THE NEW SCHOOL

FOR JAZZ AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

INSTRUMENTAL PROFICIENCY
FOR TRUMPET
The placement criteria in this document describe the minimum skills required to meet basic instrumental
proficiency at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. All entering students are evaluated
based on these guidelines; the results will affect assignment of the private lesson instructor. Until these
skills are developed the student will work towards mastering them with an assigned teacher deemed
most appropriate to the individuals needs. When these skills have been mastered, the student will be
allowed to choose an instructor with whom he /she wants to study, dependent on approval by the
students advisor.

The New School for Jazz and Contem porary Music

55 W est 13 th Street, 6 th Floor
New York, NY 10011
212.229.5896 x 4589

PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS
ALL MELODIC AND CHORDAL INSTRUMENTS

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

All major scales

All minor scales (natural, harmonic, ascending melodic)
All (2) whole-tone scales
Pentatonic scales
Blues scales
All diminished scales
Chromatic scales
Bebop scales (ionian add #5; mixolydian add Maj.7; melodic minor add #5; mixolydian b2 b6 add Maj. 7; dorian add
Maj.7; locrian add Maj.7)

*All of the above scales in 15 keys (7 sharp keys, 7 flat keys and the key of C)
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.

All dom 7th, min 7th, maj 7th, half dim 7th, dim 7th (and inversions)
Dominant 7th arpeggios chromatically
II-V progression arpeggiated from the root
II-V pattern chromatically
II-V pattern moving up in minor thirds
Flat 5 substitutes in all keys
Scale fragments (i.e. 1231/1235/1b761/1b765) play in cycles of 5ths, chromatically, minor 3rds, etc.
Scale fragments also applied to II-V progression
Scale fragments combined in the cycle of 5ths

It is in the best interest of students and teachers to apply all of these scales and methods to practical applications of
performance.
Repertoire
1. Play basic blues in all keys (i.e. Bags Groove, Blues in the Closet, Buzzy, Bluebird, Nows The Time, Cool Blues,
Straight No Chaser, and other melodies).
2. Play Rhythm changes at least three keys.
3. Memorize three jazz standards, other than the blues, which are of a complex nature, i.e. Donna Lee, Confirmation, etc.
4. Be able to play with other musicians, keeping consistent time, keeping track of song form, and interacting.
Practice
1. Student is shown practice techniques.
2. Student is shown how to organize his/her materials.

ADDITIONAL TRUMPET PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS

Technique
A Scales
Scale Studies: (example with scale degrees) 1231, 3213, 12345, 54321, 1235, 5321, etc. in scale degree sequence
1. Ability to think about and perform any exercises based on the major scale in any key.
2. Ability to perform major scales starting on any degree within one octave. This will teach about the 7 modes found
within the major scale.
B Chord Studies
(example with scale degrees) 135, 531, 1353, 5313, 1357 2468; 7531 8642, etc.
1. Ability to perform the chord parts of any chord progression in tempo (choose a song, set a tempo)
2. Student should be able to perform all the roots, 3rds, 5ths, and 7ths of each chord at the given tempo.
C Flexibilities/Technique
1. Basic improvement of technical areas pertaining to the brass instrument.
2. For brass: slurring-lip flexibilities studies based on the overtone series, in all 7 positions of the instrument (trumpet &
trombone)
3. Tonguing studies using the basic subdivision chart of: whole note, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, etc. adding in
uneven subdivisions (3, 5, 7)
D Rhythmic Knowledge
1. Improvement of reading problems found in the reading of jazz rhythms, note groups, and jazz melodies, including
syncopation.
Melodies/Repertoire
Learn the melodies of at least four jazz blues songs, play them in all keys.
Creativity
1. Knowledge of how to think as a jazz musician
2. Improvisation and building of creativity studies, exercising of creative abilities
3. Understanding the jazz repertory
4. Projection of emotion