Trombone 101: A Crash Course on the Trombone

By: Allie Weitekamp | Contributions from: Andy Spadafora|Infographic By: Myranda Lope

The trombone has been around for generations and is being used in tons of popular music today. Most people love the trombone for its unique look, sound and voice-like qualities.

Timeline

The trombone is a direct descendant of the humorously named instrument the “Sackbut.” During the renaissance, The Sackbut was used extensively across Europe in outdoor events, concerts and in liturgical settings. Sackbuts were also used to stand in city towers to alert the city of the arrival of important people. The most noticeable difference visually between the Sackbut and the modern Trombone is in the bell flare; the modern instrument has a wide and pronounced bell flare consistent with what is common in the modern day, whereas the Sackbut lacked a large bell flare and has a considerably smaller bell overall.

As the instrument evolved from the Sackbut and spread throughout Europe, the name “Trombone” became much more common, which in Italian translates directly to “Large Trumpet.” Beethoven was one of the big composers who used trombones in his symphonies, and by the 19th century many other composers were also inspired. From that point moving forward, trombones were put in symphonies with the rest of the brass section. The instruments were found in chamber ensembles to full orchestras, and were even utilized as solo voices in certain pieces. With the explosion of Dixieland and Jazz music in the United States through the early and mid 1900’s, the instrument gained popularity with the likes of Glenn Miller (big bands) and J.J. Johnson (small combo bebop).

Anatomy of A Trombone

The trombone is a cylindrical tube bent into an S-shape. Rather than being a cylindrical tube from top to bottom, there are varying sizes of tubes throughout the instrument. The smallest being the mouthpiece tube. Similar to other brass instruments, the sound is produced by pursed lips producing a vibration, which creates a standing wave in the instrument.

The slide is one of most identifiable features of the trombone. The slide allows the player to extend the length of the air column, which then lowers the pitch.

Types of Trombones

Trombones come in many shapes and sizes, but the most common type is the “Straight trombone”, or “Peashooter”. This term can also refer to early 20th century trumpets which were small bore, and designed for high-pitch and harsh/brash/loud playing.

Alto — The alto trombone is the smallest of the common trombones. It first made its appearance during the 16th-18th century as the highest voice in the trombone section. It is growing in popularity because it is shorter and lighter than normal trombones, so children can learn how to play it easily.

Tenor — The tenor is the most commonly used trombone and is the most preferred by players. They are pitched in Bb and can be found in almost every single genre of music.

Bass — The bass trombone has the largest bell of the common family. It also has the largest bore of all of the trombones.

How do Trombones Work?

Tone is created by buzzing of the lips within the mouthpiece, which creates an air column that produces tone called a “Standing Wave.” Different “partials” are achieved by buzzing the lips at faster or slower speeds; the faster the lips are buzzing the higher the partial achieved. Within those partials the slide helps refine pitch by changing length. The video below demonstrates that buzzing of the lips:

Cascio’s Top Brands

Some of Cascio’s favorite brand of trombones are: Yamaha, Schilke, Getzen, Blessing, and more. It is a very popular instrument in all its different forms, and will continue to be for a long time to come.

This month, buy a trombone thats $999+ and get a $100 Cascio Gift Card!