INSTRUMENTIONARY.COM

The Trombone is an amazingly diverse brass instrument, with an exceptionally wide range and incredible volume. It is the simplest of the modern brass instruments, with no piston valves or buttons to press, but rather a simple slide that is used to modify the length of the pipe and change the fundamental frequency of the instrument. The player uses their lungs to force air through their lips, which are carefully placed on a mouthpiece that connects to the body of the Trombone. As with a trumpet, it is the vibration of the lips of the player which causes the sound signal to be generated, and the frequency of this sound is affected by modification of the pipe length.

Journey from Horn to Trombone:

It is possible to over blow a Trombone, to produce a sound that is higher in frequency than the fundamental tone. These overblown notes are akin to the harmonics on a guitar, as they represent notes that have a mathematical symmetry with fundamental frequency. The Trombone was developed as an evolution of the simplest brass instrument, the Horn. This is the same instrument that was the forebear of the trumpet, being a long brass tube which was played by blowing through the mouthpiece, and having the sound amplified down the length of the tube. The trick with the trombone is that it introduced the slide system, allowing rapid modification of the sound and playing of scales, rather than just one fundamental note coupled with overblown higher ones. Previously horns had been produced in a modifiable pitch, but this was done through disassembling the horn, and reassembling it with a different length of pipe.

Dim lights

Where it is played:

The Trombone has a significant place within many styles of music produced in the Twentieth Century. Military, jazz, swing and reggae bands have all incorporated the trombone to great effect. The importance of the trombone as a Solo instrument is often recognized in its use to play 'The Last Post' at Anzac Day Celebrations in New Zealand and Australia. Though traditionally a trumpet piece, the trombone ends itself to very emotive playing of the piece, a factor which is significant at a hallowed and sacrosanct ceremony such as the Dawn Parade.

Famous musicians:

Famous musicians known for the use of the Trombone include Oliver Gray, a Wellington Based Trombonist with emotive stylings, although a slightly egregious nature. Its use has also been employed by Aotearoa based 'The Black Seeds' on their European tours, giving their music a light breezy upstep character. Duke Ellington was also fond of the trombone, though he let this be overshadowed by his master of Trumpet, Louis Armstrong.

Trombone in the Orchestra:

Within a Classical sphere, the Trombone is used in an orchestral setting, but due to the plethora of instruments available in Orchestral Composition, it seldom takes a front chair, being relegated to the second or third row, to accompany the violin soloist.

Dim lights

Care of the Instrument:

Trombones need regular oiling to keep the slide functional. A sticking slide is difficult to operate, and can cause the musical performance to grind to a halt as the musician stops to place one foot on the end and deliver an almighty tug to the slide, in order to unstick the slide. Most performers tend to avoid instruments in this condition, preferring polished and shiny instruments that reflect sunlight all around the street in which they are basking. After all, a good performance needs to be an eye catching show.