Trombone

Trombone

A tenor trombone
Brass instrument
Classification	Wind Brass Aerophone
Hornbostel–Sachs classification	423.22 (Slidingaerophonesounded by lip vibration)
Developed	Originated mid 15th century,sackbutin English until the early 18th century.
Playing range
Range of the tenor trombone. Ranges marked "F" are only possible with anF attachment;low B is only possible if the tuning slide of the F attachment is pulled out to E. For other trombones, see§ Types.
Related instruments
Sackbut Buccin Trumpet Bass Trumpet Cimbasso
Musicians
List of classical trombonists List of jazz trombonists

Thetrombone(German:Posaune,Italian, French:trombone) is amusical instrumentin thebrass family.As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause theair column inside the instrument to vibrate.Nearly all trombones use a telescoping slide mechanism to alter thepitchinstead of thevalvesused by other brass instruments. Thevalve tromboneis an exception, using three valves similar to those on atrumpet,and thesuperbonehas valves and a slide.

The word "trombone" derives from Italiantromba(trumpet) and-one(a suffix meaning "large" ), so the name means "large trumpet". The trombone has a predominantly cylindrical bore like thetrumpet,in contrast to the more conical brass instruments like thecornet,theflugelhorn,thebaritone,and theeuphonium.The most frequently encountered trombones are thetenor tromboneandbass trombone.These are treated asnon-transposing instruments,reading at concert pitch in bass clef, with higher notes sometimes being notated in tenor clef. They are pitched in B♭, an octave below the B♭ trumpet and an octave above the B♭ basstuba.The once common E♭alto trombonebecame less common as improvements in technique extended the upper range of the tenor, but it is regaining popularity for its lighter sonority. In British brass-band music the tenor trombone is treated as a B♭transposing instrument,written in treble clef, and the alto trombone is written at concert pitch, usually in alto clef.

A person who plays the trombone is called a trombonist or trombone player.

History

Etymology

"Trombone" comes from theItalianwordtromba(trumpet) plus the suffix-one(large), meaning "large trumpet".

During the Renaissance, the equivalent English term was "sackbut".The word first appears in court records in 1495 as"shakbusshe"."Shakbusshe"is similar to"sacabuche",attested inSpainas early as 1478. The French equivalent "saqueboute"appears in 1466.

The German "Posaune"long predates the invention of the slide and could refer to a natural trumpet as late as the early fifteenth century.

Origin

See also:Sackbut

Renaissance era tenor sackbut (replica by Frank Tomes, London)

The sackbut appeared in the 15th century and was used extensively across Europe, declining in most places by the mid to late 17th century. It was used in outdoor events, in concert, and in liturgical settings. Its principal role was as thecontratenorpart in a dance band.It was also used, along withshawms,in bands sponsored by towns and courts. Trumpeters and trombonists were employed in German city-states to stand watchin the city towersand herald the arrival of important people to the city, an activity that signified wealth and strength in 16th-century German cities. These heralding trombonists were often viewed separately from the more skilled trombonists who played in groups such as thealta capellawind ensembles and the first orchestral ensembles, which performed in religious settings such asSt Mark's BasilicainVenicein the early 17th century.The 17th-century trombone had slightly smaller dimensions than a modern trombone, with a bell that was more conical and less flared. Modernperiod performersuse the term "sackbut" to distinguish this earlier version of the trombone from the modern instrument.

Composers who wrote for trombone during this period includeClaudio Monteverdi,Heinrich Schütz,Giovanni Gabrieliand his uncleAndrea Gabrieli.The trombone doubled voice parts in sacred works, but there are also solo pieces written for trombone in the early 17th century.

When the sackbut returned to common use in England in the 18th century, Italian music was so influential that the instrument became known by its Italian name, "trombone".Its name remained constant in Italy (trombone) and in Germany (Posaune).

During the later Baroque period,Johann Sebastian BachandGeorge Frideric Handelused trombones on a few occasions. Bach called for atromba di tirarsi,which may have been a form of the closely relatedslide trumpet,to double thecantus firmusin some liturgicalcantatas.He also employed a choir of four trombones to double the chorus in three of his cantatas (BWV 2,BWV 21andBWV 38),and used three trombones and a cornett in the cantataBWV 25.Handel used it inSamson,inIsrael in Egypt,and in theDeath MarchfromSaul.All were examples of anoratoriostyle popular during the early 18th century. Score notations are rare because only a few professional "Stadtpfeiffer" oralta cappellamusicians were available. Handel, for instance, had to import trombones to England from a Royal court in Hanover, Germany, to perform one of his larger compositions.Because of the relative scarcity of trombones, their solo parts were generally interchangeable with other instruments.

Classical period

The construction of the trombone did not change very much between the Baroque and Classical period, but the bell became slightly more flared.Christoph Willibald Gluckwas the first major composer to use the trombone in an opera overture, in the operaAlceste(1767). He also used it in the operasOrfeo ed Euridice,Iphigénie en Tauride(1779), andEcho et Narcisse.

Early Classical composers occasionally included concertante movements with alto trombone as a solo instrument indivertimentiandserenades;these movements are often extracted from the multi-movement works and performed as standalone alto trombone concerti. Examples include the Serenade in E♭ (1755) byLeopold Mozartand Divertimento in D major (1764)byMichael Haydn.The earliest known independent trombone concerto is probably the Concerto for Alto Trombone and Strings in B♭ (1769)byJohann Georg Albrechtsberger.

Mozartused the trombone in operas (notably in scenes featuring the Commendatore inDon Giovanni) and in sacred music. The prominent solo part in theTuba Mirumsection of hisRequiembecame a staple audition piece for the instrument. Aside from solo parts, Mozart's orchestration usually features a trio of alto, tenor and bass trombones, doubling the respective voices in the choir. The earliest known symphony featuring a trombone section is Symphony in C minor byAnton Zimmermann.The date is uncertain but it is most probably from the peak of the composer's activity in the 1770s. The earliest confident date for introducing the trombone to the symphony is therefore Zimmermann's death in 1781.

