#Trombone notes and positions chart full#

No tools should ever be used to tighten a trombone bell lock. The bell lock should be screwed down to finger tightness. The angle between the slide and bell should be slightly less than 90 degrees. A graphite pencil can be scribbled on the inner tubing to provide light lubrication. The bell should go on smoothly if force is needed to get it on, lubrication may be needed.

With the left hand, place the bell section onto the receiver that is on the longer side of the slide. For beginning players, encourage them to hold the slide vertically with the rubber stopper on the bottom of the slide resting on the floor. The slide of the trombone should be held in the right hand at the slide brace. When not in use, the slide lock beneath the mouthpiece should always be locked.

Of greatest importance is making sure that the slide is always carefully handled, as even small dents can make it unusable and difficult to repair. The trombone is the only brass instrument requiring assembly for playing. The embouchure for the trombone is fairly forgiving, making the trombone a possible instrument for students with braces or other orthodontic issues. It is not uncommon for beginning trombonists not to be able to reach the outer positions. Especially when starting younger students, family height can be a consideration to identify if the student is likely to grow into the instrument. For the student who is small, there are grip extenders which can be added to the trombone to allow for reaching outer positions, but these are less than ideal as they change the way the instrument is handled, making it less ergonomic. Due to the length of the slide, students need to have long enough arms to reach the outer positions. Student size is a critical consideration for the trombone. Students who cannot orally match pitch frequently find difficulty in playing trombone. The trombonist is constantly adjusting their pitch to ensure that it is centered in tune. While pitches have fixed slide positions, these slide positions vary based on partials and environmental conditions. Due to the trombone slide, the trombone is capable of continuous pitch, requiring the player to listen carefully for intervals and their fellow musicians. Outstanding aural skills are critical for a trombonist. With that said, there are characteristics that make for a stronger beginning trombone player. With very few exceptions, any student can be an effective trombonist. It should be noted that the best instrument for a student is the instrument that the student wants to play. This instrument is most commonly used to allow euphonium players the opportunity to play in jazz ensembles which require the brighter, directional timbre of the trombone. The valve trombone is another variant, which replaces the slide with valves.

#Trombone notes and positions chart full#

Many tenor trombones and all bass trombones will have a trigger on them, located near the player’s left shoulder, which drops the instrument’s pitch by a perfect fourth to allow for alternate slide positions and full chromaticism through the instrument’s fundamental. The bass trombone is a relatively common instrument in jazz and concert bands, and the alto and contra-bass trombone can be found in some orchestral and solo literature. The standard school trombone today is the tenor trombone, but several variations exist. Collection of late Renaissance soprano, alto, and tenor sackbuts Originally, the sackbut and later trombone was viewed as a religious instrument due to its ability to perform chromatically as a double to voice parts in SATB settings. The trombone is unique in its use of a slide for pitch manipulation, making it the only standard wind instrument with a fully continuous range at the microtonal level. The instruments differ in some construction details, but in essence, the practice of the trombone has remained unchanged. The trombone’s origin is in the medieval sackbut, which developed from the trumpet.