A How-To Guide for the

Student Trombonist

Compiled By

Grady McGrannahan, Assistant Professor of Low Brass

Drake University
B016 Harmon Fine Arts Center
2507 University Ave.
Des Moines, Iowa 50311
1-800-44-Drake x 2976
Grady.McGrannahan@Drake.edu
Challenge precedes development. Be patient with development. Don’t give up on doing
something new, because you can’t do it right away; develop it. Anything you can’t do is
difficult until after you have learned it, then it’s no longer difficult. – Arnold Jacobs,
Former Principal Tuba of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Introduction

The information included in this handout is a compilation of various concepts,

exercises, and books that I have acquired through various lessons, master classes, and
discussions with multiple trombone teachers. Those teachers that have inspired me to put
these concepts down in writing are: my dad, Mack McGrannahan; M. Dee Stewart; Charlie
Vernon; Michael Mulcahy; John Drew; Carl Lenthe; and Philip Jameson.

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Part One – Before You Play the Trombone
Physical Warm-Up
Musicians are often compared to athletes of large sports like football, baseball or golf
because both disciplines require the performer/athlete to warm-up, perform drills, exercises
and ultimately perform. Just like Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter, or Tiger Woods, musicians
have to warm up their bodies and minds to perform at an optimum level. The most
important concept to learn from this section is how to relaaaaaax.

Stretches – The Breathing Gym by Sam Pilafian and Patrick Sheridan

1. Trunk Twist
2. Flop Over
3. Whole Body Stretch
(These are just a few of the many stretches found in The Breathing Gym)

*Don’t forget to breathe deeply and easily while stretching.

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Breathing Exercises
Without air, we wouldn’t have sound, and without sound, we’d be out of a gig. Since air
creates the sound of the trombone, as well as other wind instruments, it is vital that we
properly know how to manipulate our air in order to play the trombone. These breathing
exercises should be done with as little tension in the body as possible.
WARNING: If you begin to feel light-headed, sit down and breathe normally through the
nose for quick relief of dizziness.

Breathing Form:
• Stand as straight and tall as possible, with feet shoulder-width apart.
• The shape of the mouth should be “O” and the tongue should be down.
• Air should always either be moving in or out of the body; never hold the breath.
• Take air in and exhale air as relaxed as possible.

First Flow Studies – The Breathing Gym by Sam Pilafian and Patrick Sheridan
Breathe in for 6 counts and out for six counts. When inhaling, raise arms up and out at
your sides until they reach directly over your head when full. Bring your arms down and
out at your sides until they are hanging at your sides at the end of the count. Repeat
smoothly for 7 counts. Increase the count (thus slowing the breathing) to 8, 9, and 10.
Increase to greater counts for added breathing virtuosity. (Quarter note = 72)

Hand Resistance – Michal Mulcahy/Charlie Vernon

Place the edge of your hand on your lips so that it is perpendicular to your lips. Suck in air
against your hand and blow your hand away with the air that has entered your body. The
resistance that the hand creates should resemble the type of resistance your mouthpiece will
create when breathing in between playing your trombone. The vacuum that the hand
creates will help move air into your body efficiently. You will begin by inhaling for 8
counts and then exhaling for 8 counts. Repeat the 8 in/8 out once more before lowering the
number of counts to 6. Continue this patter to 4, 2 and ultimately 1 count to inhale and 1
count to exhale, which will simulate the biggest breath you can imagine taking before you
play your horn. Beginners should take this slowly and stop when you begin to feel light-
headed. (Quarter note = 72)

Pinwheel Exercises – M. Dee Stewart

Hold the pinwheel at arms length and BLOW a song. Remember that you’ll breathe more
often with no resistance. Resist the temptation to pull the pinwheel closer to your face.
The purpose of the pinwheel is to sustain the velocity at which the wheel spins with every
breath you blow. Once you achieved a consistent air velocity, hold the pinwheel with the
left hand and begin using the right arm as if you are using the slide when you play. This is
called “Air Trombone.” (It is critical that you have a pinwheel that moves as easily as
possible. The smaller pinwheels will not work either, so try purchasing a pinwheel that is
4-6” in diameter.)