Transition to Romantic period

Symphony in E♭ (1807) by Swedish composerJoachim Nicolas Eggertfeatures an independent trombone part.Ludwig van Beethovenis sometimes mistakenly credited with the trombone's introduction into the orchestra, having used it shortly afterwards in hisSymphony No. 5 in C minor(1808),Symphony No. 6 in F major ( "Pastoral" ),andSymphony No. 9 ( "Choral" ).

Romantic period

19th-century orchestras

Trombones were included in operas, symphonies, and other compositions byFelix Mendelssohn,Hector Berlioz,Franz Berwald,Charles Gounod,Franz Liszt,Gioacchino Rossini,Franz Schubert,Robert Schumann,Giuseppe Verdi,andRichard Wagner,and others.

The trombone trio was combined with one or twocornettsduring the Renaissance and early Baroque periods. The replacement of cornetts with oboes and clarinets did not change the trombone's role as a support to the alto, tenor, and bass voices of the chorus (usually in ecclesiastical settings), whose moving harmonic lines were more difficult to pick out than the melodic soprano line. The introduction of trombones into the orchestra allied them more closely with trumpets, and soon a tenor trombone replaced the alto. The Germans and Austrians kept alto trombone somewhat longer than the French, who preferred a section of three tenor trombones until after theSecond World War.In other countries, the trio of two tenor trombones and one bass became standard by about the mid-19th century.

Trombonists were employed less by court orchestras and cathedrals, who had been providing the instruments. Military musicians were provided with instruments, and instruments like the long F or E♭ bass trombone remained in military use until around theFirst World War.Orchestral musicians adopted the tenor trombone, as it could generally play any of the three trombone parts in orchestral scores.

Valve trombones in the mid-19th century did little to alter the make-up of the orchestral trombone section. While its use declined in German and French orchestras, the valve trombone remained popular in some countries, including Italy andBohemia,almost to the exclusion of the slide instrument. Composers such as Giuseppe Verdi,Giacomo Puccini,Bedřich Smetana,andAntonín Dvořákscored for a valve trombone section.

As theophicleideor the tuba was added to the orchestra during the 19th century, bass trombone parts were scored in a higher register than previously.The bass trombone regained some independence in the early 20th century. Experiments with the trombone section included Richard Wagner's addition of acontrabass tromboneinDer Ring des Nibelungenand Gustav Mahler's and Richard Strauss' addition of a second bass trombone to the usual trio of two tenors and one bass. The majority of orchestral works are still scored for the usual mid- to late-19th-century low brass section of two tenor trombones, one bass trombone, and one tuba.

19th-century wind bands

Wind bands began during the French Revolution of 1791 and have always included trombones. They became more established in the 19th century and included circus bands, military bands, brass bands (primarily in the UK), and town bands (primarily in the US). Some of these, especially military bands in Europe, used rear-facing trombones with the bell pointing behind the player's left shoulder. These bands played a limited repertoire that consisted mainly of orchestral transcriptions, arrangements of popular and patriotic tunes, and feature pieces for soloists (usually cornetists, singers, and violinists). A notable work for wind band is Berlioz's 1840Grande symphonie funèbre et triomphale,which uses a trombone solo for the entire second movement. Toward the end of the 19th century, trombone virtuosi began appearing as soloists in American wind bands.Arthur Pryor,who played with theJohn Philip Sousaband and formed his own band, was one of the most famous of these trombonists.

19th-century pedagogy

In the Romantic era,Leipzigbecame a center of trombone pedagogy, and the instrument was taught at theMusikhochschulefounded byFelix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.TheParis Conservatoryand its yearly exhibition also contributed to trombone education. At the Leipzig academy, Mendelssohn's bass trombonist,Karl Traugott Queisser,was the first in a long line of distinguished professors of the trombone. Several composers wrote works for Queisser, including Mendelssohn's concertmasterFerdinand David,Ernst Sachse, andFriedrich August Belcke.David wrote hisConcertino for Trombone and Orchestrain 1837, and Sachse's solo works remain popular in Germany. Queisser championed and popularizedChristian Friedrich Sattler's tenor-bass trombone during the 1840s, leading to its widespread use in orchestras throughout Germany and Austria.

19th-century construction

Sattler had a great influence on trombone design, introducing a significantly larger bore (the most important innovation since the Renaissance),Schlangenverzierungen(snake decorations), the bell garland, and the wide bell flare. These features were widely copied during the 19th century and are still found on German made trombones.

The trombone was improved in the 19th century with the addition of "stockings" at the end of the inner slide to reduce friction, the development of the water key to expel condensation from the horn, and the occasional addition ofa valvethat was designed to be set in a single position but later became the modern F-valve. The valve trombone appeared around the 1850s shortly after the invention of valves, and was in common use in Italy and Austria in the second half of the century.

Twentieth century

Newsboy Military Band Member with Trombone, Toledo, Ohio

20th-century orchestras

In the20th centurythe trombone maintained its important place in the orchestra in works byBéla Bartók,Alban Berg,Leonard Bernstein,Benjamin Britten,Aaron Copland,Edward Elgar,George Gershwin,Gustav Holst,Leos Janacek,Gustav Mahler,Olivier Messiaen,Darius Milhaud,Carl Nielsen,Sergei Prokofiev,Sergei Rachmaninoff,Maurice Ravel,Ottorino Respighi,Arnold Schoenberg,Dmitri Shostakovich,Jean Sibelius,Richard Strauss,Igor Stravinsky,Ralph Vaughan Williams,Heitor Villa-Lobos,andWilliam Walton.

With the rise of recorded music and music schools, orchestral trombone sections around the world began to have a more consistent idea of a standard trombone sound. In the 1940s, British orchestras abandoned the use of small bore tenors and G basses in favor of the American/German choice of large bore tenors and B♭ basses. French orchestras did the same in the 1960s.

20th-century wind bands

During the first half of the 20th century the popularity of touring and community concert bands in the United States decreased. At the same time, the development of music education in the public school system made high-school and university concert bands and marching bands ubiquitous. A typical concert band trombone section consists of two tenor trombones and one bass trombone, but using multiple players per part is common practice, especially in public-school settings.

