Trombones

Since its creation, the trombone has been an integral part of the music history. With the extension of an arm, you can emit extremely low or high vibrations that add texture to a band’s overall sound. The slide, bell and tubing all work together to provide a sound that easily works with your playing style. Whether you prefer an alto, tenor or a bass tone, there is a trombone that suits your needs. The trombone has been around for centuries, first appearing during the renaissance period with its name literally meaning ‘large trumpet’. Some versions like the valve trombone make this distinction partially true as its construction is similar, but the range the slide trombones allowed the musician to play with made it a unique instrument on its own. Nowadays, we hear trombone everywhere from big band configurations to jazz to ska to R&B. If you master the trombone there is no doubt that you’ll be in demand. Tenor trombones are by far the most widely available and most common option. Models like the Allora AATB-202F Series or Jupiter 636L-0 are heard with most brass and jazz ensembles, offering a midrange tone that helps round out a band’s overall sound. The bell size, bore and tubing are sized right between an alto and a bass trombone, making it the perfect standard option. If a trombone’s tone is too high or low, it risks blending in with trumpets or tubas. Operating in the middle range is where it gets a chance to stand out. Bass trombones like the RS Berkeley TBB706 or the Conn 62H are equipped with a wider bore and bell which create a much richer and deeper tone due to their increased size. Lower pitches are attainable because of extra tubing and rotary triggers that are standard with this type of trombone construction. Larger jazz bands and orchestras will use bass trombones to enhance the low end further, usually pairing this model with the tubas. Valve and soprano/alto trombones are more specialized options but can still add a unique sound to your band’s arrangements. Alto and soprano trombones offer higher octave options that are often useful for trombone choirs or orchestras and not very beneficial to solo musicians due to their being a lack of popular music that uses these specialized trombones. Valve trombones are simply without a slide and operate exactly like a trumpet. The openness of a typical slide trombone is lost as you don’t have the ability to slowly move into notes. Jazz musicians tend to enjoy being able to hit the notes more quickly, so the valve option is perfect. Playing a trombone gives you the ability to create a totally unique sound that can easily enhance a recording or performance. Whatever your style of playing, there is a model that can give you the perfect tone from a shrill squeal to a deep blare.