 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: locke9342
Date: 2014-09-22 05:00
I have to play trombone in my jazz band and I'm not doing so hot. Any tips on how to transition from clarinet to trombone? I have always had problems just getting a buzz out without a mouthpiece which is why I didn't play trumpet. Any tips or cheap hardware recommendations?
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Author: blazian
Date: 2014-09-22 06:39
I've been playing trombone for a few years after my brass technique class but I haven't found any correlations between it and clarinet.
For starters, what equipment are you using? How much do you know about the overtone series?
Buzz with your mouthpiece only. Say "mmm" and force air through. Your teeth should be kept open. Your lips will be in the mouthpiece for the most part. Practice doing an octave siren up and down.
The pitch of the buzz is determined by the length of your lips that's vibrating, the amount of tension in them, and the amount of mass you use. Lower notes need more mass, more length, and less tension. As you use higher partials, you'll need to roll your lips in ever so slightly and buzz using a smaller area of your lips.
Low and high notes also are related to tongue and throat voicing. Think of how you whistle. You basically have an "oo" vowel going on for low notes and progress through "ah" and "ee" as you go higher.
To get good tone, start on a comfortable note (probably a Bb in the bass clef staff), and bend the pitch up and down (within 25 cents mostly) until you find the "sweet spot" where there is more resonance. That spot will give the best tone and it can be found on every partial. If you're not in tune, you can push in or pull out the tuning slide from that spot.
Here's a very basic video (that you may have progressed past already). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96nh3tfnKhk
If you want to take time to watch a thorough video, try this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fdhYpwAfr0
- Martin
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Author: locke9342
Date: 2014-09-22 07:00
I'm playing on a yamaha ysl 354 trombone and a yamaha 12c mouthpiece and I have absolutely no idea about any equipment. I have a really hard time getting the upper octave when doing lip slurs and I get tired really easily(which is what I think if the problem) after a bit of playing i'll just be unable to play a note.
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Author: William
Date: 2014-09-22 18:54
In todays school music programs, too many saxophones--as well as percussionists and trumpets--is often a problem and an obstacle in forming a credible, balanced performing ensemble. Kudos to you for being willing to switch to the trombone to help out. In spite of being a basically simple instrument--just an adjustable piece of metal tubing--it is incredibly hard to play well because you must not only control the harmonics with your embouchure but also tune each one by tempering each slide position, none of which are marked or absolute. So, from personal experience, as a clarinet-sax player and as a band director who has taught and played brass instruments for many years, I would recommend you try to find a valve trombone which will eliminate the clumsy slide and make the switch a little easier. True, you will have to learn some basic fingerings, but that will be easier in the long run than trying to play faster notes on a slide. Another possibility would be playing a baritone horn which sounds and plays in the same range as a trombone but uses valves, like a trumpet. Give it some thought and don't worry that the lip buzz is slow to develop--just takes a little practice and embouchure development like any other instrument.....outside of bass drum, that is, LOL. Good luck.
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2014-09-22 20:35
I agree, kudos for your flexibility. And- even if you don't stay with brass long term- it has to be worth something to you musically. My boys both played trumpet, and I never even bothered to blow on one more than a few seconds at a time. My loss.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2014-09-23 03:31
The most helpful embouchure hint/concept I got several years ago from a trumpeter friend is that you need to develop a symmetrical ring of muscles, which corresponds wih a symmetrical mouthpiece. You've got to feel this and get confortable making those muscles doing what you want.
A trumpeter I knew during college kept an instrument out so that he could pick it up cold to play high C's, something I found useful decades later to be able to hit a particular stratospheric entrance cold. While this may not be at your level of exectations (yet), having the horn out to be able to pick it up at any time to play some pre-arranged sequence will help develop needed ear-to-lip connections, which are sure not part of your saxophone experience.
Range and endurance issues will not be resolved by working harder - they both take lots of time. While you already have all that good reed experience, at several levels you are little different from anyone else just starting out. It will take time to get the wiring built up so that you can feel secure. There was a story in Clarinet magazine about a doubler who taught himself flute, and it was 4 years before he allowed himself to perform. While you are much younger, and he played at the highest level, this should still give some indication that success will come but perhaps not tomorrow.
Keep at it!
Post Edited (2014-09-23 03:32)
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Author: blazian
Date: 2014-09-23 07:29
Unfortunately with the convenience of a valve trombone comes a higher price for the instrument and a lower "cool" factor. It has a high "cool" factor for me because of it's uncommonness, but imagine the looks you'll get because "you can't play real trombone". Same look given if you played a baritone or euphonium.
The equipment you have now will do at your level. It's a good general trombone and good all-around mouthpiece.
It might be easier on you if you could play a lower trombone part. It would be similar to something that the t sax or bari plays.
- Martin
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Author: locke9342
Date: 2014-09-23 07:36
I will probably playing third trombone as we have a bass trombone and I can barely muster the air support to play trombone for more than 6 beats.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2014-09-23 16:28
You've got to change to double lip............
Bob Draznik
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