Use in jazz

Further information:List of jazz trombonists

In the 1900s the trombone and the tuba played bass lines and outlined chords to support improvisation by the higher-pitched instruments. It began to be used as a solo instrument during the swing era of the mid-1920s.Jack TeagardenandJ. J. Johnsonwere early trombone soloists.

20th-century construction

The trombone's construction changed in the 20th century. Different materials were used, mouthpiece, bore, and bell dimensions increased, and different mutes and valves were developed. Despite the overall trend towards larger bore instruments, many European trombone makers prefer a slightly smaller bore than their American counterparts.

One of the most significant changes was the development of the F-attachment trigger. Through the mid-20th century there was no need for orchestral trombonists to use instruments with the F attachment trigger. As contemporary composers such as Mahler began to write lower passages for the trombone, the trigger became necessary.

Contemporary use

The trombone can be found in symphony orchestras, concert bands,big bands,marching bands, military bands, brass bands, and brass choirs. In chamber music, it is used in brass quintets, quartets, and trios, and also in trombone trios, quartets, or choirs. The size of a trombone choir can vary from five or six to twenty or more members. Trombones are also common in swing, jazz, merengue, salsa, R&B,ska,and New Orleans brass bands.

Construction

Basic trombone anatomy

tuning slide counterweight mouthpiece slide lock ring bell knob/bumper water key/spit valve main slide second slide brace/stay first slide brace/stay bell lock nut

The trombone is a predominantly cylindrical tube with two U-shaped bends and a flared bell at the end. The tubing is approximately cylindrical but contains a complex series of tapers which affect the instrument's intonation. As with otherbrass instruments,sound is produced by blowing air through pursed lips producing a vibration that creates astanding wavein the instrument.

The detachable cup-shapedmouthpieceis similar to that of thebaritone hornand closely related to that of thetrumpet.It has aventuri:a small constriction of the air column that adds resistance, greatly affecting the tone of the instrument. The slide section consists of aleadpipe,inner and outer slide tubes, and bracing, or "stays". The soldered stays on modern instruments replaced the loose stays found onsackbuts(medieval precursors to trombones).

The most distinctive feature of the trombone is the slide that lengthens the tubing and lowers the pitch (cf.valve trombone). During theRenaissance,sleeves (called "stockings" ) were developed to decrease friction that would impede the slide's motion. These were soldered onto the ends of the inner slide tubes to slightly increase their diameter. The ends of inner slides on modern instruments are manufactured with a slightly larger diameter to achieve the same end. This part of the slide must be lubricated frequently. The slide section is connected to the bell section by the neckpipe and a U-bend called the bell or back bow. The joint connecting the slide and bell sections has a threaded collar to secure the connection. Prior to the early 20th century this connection was made with friction joints alone.

Trombones have a short tuning slide in the U-shaped bend between the neckpipe and the bell, a feature designed by the French maker François Riedlocker in the early 19th century. It was incorporated into French and British designs, and later to German and American models, although German trombones were built without tuning slides well into the 20th century. Many types of trombone also include one or morerotary valvesconnected to additional tubing which lengthens the instrument. This extends the low range of the instrument and creates the option of using alternate slide positions for many notes.

Like the trumpet, the trombone is considered a cylindrical bore instrument since it has extensive sections of tubing that are of unchanging diameter (the slide section must be cylindrical in order to function). Tenor trombones typically have a bore of 0.450 inches (11.4 mm) (small bore) to 0.547 inches (13.9 mm) (large ororchestralbore) after the leadpipe and through the slide. The bore expands through the bow to the bell, which is typically between7 and8+1⁄2inches (18 and 22 cm). A number of common variations on trombone construction are noted below.

Bells

Trombone bells (and sometimes slides) may be constructed of differentbrassmixtures. The most common material is yellow brass (70% copper, 30% zinc), but other materials include rose brass (85% copper, 15% zinc) and red brass (90% copper, 10% zinc). Some manufacturers offer interchangeable bells. Tenor trombone bells are usually between 7 and 9 in (18–23 cm) in diameter, with most being between7+1⁄2and8+1⁄2in (19–22 cm). The smallest sizes are found on jazz trombones and older narrow-bore instruments, while the larger sizes are common on orchestral models. Bass trombone bells can be10+1⁄2in (27 cm) or more, with most being between9+1⁄2and 10 in (24 and 25 cm). The bell may be made from two separate brass sheets or from one single piece of metal, hammered on a mandrel to shape it. The edge of the bell may be finished with or without a piece of bell wire to secure it, which also affects the tone quality; most bells are built with bell wire. Occasionally, trombone bells are made from solidsterling silver.

Valve attachments

For trombones with three or more (usually piston) valves instead of a slide, seevalve trombone.

Trombone with F attachment slide position second harmonics.

Modern trombones often have a valve attachment, an extra loop of tubing attached to the bell section and engaged by avalveoperated by the left hand by means of alever or trigger.The valve attachment aids in increasing the lower range of the instrument, while also allowing alternate slide positions for difficult music passages. A valve can also maketrillseasier.

Tenor trombone with a traditional wrap F attachment

The valve attachment was originally developed by German instrument makerChristian Friedrich Sattlerin the late 1830s for theTenorbaßposaune(lit. 'tenor-bass trombone'), a B♭ tenor trombone built with the wider bore and larger bell of a bass trombone that Sattler had earlier invented in 1821. Sattler's valve attachment added about 3 feet (0.9 m) of tubing to lower the fundamental pitch from B♭ to F, controlled by a rotary valve, and is essentially unchanged in modern instruments.

Valve attachments are most commonly found on tenor and bass trombones, but they can appear on sizes from soprano to contrabass.

Soprano

In the early 2010s Torbjörn Hultmark of theRoyal College of Musiccommissioned the first soprano trombone in B♭ with an F valve, built by Thein Brass.

Alto

Although rare on the E♭alto trombone, a valve attachment usually lowers the instrument a perfect fourth into B♭,providing the first five or six positions from the tenor trombone slide. Some alto models have what is called atrill valve,providing a small loop of tubing that lowers the instrument by only a minor or major second, into D or D♭ respectively.