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Mouthpiece Practicing
The process of buzzing is really quite simple. Hold the mouthpiece as if you were holding
a cup of tea (only using the thumb, index and middle fingers). The lips should not be
puckered or pulled back (like a face-lift), but flat as if you are saying “Mmmmmmmmm.”
The lips should be supple and not tight in any way. The only place on you face that should
be firm are the corners of your mouth. Suck in air with the lips as one lip remains anchored
to the mouthpiece. You should avoid taking the hunk of metal off of your lips to breathe.

Sirens
Start by buzzing a middle F, and slowly gliss up and down sounding like a siren on an
emergency vehicle. The interval between uppermost and lowest notes should progressively
get wider. Don’t push yourself with this warm-up, just relax and let the lips glide on the
air.

Scale Patterns
Start on a Bb just above the staff and play a major scale descending for one octave. Once
you have reached the bottom note, arpeggio the major triad up and down. Next you will
buzz an A major scale ascending followed by the arpeggio down and up. Continue the
pattern of alternating descending and ascending scale patterns as low as you can go.

Dr. Beat Interval Drill

Program your DB-90 to play a low Bb (Bb2) in the staff. Start by matching that pitch and
follow it to the succeeding scale intervals, always returning to the original tonic pitch. You
will play the following scale pattern: 1-2-1-3-1-4-1-5-1-6-1-7-1-8-1. Continue this pattern
as low as you can buzz comfortably.

Buzz a Song
You can have the most fun with this buzzing exercise. Just buzz along to a favorite tune on
the radio, CD, iPod, or other listening device. Start simple by buzzing simple tunes like
“Happy Birthday.”

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Posture
The way we hold the trombone is directly related to how the trombone will sound. Any
tension with the way you hold yourself and your trombone will come out as harsh, tense
sound. The following steps will ensure proper posture:

1. Stand up tall, with feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Hold the trombone with your left hand, which supports the majority of the weight of
the horn.
3. Hold the slide the same way you hold the mouthpiece; with thumb, index and
middle fingers.
4. Bring the trombone to you; NEVER bend your body towards the instrument.
5. Hold the trombone so that your elbows are pointed at 8 o’clock and 4 o’clock,
creating a pyramid.
6. Your slide arm should be loose and flexible at the wrist.

*Sometimes trombonists with shorter arms have to turn to the right a bit in order to
reach 7th position. Make sure that the face turns with the upper body.

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Part Two – Playing the Trombone
What we practice and how we practice are two different aspects of your daily practice that
should be taken into consideration. Jay Friedman, Principal Trombonist of the Chicago
Symphony Orchestra, described himself as somewhat of a craftsman who constantly has to
sharpen his various musical tools in order to keep them in proper performing condition.
Musicians are always refining their tools.

What to Practice
There are topics of study in this section that pertain to all musicians, brass players, and
solely trombonists. It is understood that musicians will address aspects of their playing that
are not as strong as other areas of their playing in order to be a strong as they can be.

Concepts and Fundamentals of Trombone Playing

The following fundamentals of playing should be addressed weekly.

1. Sound – (Arban, Klay, Remington, Schlossberg, Vernon, Jacobs)

• Dynamics – block, cresc., decresc., taper
• Range – build, scatter
2. Articulation
• Dynamics
• Speed
• Style (air attacks, legato, soft, marcato, staccato, tenuto)
• Multiple (double, triple)
3. Flexibility
• Tempo
• Trills
• Range
4. Ornamentation
• Appoggiatura, trills, grace, etc. (Arban’s)
5. Intervals – similar to Dr. Beat buzzing exercise. Vary the intervals.
6. Intonation, Solfege Practice, Hearing Pitches
7. Scales and Arpeggios – One per week @ varying tempos.
• Circle of 5ths Tree
• Patterns
8. Alto and Tenor Clefs, Octave Transfer
9. Etudes (Tyrell, Lafosse, etc.)
10. Vocalises (Bordogni – aka “Rochut”)
11. Excerpts (Mozart, Ride, La Gazza Ladra, Hungarian March, Bolero, etc.)
12. Solos - Don’t just stick with one piece a year. Branch out and vary it up.
13. Improvisation (in the weekly key)
14. Sight Reading – One lyrical and one technical, every day (different instruments,
transpositions, etc.).

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Helpful Practice Tips
Warming-Up
The purpose of the warm-up is to reduce the risk of any sort of damage to our body. We
should warm-up to prepare us for what we are about to do. I suggest going through a brief
warm-up if you are: a) getting ready to perform a concert or a rehearsal, or b) have already
played for a significant amount of time that day. Why go through your entire “routine” in
45 minutes right before a big performance such as your senior recital? Too often, we
become physically and mentally fatigued after a “warm-up,” thus inhibiting our
performance. Make sure that the warm-up serves the purpose at hand.

