Some may ask, “What could go wrong when fingering? You push the valves down and they come back up. Although this statement is very true, improper fingering or inadequate practice of fingering can lead to several playing faults. Here are a few bad habits and voids when practicing to improve your fingering I have observed through several decades as a trumpet teacher. 1. Valves go down too slow Many players equate slow tempi with slow valve action. WRONG! As Doc Severinsen has always stressed; “Bang the valves down at all times”. As Don “Jake” Jacoby always said, “Bang the valves…