Archive for the ‘Technique’ Category

Trombone Warm Up: Intermediate Level Excerpts

“The Intermediate Trombonist” by Brad Edwards is an excellent book for structured warm up, and a routine requiring only a short time commitment. As well, the range is built very gradually throughout the sequential studies. In my view this allows a student to build technique building blocks without creating bad habits in trying to play too high before they are ready.

The categories outlined are: Daily 6 Minute Warm Up; Pattern-Building; Lyrical Legato; Varied Articulation; and, Simple Tunes. It is designed as a 26 unit study, which would include each of these categories for each practice session.

Below are samples that you may find valuable to include in your warm up from the Lyrical Legato, Varied Articulation, and Simple Tunes categories from Unit 1.

Please feel free to comment if you have questions, or feedback to share.

I wish you the best in your trombone warm up practice!

Trombone Fundamentals:

Michael Kris, Low Brass Instructor and Professor at UNC continues to be a mentor for me. This playlist features his material, including fundamental information about air, slurring, and articulation. As well, he provides guidance about introductory skills like how to hold the trombone, and to develop initial sound concept.

Please feel free to comment if you have questions, or other feedback. I wish you the best in your low brass journey!

This video addresses thoughts on tonguing as air-driven, as opposed to muscle / tongue-driven. As well, at the end of the video, I share my views on the “basics” as being fundamental, rather than some conventional views that might say that “basic” is a synonym for “easy.”

As always, these are just my thoughts, and fully realize that this is not the “only” way. But, it is “a” way that I find interesting, and perhaps at least could spark some interesting thoughts in thinking about both tonguing, and the basics. Cheers.

Check out this great video of Bill Watrous playing, “Nancy with the Laughing Face.” It blows my mind how smooth he sounds, and has everything to do with his slide technique.

Watch how fast he arrives on each note playing the melody. The next ingredient is what “warms it up.” He then applies his wonderful, individualistic slide vibrato, and back lightning fast to the next note.

The personnel is stellar, and offer a profound performance. Enjoy!

Television performance in 1976

Bill Watrous, trombone
Chick Corea, piano
Ron Carter, bass
Bill Cobham, drums

Trombone Lessons and Brass Technique

Three Embouchure Types: Trombone Lessons Reference

David Wilken is an innovative and passionate music educator and trombonist.  He specializes in brass pedagogy, and offers this informative introductory 6 part video series.

This post is intended for students and teachers regarding trombone lessons, as well as reference for all brass embouchure studies.

Areas that watching the videos in this post can help are non-responsive or quiver in embouchure; ceiling in high or low range; lack of flexibility; and, stuffy tone in specific registers.

I may have a different opinion now about what is fundamental vs. effect than when I first posted this video series. That said, I think it is quite valuable to look at actual examples with the see through mouthpieces to observe how the embouchure is used in practice. I admire David’s careful thought in this area, and opens a very interesting topic for future discussion among brass players.

Please let us know if you have thoughts or insights to share regarding this post.  Enjoy!

Looking for a trombone player that is very soulful, and can also tastefully “shred” the chord changes?  Can this same player also be a great composer and arranger?  Slide Hampton is that trombone player.

Slide Hampton is a tremendous innovator on the trombone in technique and musicality with varied influences ranging from J.J. Johnson to John Coltrane.

Feel free to click on the videos below to watch and listen to Slide’s masterful playing and arranging:

Slide Hampton’s blues solo from Dizzy Gillespie’s 70th Birthday Celebration at Wolf Trap

*** If you watch this on YouTube, There is a “TinyURL.com link in the top of the description that was not there when I 1st recommended this video. The music is excellent, but I would not recommend clicking on the link within the YouTube description, since I don’t know what it is. ***

LA Jazz Institute, Stratospheric Slide Hampton, “Got the Spirit”

Appalachian State University Jazz Ensemble
Trombone Choir
Winter Concert 1989
Farthing Auditorium
Tune: Lament by JJ Johnson
Featuring Slide Hampton

In A Sentimental Mood feat. Steve Turre
Gramercy Brass: Premier Band @ Caldwell College (July 31, 2010)

Woody Shaw Quintet
Live at the Music Inn – Roma – 1983

Ralph Moore Quintet – Rejuvenate!
Ralph Moore, sax
Mulgrew Miller, Piano
Steve Turre, trombone
Peter Washington, bass,
Marvin Smitty Smith, drums
Criss Cross Jazz 1035
19 Feb 1988

Steve Turre: Sanctified Shells at the Dakota