Tenor

Tenor trombones, especially the larger bore symphonic models, commonly have a valve attachment which lowers the instrument from B♭to F.

It provides access to the otherwise missing notes between thepedalB♭₁in first position, and the second partial E₂in seventh, as well as providing alternate slide positions for other notes in long (sixth and seventh) positions. Because the attachment tubing increases the length of the overall instrument by one-third, the distances between slide positions must also be one-third longer when the valve is engaged, resulting in only six positions available on the F slide, to low C₂.Thus, the F attachment cannot provide the low B♮₁,but it usually has a sufficiently long tuning slide to lower it into E as required, which will provide B♮₁in a very long position.

Tenor trombones without a valve are sometimes known asstraighttrombones.

Bass

Further information:Bass trombone § Construction

The modern bass trombone usually has two valve attachments to provide all of the notes that are absent on an instrument with no valves (B♮₁– E₂). This allows the player to produce a completechromatic rangeupwards from the pedal register.

The first valve is an F attachment the same as that found on a tenor trombone and extends the range down to C₂.The second valve, engaged together with the first, lowers the instrument to D (or less commonly, E♭) and provides the low B₁.The second valve can bedependent,where it serves to lower the F attachment to D and has no effect alone. More commonly the second valve isindependent,where it can be engaged separately to lower the instrument to G♭, or to D when both are engaged.

Single-valve B♭ bass trombones with an F attachment are still made but are now less common than two-valve bass trombones. They are essentially very large bore tenor trombones, and likewise cannot provide the low B♮₁without lowering the valve to E with a long tuning slide.

Contrabass

Further information:Contrabass trombone § Construction

Contrabass trombones in F typically have two independent valves, tuned either to C and D♭ combining to A, or in European models tuned to D and B♭ combining to A♭. Contrabass trombones in low B♭ usually have only one valve in F, although Miraphone make a model in C with two independent valves in G and A♭, which combine to E.

Valve types

See also:Axial flow valveandHagmann valve

Trombone valve attachments. Standard rotary valve,left;Thayeraxial flow valve,center;Hagmann valve,right.

The most common type of valve seen for valve attachments is therotary valve,appearing on most band instruments, as well as most student and intermediate model trombones. Many improvements of the rotary valve, as well as entirely new and radically different valve designs, have been invented since the mid 20th century to give the trombone a more open, free sound than the tight bends in conventional rotary valve designs would allow. Many of these new valve designs have been widely adopted by players, especially in symphony orchestras. The Thayeraxial flow valveis offered on professional models from most trombone manufacturers, and theHagmann valveparticularly from European manufacturers.

Some trombones have threepistonorrotaryvalves instead of a slide; seevalve trombone.

Tubing

F attachment tubing: open wrap,left;traditional wrap,right.

F attachmenttubing usually has a larger bore through the attachment than through the rest of the instrument. A typical slide bore for an orchestral tenor trombone is 0.547 in (13.9 mm) while the bore in the attachment is 0.562 in (14.3 mm). The attachment tubing also incorporates a tuning slide to tune the valve separately from the rest of the instrument, usually long enough to lower the pitch by a semitone when fully extended (from F to E on tenor and bass trombones, to reach the missing low B₁).

Originally, valve attachment tubing was always coiled tightly to keep within the bell section (closed wraportraditional wrap). In the early 1980s, American instrument manufacturers began producing instruments withopen wrap,first conceived by Californian instrument technician Larry Minick, around the same time that theThayer valvebegan to emerge among orchestral players.Open wrap F attachment tubing is shaped in a single loop free of tight bends, resulting in a freer response and more "open" sound through the valve.

In marching bands and other situations where the trombone may be more prone to damage, the confined traditional wrap is more common, since open wrap tubing protrudes behind the bell section.

Tuning

In-slide tuning on a Conn 70H bass trombone

Some trombones are tuned using a mechanism in the slide section instead of a tuning slide in the bell section. Having the tuning slide in the bell section (the more typical setup) requires two sections of cylindrical tubing in an otherwise conical part of the instrument, which affects the tone quality. Placing the tuning mechanism in the cylindrical slide section allows the bell section to remain conical.

Slides

Common and popular bore sizes for trombone slides are 0.500, 0.508, 0.525 and 0.547 in (12.7, 12.9, 13.3 and 13.9 mm) for tenor trombones, and 0.562 in (14.3 mm) for bass trombones. The slide may also be built with adual-boreconfiguration, in which the bore of the second leg of the slide is slightly larger than the bore of the first leg, producing a stepwise conical effect. The most common dual-bore combinations are 0.481–0.491 in (12.2–12.5 mm), 0.500–0.508 in (12.7–12.9 mm), 0.508–0.525 in (12.9–13.3 mm), 0.525–0.547 in (13.3–13.9 mm), 0.547–0.562 in (13.9–14.3 mm) for tenor trombones, and 0.562–0.578 in (14.3–14.7 mm) for bass trombones.

Mouthpiece

A tenor trombone mouthpiece

The mouthpiece is a separate part of the trombone and can be interchanged between similarly sized trombones from different manufacturers. Available mouthpieces for trombone (as with all brass instruments) vary in material composition, length, diameter, rim shape, cup depth, throat entrance, venturi aperture, venturi profile, outside design and other factors. Variations in mouthpiece construction affect the individual player's ability to make a lip seal and produce a reliable tone, thetimbreof that tone, itsvolume,the instrument'sintonationtendencies, the player's subjective level of comfort, and the instrument's playability in a given pitch range.

Mouthpiece selection is a highly personal decision. Thus, a symphonic trombonist might prefer a mouthpiece with a deeper cup and sharper inner rim shape in order to produce a rich symphonic tone quality, while ajazztrombonist might choose a shallower cup for brighter tone and easier production of higher notes. Further, for certain compositions, these choices between two such performers could easily be reversed. Some mouthpiece makers now offer mouthpieces that feature removable rims, cups, and shanks allowing players to further customize and adjust their mouthpieces to their preference.

