These two fingers will support the trumpet's weight. Then take your middle and index finger and wrap them around the third valve casing. Start with the ring finger of your left hand and place it inside the slide ring of the third valve. How To Hold The Trumpet Left-hand placement If you forget, write the fingering back in. Play through the passage a few more times slowly and see if you remember the fingering. Once you feel comfortable (usually after three times through the passage), erase the written fingering. Practice the passage slowly so your fingers can get a feel for the passage. Take a pencil and write the fingering under the note. When you encounter a note you don't know look at your fingering chart.

Once you have the basics, go to real music and try to play through a passage.

This will help you get comfortable with fingerings in a given key. I've always found it helpful to start to learn fingering through scales. The trumpet is like most brass instruments in that you use valves to change pitch. It can be helpful to have a fingering chart when you are beginning a new instrument.

E flat trumpet