 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: JeanD
Date: 2006-06-05 17:57
Hello,
I have been playing the clarinet for over 5 years (started at 40), and lately the bass clarinet for 1 years (which I really love), in our community wind ensemble (40+ musicians).
I found the transition from clarinet to bass clarinet quite easy.
I want to continue to play the bass clarinet, but next year, I will have the opportunity to join a Big Band. The main requirement is that I must play a brass instrument!
The easiest choice seems to be the sax, but we already have many talended players of sax in the band (read ... over populated!), so my next prefered choice is the trombone.
Would you have any advice about the possibilities and challenges regarding the learning the trombone?
I know I must learn to read music in a different key (F), learn to move this strange piece of brass precisely, and do something quite different with my lips (buzz!), but I find all this learning very exciting!
Is it possible to switch back and forth from the Bass Clarinet to the Trombone without too much impact on the embouchure? (e.g. play bass clarinet in the morning in the wind ensemble, and trombone in the afternoon with the other band?)
Thank you very much for your precious advice!
Jean
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Author: Cuisleannach
Date: 2006-06-05 22:00
Just a quick shot....the trombone is the most intuitive of the brass instruments to learn after playing woodwinds. It is primarily played with the ear rather than with buttons...the slide is almost incidental.
By the way, some of the tenor parts might be a bit rough in the beginning (playing high on bone is definitely an art) so you may want to think about bass bone. Just a thought..............
-Randy
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Author: ClariTone
Date: 2006-06-07 04:30
Unless you use a trombone with an F attachment, you won't need to play in "F", but instead "C" (The Trombone is a non-transposing instrument).
Moving this "strange piece of brass precisely" shouldn't be too difficult as long as you have a good ear, and are devoted to some solid practice. Trombone, like most other instruments, requires daily practice. It is crucial for developing range and tone.
Listen to famous artists like Glenn Miller to help develop you ear, and better understand the trombones role in the jazz band/big band.
Switching for me hasn't proved too problematic. I can easily go from trombone to either Bb (or Eb) soprano clarinet or oboe. Like everything, switching takes practice. Trombone to Bass clarinet should be easier because the Bass Clarinet's embouchure is looser than the Bb soprano.
To help develop your range, I'd suggest doing lip slurs (i.e. seeing how many notes you can play in one position without tongueing. This requires you to loosen and tighten you lips to produce the different pitches. Eventually you should strive to do lip slurs in rhythm and with a solid tone).
Breathing - ALWAYS breathe deeply!!! Trombone takes a lot of air. Fill up your stomach first then your lungs. Practice breathing while laying down. It should be natural and not forced (like when you're sleeping...relaxed).
Do you already own a trombone??? For jazz, I would suggest a small bore tenor (a.k.a. "peashooter") for everything but 4th/Bass. That requires either a large bore tenor (i.e. a tenor with an F attachment), or a full blown bass trombone. I would suggest trying to start out on either 3rd or 2nd bone. 1st will most likely be too high (you won't have well-built-up chops, so most notes you won't be able to hit for awhile) and 4th would be too low. On 3rd or 2nd you can kind of "Lie Low" (I realize this isn't true on every song, but the majority of the songs I've played have had relatively simple harmony notes on 3rd and 2nd bone).
If you have any additional questions, please don't hestiate to ask.
Best of Luck!!! The trombone is a FANTASTIC instrument. Have Fun!!!
Clayton
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Author: diz
Date: 2006-06-07 04:39
Jean ... I played trombone at high school for a term (on top of clarinet and viola). Trust me, it was a fun thing to do (unlike the trumpet which I hated).
As to the pitch - once you become used to the spacial sense needed to maste the slide (not as difficult as it sounds), you'll be playing "entrance of the pilgrims" from Tanhauser like the best of 'em. Good for you!!
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
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Author: ned
Date: 2006-06-07 05:11
''Trombone takes a lot of air. Fill up your stomach first then your lungs.''
Are you sure? I thought it was air just from the lungs driving the stream. In my experience air in the stomach produces only gas.
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Author: ClariTone
Date: 2006-06-07 05:33
Ned
First expel all the air from your lungs...Good. Now take a deep relaxed breath. You should notice and observe your stomach expanding as you inhale. This is what I described. Fill your lungs from bottom to top. This is the prescribed method taught by numerous professionals and pedagogues. By filling up your "stomach", I was simply trying to help give JeanD a better example of a deep breath, as it provided a visual example of the general concept since filling the stomach, in a literal sense, with air is impractical and ill-advised.
Hope this helped you to better understand!!!
Clayton
Post Edited (2006-06-07 05:36)
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Author: ned
Date: 2006-06-07 22:51
Thanks Clayton - I followed your advice as given but I still don't involve my stomach in the exercise.
I guess you were employing the use of the metaphor.
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Author: ClariTone
Date: 2006-06-07 23:00
Ned
Yes, it was a metaphor. In my experience, I have found that using that metaphor helps my students (and others) to better understand the concept and it gives a visual reference point with which to "check" themselves.
Clayton
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Author: JeanD
Date: 2006-06-08 02:40
Hello,
Thank you very much for all your precious advice!
This information clarify many important points, and will make my learning a less confusing experience.
I read the mentioned thread, and also found a good site and forums to get specific advice on the trombone: http://forum.trombone.org/index.php
Thanks again!
Jean
Jean
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