Plastic

Quartet with plastic trombones

Instruments made mostly from plastic, including the pBone and the Tromba plastic trombone, emerged in the 2010s as a cheaper and more robust alternative to brass.Plastic instruments could come in almost any colour but the sound plastic instruments produce is different from that of brass. While originally seen as a gimmick, these plastic models have found increasing popularity of the last decade and are now viewed as practice tools that make for more convenient travel as well as a cheaper option for beginning players not wishing to invest so much money in a trombone right away. Manufacturers now produce large-bore models with triggers as well as smaller alto models.

Regional variations

Germany and Austria

Kruspe Virtuosa tenor trombone bell withkranz(wreath)

German trombones have been built in a wide variety of bore and bell sizes. The traditional GermanKonzertposaunecan differ substantially from American designs in many aspects. The mouthpiece is typically rather small and is placed into a slide section with a very long leadpipe of at least 12 to 24 inches (30–60 cm). The whole instrument is typically made of gold brass. They are constructed using very thin metal (especially in the bell section), and many have a metal ring called akranz(lit. 'wreath') on the rim of the bell. Their sound is very even across dynamic levels but it can be difficult to play at louder volumes.While their bore sizes were considered large in the 19th century, German trombones have altered very little over the last 150 years and are now typically somewhat smaller than their American counterparts. Bell sizes remain very large in all sizes of German trombone and a bass trombone bell may exceed 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter.

Valve attachments in tenor and bass trombones were first seen in the mid 19th century, originally on the tenor B♭trombone. Before 1850, bass trombone parts were mostly played on a slightly longer F-bass trombone (a fourth lower). The first valve was simply a fourth-valve, or in German "Quart-ventil", built onto a B♭tenor trombone, to allow playing in low F. This valve was first built without a return spring, and was only intended to set the instrument in B♭or F for extended passages.Since the mid-20th century, modern instruments use a trigger to engage the valve while playing.

Tuning slide of a trombone with a traditionalSchlangenverzierungensnake ornament, by Thein Brass

As with other traditional German and Austrian brass instruments, rotary valves are used to the exclusion of almost all other types of valve, even in valve trombones. Other features often found on German trombones include longwater keysas well asSchlangenverzierungen(snake decorations) on the slide and bell U-bows to help protect the tubing from damage.

Since around 1925, when jazz music became popular, Germany has been selling "American trombones" as well. Most trombones made and/or played in Germany today, especially by amateurs, are built in the American fashion, as those are much more widely available, and thus far cheaper. However, some higher-end manufacturers such as Thein make modern iterations of the classic GermanKonzertposaune,as well as American-style trombones with German features like thekranzand snake decorations.

France

French trombones were built in the very smallest bore sizes up to the end of theSecond World Warand whilst other sizes were made there, the French usually preferred the tenor trombone to any other size. French music, therefore, usually employed a section of three tenor trombones up to the mid–20th century. Tenor trombones produced in France during the 19th and early 20th centuries featured bore sizes of around 0.450 in (11.4 mm), small bells of not more than 6 in (15 cm) in diameter, as well as a funnel-shaped mouthpiece slightly larger than that of thecornetorhorn.French tenor trombones were built in both C and B♭, altos in D♭, sopranos in F, piccolos in B♭, basses in G and E♭, and contrabasses in B♭.

Types

The most frequently encountered types of trombone today are thetenorandbass,though as with many other instrument families such as theclarinet,the trombone has been built in sizes frompiccolotocontrabass.Although trombones are usually constructed with a slide to change the pitch,valve trombonesinstead use the set of three valves common on other brass instruments.

Slide trombones

Trombones (toptobottom):piccoloin B♭,sopranoin B♭,altoin E♭,tenorin B♭,bassin B♭ with F and G♭ valves,contrabassin F with D and B♭ valves.

Contrabass trombone

Main article:Contrabass trombone

The contrabass trombone is the lowest trombone, first appearing in BB♭ an octave below the tenor with a double slide. This design was commissioned byWagnerin the 1870s for hisDer Ring des Nibelungenopera cycle. Since the late 20th century however, it has largely been supplanted by a less cumbersome single-slide bass-contrabass instrument pitched in 12' F. With two valve attachments to provide the same full range as its predecessor, this design is effectively a modern bass trombone built down aperfect fourth.Although the contrabass has only appeared occasionally in orchestral repertoire and is not a permanent member of the modern orchestra, it has enjoyed a revival in the 21st century, particularly in film and video game soundtracks.

Bass trombone

Main article:Bass trombone

Although early instruments were pitched in G, F or E♭ below the tenor trombone, the modern bass trombone is pitched in the same B♭as the tenor but with a wider bore, a larger bell, and a larger mouthpiece. These features facilitate playing in the lower register of the instrument. Modern bass trombones have valves that allow a fully chromatic range down to the pedal register (B♭₁). In Britain, the bass trombone in G was used in orchestras from the mid-19th century and survived into the 1950s, particularly inBritish brass bands.

Tenor trombone

The tenor trombone has afundamentalnoteof B♭and is usually treated as anon-transposing instrument(see below). Tenor trombones with C as their fundamental note were almost equally popular in the mid-19th century in Britain and France. As the trombone in its simplest form has neither crooks, valves nor keys to lower the pitch by a specific interval, trombonists use seven chromaticslide positions.Each position progressively increases the length of the air column, thus lowering the pitch.

Extending the slide from one position to the next lowers the pitch by onesemitone.Thus, each note in theharmonic seriescan be lowered by anintervalof up to atritone.The lowest note of the standard instrument is therefore an E♮– a tritone below B♭.Most experienced trombonists can play lower "falset"notes and much lower pedal notes (first partials or fundamentals, which have a peculiar metallic rumbling sound). Slide positions are subject to adjustment, compensating for imperfections in the tuning of different harmonics. The fifth partial is rather flat on most trombones and usually requires a minute shortening of the slide position to compensate; other small adjustments are also normally required throughout the range. Trombonists make frequent use of alternate positions to minimize slide movement in rapid passages; for instance,B♭₃may be played in first or fifth position. Alternate positions are also needed to allow a player to produce aglissandoto or from a higher note on the same partial.

