Blowing a Shofar at night

Question

Is there anything wrong with blowing a Shofar at night:

1. on Rosh HaShanah for the Mitzvah (or just because one missed it and wants to hear it, eg., the person was ill)

2. on Rosh HaShanah for practice

3. during Elul for the Minhag of hearing it daily (eg., they missed it)

4. during Elul for practice

5. any time of the year for some communal purpose (a ceremony, wedding, demonstration, etc.)

6. any time of the year for some personal purpose (practice, musical enjoyment, musical trick - hey look what I can do, teaching others to blow or just about the Shofar/R"H generally, etc.)?

Note that the question isn't "Is anything to be gained?".

Answer 1

Regarding questions 1 and 2, the Rama rules (OC 596) that one should not blow the shofar unnecessarily on Rosh HaShana just like one avoids musical instruments on other Shabbatot and Yamim Tovim. So it would seem forbidden to blow for the sick person at night. The Magen Avraham there rules that one cannot practice on the first day in the afternoon for the second day as this constitutes forbidden preparation. From the fact that he does not prohibit it outright, we can see that one can practice blowing on a Rosh HaShana night for the following morning.

Regarding question 3 (and by extension I believe 4, 5, and 6) the Rama, when noting the custom to blow shofar each morning during Elul in OC 581:1, notes that some also had the custom to blow it each night as well after Maariv. So it seems such blowing would be permissible. (A friend of mine was in Switzerland for a day a week ago and at the shul he davened at they did just that: blew shofar after maariv!)