again for you enthusiasm and skill as a musician and a teacher. Ed Coyle 6/11/2020”
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Ed Coyle
transatlantic trumpet skype lesson
★★★★★
“
I was thrilled with the lesson with James, .Such enthusiasm, with a rare ability to share skills without lecturing! He was also super organized with the global time zones and tech stuff, I came away feeling even more motivated, that I am going the right way to being capable on the horn, and he gently reinforced what to practise Thanks again.”
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Jane Curtis
Great Introduction to trumpet playing
★★★★★
“
By the time I came across James' online videos, I had already watched several hours worth of beginning instruction videos from various sources and was almost ready to give up. I just purchased a trumpet and, even though I knew that it is a difficult instrument to master, I realized that it would require much more work than I had imagined. However, it is not simply a matter of time spent practicing. Specifically, the correct embouchure is one of those things that will severely limit your ability to play unless you get it right at the beginning. I found that every instructor has a different method of teaching and that the instructions can usually be quite obscure. In other words, more often than not, you will watch someone who obviously plays well, but it is not apparent how he/she achieves that sound. I really liked the insightful, well explained and easy to understand nature of James' videos and got in touch with him for a free lesson which I ended up finding very useful. While my understanding of the correct embouchure improved during this short lesson, I know that it will take many more lessons and countless hours of practice to become somewhat more proficient on this instrument that I like very much. Therefore, I decided to continue taking lessons from James and I look forward to working with him along this path.”
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Victor Zekeriya
A great help
★★★★★
“
I took the 30min free lesson and I must say I’ve improved very quickly as a result. I had some serious blockages in understanding how to seal around the mouthpiece and was feeling extreme resistance in the air. I had passed the beginner happy phase and was hitting a plateau and frustration. The one advice that has helped so much is keeping my lips just touching as I breathe in – I have a habit of opening the entire mouth hole for that. The last week I’ve been hitting higher notes and am very pleased. Thanks James! Appreciated your target feedback.”
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Jacky – australia
Highly Recommend!
★★★★★
“
What a find! James is professional, on time, and a great teacher. My son has improved after just one lesson. Highly recommend to all trumpet players! Thank you James!”
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Cara
First ever trumpet lesson
★★★★★
“
As an absolute beginner, I was a bit nervous and didn’t know at all what to expect. No need to worry: James was super friendly and encouraging. He gave me just the amount of input I can process at this stage of my playing plus some tips for practice. The lesson was a real motivation booster, and my notes now start (mostly) when I want them to, not at some random point. Thank you, James!”
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Micha
Excellent lesson
★★★★★
“
James was a helpful, thoughtful, and clearly knowledgeable teacher during my free 30-minute lesson. I'm coming back to the horn after years of dealing with physical and mental issues around my playing, and James's ideas and strategies are working very well for me so far. James ran the lesson at a comfortable pace; I got a lot out of it, even in the short time we had. Do yourself a favor and take advantage of this offer.”
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Harlow
Trumpet Lesson
★★★★★
“
James is an excellent teacher. Everything explained clearly and straightforward. Very easy and likeable manner. Will be having more lessons soon.”
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Rod Salvage
Sax to Trumpet!
★★★★★
“
I'm a professional woodwind player who decided, against better judgment and advice, to pick up the trumpet. In all seriousness, the tips and tricks from James, plus his simple routine that he outlined, have been a great boon for me. I have a unique situation where my trumpet playing is far beyond my music vocabulary and theoretical knowledge, and he offered some great advice for getting started to bridge that gap. Definitely sign up for the initial lesson with James, check out his beginner videos, and sign up for monthly check-ins if you're already an experienced musician.”
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Ian
Thanks again for your time and help
★★★★★
“
I agree with what others have said, James is very personable and puts you at ease quickly. The suggestions he made have already helped my playing. What a nice guy, can't believe he does all this for free! Thanks James and best wishes, Mike McFarland”
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Michael M.