While the lowest note of the tenor trombone's range (excluding fundamentals or pedal notes) is E₂,the trombone's upper range is theoretically open-ended. The practical top of the range is sometimes considered to be F₅,or more conservatively D₅.The range of the C tenor trombone is F♯₂to G₅.

Alto trombone

Main article:Alto trombone

Thealto tromboneis smaller than the tenor trombone and almost always pitched in E♭ a fourth higher than the tenor, although examples pitched in F are occasionally found. Modern instruments are sometimes fitted with a valve to lower the pitch, either by a semitone to D (known as a "trill" valve), or by a fourth into B♭. The alto trombone was commonly used in the 16th to the 18th centuries inchurch musicto strengthen the alto voice, particularly in theMass.Early 19th century composers such asBeethoven,Brahms,andSchumannbegan writing for alto trombone in theirsymphonies,but the subsequent use and popularity of tenor trombones in the orchestra largely eclipsed their use until a modern revival that began in the late 20th century.

Soprano trombone

Main article:Soprano trombone

Thesoprano tromboneis usually pitched in B♭an octave above the tenor, and has seldom been used since its first known appearance in 1677 outside of trombone choirs inMoravian Church music.Built with mouthpiece, bore and bell dimensions similar to the B♭trumpet,it tends to be played by trumpet players. During the 20th century some soprano trombones—dubbedslide cornets—were made as novelties or for use by jazz players includingLouis ArmstrongandDizzy Gillespie.A small number of contemporary proponents of the instrument include jazz artistsWycliffe GordonandChristian Scott,and classical trumpeter Torbjörn Hultmark, who advocates for its use as an instrument for young children to learn music.

Sopranino and piccolo trombones

Main article:Soprano trombone § Sopranino and piccolo trombones

The sopranino and piccolo trombones appeared in the 1950s as novelty instruments, and are even smaller and higher than the soprano. They are pitched in high E♭and B♭respectively, one octave above the alto and soprano trombones. Owing to being essentially a slide variant of thepiccolo trumpet,they are played primarily by trumpet players.

Trombones with valves

Valve trombone

Valve (tenor) trombone in B♭

Main article:Valve trombone

In the 19th century as soon asbrass instrument valveswere invented, trombones with valves instead of slides were adopted widely in orchestras, and remain popular in some parts of Europe and inmilitary bands.

Cimbasso

Main article:Cimbasso

A modern cimbasso in F

The cimbasso covers the same range as atubaor acontrabass trombone.The termcimbassofirst appeared in early 19th centuryItalian operascores, and originally referred to anupright serpentor anophicleide.The modern cimbasso first appeared as thetrombone basso Verdiin the 1880s and has three to sixpistonorrotary valvesand a predominantly cylindricalbore.They are most often pitched in 12' F, although models are available in E♭ and occasionally 16' C and 18' B♭. The cimbasso is most commonly used in performances of lateRomanticItalian operas byVerdiandPuccini,but has also experienced a 21st-century revival in film, television and video game soundtracks.

Superbone

Main article:Superbone

Holton TR-395 Superbone

A hybrid, "duplex" or "double" trombone is a design of trombone that has both a slide and a set of three valves for altering the pitch. It has been reinvented several times since first appearing in the 19th century byBesson,and laterConn.Jazz trombonist and machinistBrad Gowansinvented his "valide trombone"in the 1940s with a short four-position slide. In the 1970sMaynard FergusonandHoltonproduced the "Superbone", very similar to the earlier Conn. In 2013 Schagerl in collaboration withJames Morrisonannounced a larger bore variant with rotary valves.

Flugabone

Flugabone in B♭ by Olds

The "flugabone" (or sometimes "flugelbone" ), portmanteau of "flugelhorn"and" trombone ", also known as the" marching trombone ", is amarching brassinstrument, essentially avalve trombonewrapped into a compact flugelhorn shape.It retains thecylindrical boreof the trombone, rather than the conical bore of either theflugelhornorbugle,and thus is similar in playing characteristics to avalve trombone.A similar marching trombone is the "trombonium"first produced byKing Musical Instruments,wrapped and held vertically like aeuphonium.

Other variants

Sackbut

Alto, tenor and bass sackbuts,Museu de la Música de Barcelona

Main article:Sackbut

The term "sackbut" refers to the early forms of the trombone commonly used during theRenaissanceandBaroqueeras, with a characteristically smaller, more cylindrically proportionedbore,and a less-flaredbell.

Buccin

Bell of a buccin, Museu de la Música de Barcelona

Main article:Buccin

A distinctive form of tenor trombone was popularized in France in the early 19th century. Called thebuccin,it featured a tenor trombone slide and a bell that ended in a zoomorphic (serpent or dragon) head. It sounds like a cross between a trombone and aFrench horn,with a very wide dynamic range but a limited and variable range of pitch.Hector Berliozwrote for the buccin in hisMesse solennelleof 1824.

Tromboon

Aportmanteauof "trombone" and "bassoon", the "tromboon" was created by musical parodistPeter Schickeleby replacing a trombone'smouthpiecewith thereedandbocalof abassoon.It appears in several humorous works of Schickele's fictional composer,P. D. Q. Bach.

Technique

Basic slide positions

Slide position chart (new system); most trombones are tenor trombones, like the valveless one in the middle.

The modern system has seven chromaticslide positionson a tenor trombone in B♭.It was first described by Andre Braun circa 1795.

In 1811 Joseph Fröhlich wrote on the differences between the modern system and an old system where four diatonic slide positions were used and the trombone was usually keyed to A.To compare between the two styles the chart below may be helpful (take note for example, in the old system contemporary 1st-position was considered "drawn past" then current 1st).In the modern system, each successive position outward (approximately3+1⁄4inches [8 cm]) will produce a note which is onesemitonelower when played in the samepartial.Tightening and loosening the lips will allow the player to "bend" the note up or down by a semitone without changing position, so a slightly out-of-position slide may be compensated for by ear.

