Trombone Presentation

By: Taylor Matthews, Darrell Branaman, Olivia Woolard, and Emily

Arndt
 Trombone Family
The trombone that we all know is the
tenor trombone
The other common instruments in the
trombone family are the bass, alto, and
valve trombones
The distinctive feature of the trombone
family is the players need to physically
lengthen and shorten the instrument with
the slide
The ability to manipulate the slide in an
infinite number of positions allows
trombonists to theoretically have perfect
intonation
How to Properly Hold the Trombone
The left hand holds the weight of the
instrument
Place the thumb around the bell brace
Point the index finger up to the
mouthpiece
Wrap the other three fingers comfortably
around
The right hand moves the slide
Hold the slide with the thumb and index
and middle fingers
No finger should touch the lower tube of
the slide
Trombone Embouchure

Lips should be together

The jaw drops down and slightly
out in a comfortable manner
without tension
The chin is not bunched
The corners are firm
There should not be excessive
mouthpiece pressure, especially on
the upper lip
Special Issue: Legato Playing
Trombones, because of their unique slide,
have a special issue regarding slurs and
legato playing
To avoid the glissando that inevitably
happens when a trombonist changes
positions without tonguing, trombonists
must learn to legato tongue
To play in a legato style, trombonists must:
Maintain continuous airflow
Move the slide quickly and precisely between
notes in exact rhythm
Use the light articulation syllables doe, daw,
noe, or naw
Maintaining the Trombone
The trombone should be cleaned
periodically, which can be done in a
bathtub
Fill the bath with warm water
Disassemble the instrument
Soak all parts
Use a flexible snake brush to clean the
inner parts of the slide
Dry everything and relubricate
It is also important to lubricate the
main slide and tuning slides using oil,
silicone cream, or Slide-O-Mix
History of the Trombone
15th - 17th Century

SACKBUT
History of the Trombone
1700s - Present

MODERN TROMBONE
- Bigger bell
- Greater volume
- Greater range

Never look at the trombones...it only encourages them. - Richard Strauss

_________
Trombone Variants
COMMON types:
Tenor Trombone in Bb
Bass Trombone in Bb

OTHER types
Piccolo/Sopranino trombone
Alto Trombone
Valve Trombone
Contrabass Trombone
 Trombone Repertoire (Beginner/Elementary)
Grade 1

Hot Taco by Tanner

At the Ball by Buchtel

Grade 2

Emerald by Vandercook
Devotion by Clarke, E

Grade 3

Jupiter by Buchtel
Victoria by Cimera
 Trombone Repertoire (Elementary cont.)
Grade 4

Suite by Beach
Lyric Interlude by Johnson

Grade 5

Concerto by Graefe
Thoughts of Love by Pryor
 Trombone Repertoire (cont)
Intermediate (Middle School)

Attack of the Slide Trombones by Mike Hannickel

Les Rameaux by Rubert King
Jingle Bones by Mathew Story
The Holy City by Rubank

More difficult (High School)

Blue Bells of Scotland by Arthur Pryor

Andante et Allegro by Barat
Mozart Sonatina Arr. by Ernst
Sonata Vox Gabrieli by Sulek
 Trombone Repertoire (Cont.)
Collegiate-Professional (audition music)

Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner

Bolero by Ravel
Bernstein West side Story by Bernstein
Tuba Mirum (from Requiem) by Mozart
Famous Trombone Players
Joseph Alessi (1959-present)
Current principal trombonist in the New York Philharmonic
Orchestra
Clinician, teacher, recording artist
J. J. Johnson (1924-2001)
Benny Carters Band, Count Bassies Orchestra, Dizzy
Gillespies band
Played alongside Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins
Worked as a blueprint inspector for two years in the middle
of his career (1952-1954)

Jay Friedman (1939-present)

Principal of the Chicago Symphony
Member since 1962 and principal since 1964
Degree in composition