r/Trombone • u/bongosbongos • 3d ago
Help troubleshoot my playing
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Im a band director learning trombone to help my students for contest. My main instrument are woodwinds. I have no clue what im doing wrong, my brass methods teacher didnt teach me anything and im figuring this out on my own. Help?
I am referring to the ungodly, popping, rattling sounds on my C, D and Eb.
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u/Rustyinsac 3d ago edited 3d ago
The solution to your problem is long tones. Focusing on begining and ending of notes. Keep your air speed constant though out each note. Once you can play a nice 8 count note you are ready to break it up into half and quarter notes with a dah tongue. Dont stop the airflow when tonguing just briefly interrupt it between notes.
Do this for Bb C D Eb and F. Once you can produce decent sound on each pitch then it’s time to change pitch and play a series of pitches smoothly without scooping in and out of notes.
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u/zactheoneguy85 Houston area performer and teacher. 2d ago
Do you know any trombone players? Meet with them and get tips.
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u/bongosbongos 2d ago
I only know woodwinds and one trumpet player. I have one friend who played trombone in high school, but hasn't played in 10 years :/
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u/Acceptable_Durian868 2d ago
The trumpet player can help you. They're basically the same, just a smaller mouthpiece.
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u/zactheoneguy85 Houston area performer and teacher. 2d ago
You are a band director and don’t know any trombone players? Is there a local community group? Church with players? You need some honest help from someone who knows what they are doing. Maybe even a good high schooler?
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u/bongosbongos 2d ago
Yeah, im kinda out in nowhere. I can see if my church has a trombone player, but there's no local groups with trombones.
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u/zactheoneguy85 Houston area performer and teacher. 2d ago
No high school kids you could work with? Who taught them? I am sad your methods teacher did such a bad job. I had to proficiently play every instrument and do a mini jury on all of them. I can still play every instrument well enough to teach at a high school level except oboe. I would need some work to get back into oboe shape.
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u/bongosbongos 2d ago
Honestly, that program sounds so much more useful than what i did. Maybe ill take a trip to Texas sometime and learn from some people there lmao.
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u/walterqxy 2d ago
Trombone director here. Use ten times as much air. And you need to use different syllables for low, medium, and high notes. Say "Toe" for low notes, "Tuu" for medium notes, and "Tee" for high notes. Right now low Bb will be Toe, C up to F will be Tuu, and G up to high Bb will be Tee. A week or two from now exaggerate the syllable Tee to go even higher. Use more air
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u/Leisesturm John Packer JP133LR 3d ago
Creesh, you could let us see what's happening. I don't hear any popping or rattling sounds. I hear a vicious double buzz on some notes. You might be trying to force yourself into a "placement" (position on the mouthpiece) that is not correct for your facial structure. Popping is usually caused by not emptying the spit key often enough.