New system	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Old system	–	1	–	2	–	3	4

Partials and intonation

Trombone first position harmonic series, "where additional overtones may be used to stretch the upper range a bit higher."

Trombone seventh position harmonic series.

As with all brass instruments, progressive tightening of the lips and increased air pressure allow the player to move to differentpartialin theharmonic series.In the first position (also called closed position) on a B♭ trombone, the notes in the harmonic series begin with B♭₂(one octave higher than the pedal B♭₁), F₃(aperfect fifthhigher than the previous partial), B♭₃(aperfect fourthhigher), D₄(amajor thirdhigher), and F₄(aminor thirdhigher).

F₄marks the sixth partial, or the fifth overtone. Notes on the next partial, for example A♭₄(a minor third higher) in first position, tend to be out of tune in regards to the twelve-toneequal temperamentscale. A♭₄in particular, which is at the seventh partial (sixth overtone) is nearly always 31 cents, or about one third of a semitone, flat of the minor seventh. On the slide trombone, such deviations fromintonationare corrected for by slightly adjusting the slide or by using an alternate position.Although much of Western music has adopted the even-tempered scale, it has been the practice in Germany and Austria to play these notes in position, where they will havejust intonation(seeharmonic seventhas well for A♭₄).

The next higher partials—B♭₄(amajor secondhigher), C₅(a major second higher), D₅(a major second higher)—do not require much adjustment for even-tempered intonation, but E♭₅(aminor secondhigher) is almost exactly aquarter tonehigher than it would be in twelve-tone equal temperament. E♭₅and F₅(a major second higher) at the next partial are very high notes; a very skilled player with a highly developedfacial musculatureanddiaphragmcan go even higher to G₅,A♭₅,B♭₅and beyond.

Trombone with F attachment slide position second harmonics.

The higher in the harmonic series any two successive notes are, the closer they tend to be (as evidenced by the progressively smaller intervals noted above). A byproduct of this is the relatively few motions needed to move between notes in the higher ranges of the trombone. In the lower range, significant movement of the slide is required between positions, which becomes more exaggerated on lower pitched trombones, but for higher notes the player need only use the first four positions of the slide since the partials are closer together, allowing higher notes in alternate positions. As an example, F₄(at the bottom of the treble clef) may be played in first, fourth or sixth position on a B♭ trombone. The note E₁(or the lowest E on a standard 88-key piano keyboard) is the lowest attainable note on a 9-foot (2.7 m) B♭ tenor trombone, requiring a full 7 feet 4 inches (2.24 m) of tubing. On trombones without an F attachment, there is a gap between B♭₁(the fundamental in first position) and E₂(the first harmonic in seventh position). Skilled players can produce "falset"notes between these, but the sound is relatively weak and not usually used in performance. The addition of an F attachment allows for intermediate notes to be played with more clarity.

Pedal tones

Trombone slide position "pedal tones".

The B♭pedal toneis frequently seen in commercial scoring but much less often in symphonic music, while notes below that are called for only rarely as they "become increasingly difficult to produce and insecure in quality" with A♭ or G being the bottom limit for most tenor trombonists.The trombone's tubing is largely cylindrical, which inhibits the production of the fundamental as a pedal tone pitch. Instead, trombonists use the higher harmonics of the instrument to produce pedal tones, giving them a bright and hollow tone quality.Some contemporary orchestral writing, movie or video game scoring, trombone ensemble and solo works will call for notes as low as a pedal C, B, or even double pedal B♭ on the bass trombone.

Glissando

The trombone is one of the few wind instruments that can produce a trueglissando,by moving the slide without interrupting the airflow or sound production. Every pitch in a glissando must have the same harmonic number, and a tritone is the largest interval that can be performed as a glissando.

The trombone glissando can create remarkable effects, and it is used in jazz and popular music, as in the famous song "The Stripper"by David Rose and his orchestra.

'Harmonic', 'inverted', 'broken' or 'false' glissandos are those that cross one or more harmonic series, requiring a simulated or faked glissando effect.

Trills

Trills,though generally simple with valves, are difficult on the slide trombone. Trills tend to be easiest and most effective higher in the harmonic series because the distance between notes is much smaller and slide movement is minimal. For example, a trill on B♭₃/C₄is virtually impossible as the slide must move two positions (either 1st-to-3rd or 5th-to-3rd), however at an octave higher (B♭₄/C₅) the notes can both be achieved in 1st position as a lip trill. Thus, the most convincing trills tend to be above the first octave and a half of the tenor'srange.Trills are most commonly found in early Baroque and Classical music for the trombone as a means of ornamentation, however, some more modern pieces will call for trills as well.

Notation

Unlike most other brass instruments in an orchestral setting, the trombone is not usually considered atransposing instrument.Prior to the invention of valve systems, most brass instruments were limited to playing one overtone series at a time; altering the pitch of the instrument required manually replacing a section of tubing (called a "crook") or picking up an instrument of different length. Their parts were transposed according to which crook or length-of-instrument they used at any given time, so that a particular note on the staff always corresponded to a particular partial on the instrument. Trombones, on the other hand, have used slides since their inception. As such, they have always been fully chromatic, so no such tradition took hold, and trombone parts have always been notated at concert pitch (with one exception, discussed below). Also, it was quite common for trombones to double choir parts; reading in concert pitch meant there was no need for dedicated trombone parts. Note that while the fundamental sounding pitch (slide fully retracted) has remained quite consistent, the conceptual pitch of trombones has changed since their origin (e.g.Baroque A tenor = modern B-flat tenor).

Trombone parts are typically notated inbass clef,though sometimes also written intenor cleforalto clef.The use of alto clef is usually confined to orchestral first trombone parts, with the second trombone part written in tenor clef and the third (bass) part in bass clef. As the alto trombone declined in popularity during the 19th century, this practice was gradually abandoned and first trombone parts came to be notated in the tenor or bass clef. Some Russian and Eastern European composers wrote first and second tenor trombone parts on one alto clef staff (the GermanRobert Schumannwas the first to do this). Examples of this practice are evident in scores by Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitri Shostakovich. Trombone parts in band music are nearly exclusively notated in bass clef. The rare exceptions are in contemporary works intended for high-level wind bands.

