Trombone Mythbuster
Another “Just for fun”–The trombone Mythbuster and its revisit:
The revisit:
Trombone Flame Thrower
Another in the “Just for fun” category: a trombone flame thrower. And a family man too!
Just for Fun
Decided to add a “Just for fun” blog category. Here’s a clip of someone soloing over New Soul with the iBone app. Lookout, Guitar Hero!
Trombone Players Wanted
There are still 1 or 2 trombone openings for the BYU Summerfest. Ages 14-18. Daily master classes, orchestra, band, jazz, choir, theory. Scholarships for all-state trombonists!
Jazz Trombone History
Added 3 new items to the Trombone History Timeline, all from the 20th century and all pertaining to jazz. They are photographs that include trombones in groups headed by W. C. Handy and Duke Ellington, as well as a photo of the “King & Carter Jazzing Orchestra” of Houston, Texas. One of the sources is an extensive set of photographs called the “American Memory” collection of the Library of Congress; the collection includes more than 160,000 photos of America from the Great Depression to World War II.
Mystery Trombone Image
I have encountered many interesting images that include trombones while compiling the Trombone History Timeline. The 17th century, in particular, seems to be full of artwork that includes trombones–oil paintings, frescoes on church ceilings and castle walls, engravings, carvings, manuscript title pages, festival books, etc. However, one of the more intriguing images that I have not been able to trace historically is this engraving from Dover’s Music, A Pictoral Archive of Woodcuts & Engravings: 841 Copyright-free Illustrations for Artists & Designers (compiled by Jim Harter; New York: Dover, 1980). No artist or source for the image is given, and the picture doesn’t seem to be used in any of the common trombone history books or articles.
The picture includes a trombone (possibly an alto trombone) performing in a small wind ensemble accompanying a puppet show. It appears to be an old image. However, in speaking with a university art professor, it was not clear whether the picture was an authentic 17th or 18th century work, or a more recent image simply designed to look old. If you happen to have any information or documentation about it, let me know!
Improving Tone on Trombone
There are 3 “non-negotiables” in trombone playing: 1) tone, 2) intonation, and 3) time/rhythm. If a player is in good shape in all 3 of these areas, chances of success in almost any performance, audition, or competition are high.
Tone, of course, is the first of these priorities. Without good tone, nothing else you can do really counts. Below are some suggestions for improving tone and attending to this highest of priorities.
1) Ideal Tone–Be sure to have a clear ideal sound in your head. Listen to great recordings and live performances. If you have no real idea how you would like to sound, your chances of ending up with great tone are pretty low. For recordings, I recommend Joseph Alessi. Flood your brain with good sound!
2) Air–Feed the sound with lots of air. Air is the equivalent of bow technique for strings. Relax, take in a little more air than you think you need, and exhale that air freely as you play (don’t try to meter the air with your chops). Generally speaking, most people simply don’t use enough air to give their tone a full, robust quality.
3) Small or Nasal Tone–The most common tone problem for beginning and intermediate trombonists is a small, nasal sound. To move toward a thicker, more robust tone, relax in general, use less “squeeze” in your lips, and try opening up the aperture (the hole in the embouchure) a little more. The problem of squeezing the embouchure too much is common even in college players. If you’ve ever heard a tuba player play a few notes on trombone, for example, the sound is beautiful! This is because they have a more relaxed approach to embouchure and they’re in the habit of using more air than trombonists generally are. In fact, I often recommend that my college students who are trying to get a bigger, thicker sound take a semester of tuba lessons. It really helps! Let your chops, particularly the middle of your lips, be as “floppy” and free to vibrate as possible.
4) Fuzzy or Airy Tone–The problem of fuzzy or airy tone is sometimes the result of not warming up or of basic fatigue. However, if you notice that you still have fuzz in your sound even when you’re warmed up and not fatigued, I recommend mouthpiece buzzing or “free” buzzing (buzzing without the mouthpiece). Orthodontic braces often cause extreme airy sound, and I heartily recommend buzzing to improve tone problems associated with braces. Excessively puffing your cheeks and/or bunching up your chin can also lead to airy tone.
5) Mouthpiece Pressure–Many of us use too much mouthpiece pressure, which can stifle tone. Every trombonist gets a little bit of a ring around their embouchure when they play; however, if you notice a deep red ring after only a few minutes of playing, you’re probably using too much pressure. All you need is enough to make a seal. Using too much pressure keeps vibration from freely occurring, stifles the sound, and often causes endurance problems. Also check pressure of the top vs. the bottom lip. With some players, this balance can really affect overall tone.
6) Tension–Too much overall physical tension can really affect tone. This is one of the biggest problems in loud playing for many trombonists–we get excited and intense, and we let that lead to physical tension, which leads to a “blatty” loud sound. See how relaxed you can be in general when you practice and perform. More than likely, the more relaxed you get, the thicker and freer your sound will be. When you’re practicing, if your sound is not good on a passage, relax, take a big breath, and try it again!
7) Priority–Finally, as I mentioned earlier, tone has to be a big priority. It’s at the very top of the list! If you’re practicing and you get the right notes and rhythms on a passage but the tone is bad, go back and get it with good tone. It doesn’t count unless it’s with good tone!