How to Begin to Play the Trombone

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The trombone has a very sonorous sound. The instrument was assigned to play thrilling countermelodies in the marches of John Philip Sousa. Four or five trombones are used in the low brass section of Big Band jazz ensembles.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

  • Music Stands
  • Trombone Cases
  • Trombone Mouthpieces
  • Trombone Slide Oil
  • Trombones
  • Sheet Music
  • The Trombone Album CD

Step1
Locate a music stand and an area where practice will be uninterrupted and not bother the family.
Step2
Pretend that you have a small piece of paper on the end of your tongue. Now spit it off. Let the air continue through your lips.
Step3
Do the same thing again, keeping your lips close together; produce a long "buzz."
Step4
Take the trombone's mouthpiece by the tube. Put the larger end in the center of your closed lips. Center your lips both vertically and horizontally.
Step5
Do the "spit-buzz" exercise into the mouthpiece. Sustain the "buzz" for 3 seconds.
Step6
Assemble the slide and bell portion of the trombone so that the two parts have an L-shaped, 90-degree relationship.
Step7
Hold the trombone with your left hand bearing most of the weight of the instrument.
Step8
Place the small end of the mouthpiece into the lead pipe of the slide section with a very light twisting motion.
Step9
Produce long and steady tones using the "spit-buzz" exercise.

Tips & Warnings

  • Center the placement of the lips on the mouthpiece using medium pressure without squeezing.
  • Blow a steady stream of air pressure playing medium register notes.
  • Maintain good posture. Breathe deeply and support the tone with your diaphragm.
  • Avoid hitting or "popping" the mouthpiece with the palm of your hand. Removal is expensive. Do not use pliers to remove it if it gets stuck.
  • Keep your cheeks flat. "Puffed cheeks" will hinder the development of a good embouchure.

Comments

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on 12/20/2006 Practice breathing. Try breathing in air for 10 counts, holding it for 5, and then gently relax the air out for 15 counts, then pushing air out of your diaphragm for a remaining 5 counts. Rest about 10 counts and repeat 10-15 times. This is good for breath support, and should be done daily.

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on 3/6/2006 When playing, use more air to produce a clearer sound. Use your stomach muscles to push the air into the instrument.

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on 1/6/2006 The best thing for me, when it comes to warming up, is first buzzing on my mouthpiece and then playing long notes as I go up a scale. First I do this slow, and then I go faster and faster with all the other scales, until I am playing each notes as a sixteenth note. After I have done this, I usually slow it back down until I am playing each note as a whole note.

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on 11/22/2005 Practice regular lip slurs (changing the lip position without tounguing or without moving your slide). Eg: middle F up to Bb up to D and back down again.
Over time increase range and do a combination of slide and lip movements. Eg: middle E up to G up to B and back down again

Anonymous

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on 12/23/2005 When warming up on your trombone, try to do lip slurs. A lip slur is playing all of the notes at a certain position (for example: B flat, F, High B flat, D) by changing the way your lips are set and the speed of your air. This will help your technique and tone.

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eHow Article:  How to Begin to Play the Trombone

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