An accomplished performer today is expected to be proficient in reading parts notated in bass clef, tenor clef, alto clef, and (more rarely) treble clef in C, with the British brass-band performer expected to handle treble clef in B♭ as well.

Mutes

A plunger in use

A variety ofmutescan be used with the trombone to alter itstimbre.Many are held in place with the use of cork grips, including the straight, cup, harmon and pixie mutes. Some fit over the bell, like the bucket mute. In addition to this, mutes can be held in front of the bell and moved to cover more or less area for awah-waheffect. Mutes used in this way include the "hat" (a metal mute shaped like a bowler hat) and plunger (which looks like, and often is, the rubber suction cup from a sink ortoilet plunger). The "wah-wah" sound of a trombone with a harmon mute is featured as the voices of adults in thePeanutscartoons.

Didactics

Several makers have begun to market compact B♭/C trombones that are especially well suited for young children learning to play the trombone who cannot reach the outer slide positions of full-length instruments. The fundamental note of the unenhanced length is C, but the short valved attachment that puts the instrument in B♭ isopenwhen the trigger isnotdepressed. While such instruments have no seventh slide position, C and B natural may be comfortably accessed on the first and second positions by using the trigger. A similar design ( "Preacher model" ) was marketed byC.G. Connin the 1920s, also under theWurlitzerlabel. Currently, B♭/C trombones are available from many manufacturers, including German makers Günter Frost, Thein and Helmut Voigt, as well as theYamaha Corporation.

Manufacturers

Trombones in slide and valve configuration have been made by a vast array of musical instrument manufacturers. For the brass bands of the late 19th and early 20th century, prominent American manufacturers included Graves and Sons, E. G. Wright and Company,Boston Musical Instrument Company,E. A. Couturier,H. N. White Company/King Musical Instruments,J. W. York,andC.G. Conn.In the 21st century, leading mainstream manufacturers of trombones includeBach,Conn,Courtois, Edwards,Getzen,Jupiter,King,Rath,Schilke, S.E. Shires, Thein, Wessex, Willson andYamaha.

See also

• Aequale
• Shout band– Style of Gospel musicPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Trombone repertoire– Set of available musical works for trombone

Further reading

• Adey, Christopher (1998).Orchestral Performance.London: Faber & Faber.ISBN0-571-17724-7.
• Baines, Anthony (1980).Brass Instruments: Their History and Development.London: Faber & Faber.ISBN0-571-11571-3.
• Bate, Philip (1978).The Trumpet and Trombone.London: Ernest Benn.ISBN0-510-36413-6.
• Blatter, Alfred (1997).Instrumentation and Orchestration.Belmont: Schirmer.ISBN0-534-25187-0.
• Blüme, Friedrich, ed. (1962).Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Kassel: Bärenreiter.
• Carter, Stewart (2011).The Trombone in the Renaissance: A History in Pictures and Documents.Bucina: The Historic Brass Society Series. Hillsdale, N.Y.: Pendragon Press.ISBN978-1-57647-206-4.
• Del Mar, Norman (1983).Anatomy of the Orchestra.London: Faber & Faber.ISBN0-520-05062-2.
• Gregory, Robin (1973).The Trombone: The Instrument and its Music.London: Faber & Faber.ISBN0-571-08816-3.
• Guion, David (1988).The Trombone: Its History and Music, 1697–1811.Gordon and Breach.ISBN2-88124-211-1.
• Guion, David M. (2010).A History of the Trombone.Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press.ISBN9780810874459.
• Herbert, Trevor; Wallace, John, eds. (1997).The Cambridge Companion to Brass Instruments.Cambridge Companions to Music.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN0-521-56522-7.
• Herbert, Trevor (2006).The Trombone.New Haven: Yale University Press.ISBN978-0-300235-75-3.
• Kunitz, Hans (1959).Die Instrumentation: Teil 8 Posaune.Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel.ISBN3-7330-0009-9.This source is now considered unreliable.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: postscript (link)
• Lavignac, Albert,ed. (1927).Encyclopédie de la musique et Dictionnaire du Conservatoire.Paris: Delagrave.
• Maxted, George (1970).Talking about the Trombone.London: John Baker.ISBN0-212-98360-1.
• Montagu, Jeremy (1979).The World of Baroque & Classical Musical Instruments.New York: The Overlook Press.ISBN0-87951-089-7.
• Montagu, Jeremy (1976).The World of Medieval & Renaissance Musical Instruments.New York: The Overlook Press.ISBN0-87951-045-5.
• Montagu, Jeremy (1981).The World of Romantic & Modern Musical Instruments.London: David & Charles.ISBN0-7153-7994-1.
• Sadie, Stanley;Tyrrell, John,eds. (2001). "Trombone".The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians(2nd ed.). London:Macmillan Publishers.ISBN978-1-56159-239-5.‎
• Wick, Denis (1984).Trombone Technique.Oxford: Oxford University Press.ISBN0-19-322378-3.
• Yeo, Douglas(2021).An Illustrated Dictionary for the Modern Trombone, Tuba, and Euphonium Player.Dictionaries for the Modern Musician. Illustrator: Lennie Peterson. Lanham:Rowman & Littlefield.ISBN978-1-538-15966-8.LCCN2021020757.OCLC1249799159.OL34132790M.WikidataQ111040546.

External links

• "Trombone".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 27 (11th ed.). 1911.
• International Trombone Association
• Online Trombone Journal
• British Trombone Society
• Trombone History Timelineby Will Kimball, Professor of Trombone at Brigham Young University
• Acoustics of Brass Instrumentsfrom Music Acoustics at the University of New South Wales
• Sources for the Prescribed Sheet Music for the ABRSM practical exams
• Two Frequencies Trombone
• NPR story about trombone bands(2003)
• Overview of trombones on the MIMO (Musical Instrument Museums Online) portal
• Merriam Webster

Slide positions

• Christian E. Waage (2009)."Slide Position Chart",YeoDoug.com
• Antonio J. García. (1997)."Choosing Alternate Positions for Bebop Lines",GarciaMusic.com.