Troubleshooting - Blow, Buzz, Play

Let us say you come across a lick that is giving you trouble and you are consistently
messing it up. First, blow the passage. Either free blow, or use the pinwheel 2-3 times.
This transfers the song in your head to air, which will ultimately make sound. Next, play
the passage that was in your head on your mouthpiece, remembering to use the same big air
that you used earlier. Once the passage is clear on the mouthpiece and the pitches are
correct, play it on your trombone. It should be much easier to play.

Practice Makes Permanent

We are creatures of habit. We should practice how we intend to play. Obviously when
learning a new piece or exercise, we will not initially play it perfectly. However, if we
blindly learn the new piece or exercise by constantly stopping before that high Bb or taking
a breath in the middle of a phrase, then we have learned to do just that. When practicing a
passage that is hard, you should not continue in the piece once you have finally played it
right. Let us say you screw up the passage four times, but the fifth time you play it
correctly. Do you continue and hope that it will be perfect tomorrow? No. You have
taught yourself that only playing the passage 20% of the time correctly and 80% incorrectly
is ok. Obviously, your percentage will not increase over night, but if you are mindful of
your mistakes then you will not incur those bad habits.

Musical Blueprint – Michael Mulcahy

Why say something when you do not know what you want to say? Not all practicing has to
be done in the practice room, but working out your musical blueprint can be done at home.
The musical blueprint consists of phrasing, dynamics, articulation and a general idea of
how you are going to put everything together once the horn meets your lips. Thinking
about your ideas beforehand will allow you to play those ideas instead of struggling to
realize a particular idea when you are in the middle of a cadenza.

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Perform!
A performance is the time to shine! A successful performance is demonstrated through
preparedness and smart practice habits. The day of district solo and ensemble festival is
not the time to analyze your playing. You have already spent hours analyzing your playing
and fixing your flaws, so why do it during your performance? Tiger Woods does not
analyze his swing during the Masters; instead, he is simply hitting the ball. Nerves start to
creep into your performance when you begin to second-guess what you are currently
playing. You will gain confidence in your own playing knowing that you have prepared
yourself to succeed!

You should also practice performing. Perform for you parents at home. Perform for your
dog. It really does not matter whom you are performing for, just as long as you are
performing. Remember, practice makes permanent!

Things to Keep in Mind

• Perform the music; do not just dial the notes in like a machine. This is why people
still hire live musicians and they listen to live music.
• Slow, methodical practice will reap huge rewards.
• Have a plan for your practice session and goals for the week.
• Practice wisely.
• Limit a practice session to 45 minutes, max. Your brain begins to drift and you will
start to attain bad habits.
• Have your long distance goal in mind and do not become discouraged by the
present. Refer to the quote at the beginning of this handout.

Listening

Listening to recordings and going to concerts is just as vital to the development of a

musician as working on the fundamentals of playing. Just as we watch Tiger Woods for
that flawless golf swing, we should also listen to quality trombonists for that model sound
or just for guidance and motivation. But most importantly, listen to ALL TYPES OF
MUSIC!!! Even though you may aspire to be the greatest symphony musician, jazz
musician, etc., we should all aspire to be musicians first, and that means appreciating ALL
TYPES OF MUSIC. I cannot tell you how much I have learned from attending a string
quartet recital or a concert of all new music!

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Part Three – How to Care for it / What You Need
Instruments

There are varying makes and models of trombones that one can purchase to enhance their
playing ability. When people ask me for advice on finding instruments, I tell them to play
many different manufactured horns. Do not limit yourself to Bach and Getzen just because
Jon Doe told you those were the best brands of trombones. Instead, go to your local music
store and try as many different brands as possible.

Trombones come in all shapes and sizes. They are defined as the following sizes by the
diameter of the lead pipe (where the mouthpiece enters the slide):

• Small Bore – roughly 0.480” to 0.510”

• Medium Bore – 0.525”
• Large Bore – 0.547”
• Bass Trombone – 0.562”

Most beginner trombones will be small-bore tenor trombones. “Jazz horns” are mostly
small-bore trombones too, but are of better quality than student model horns. Medium bore
horns are not as popular as small and large bore horns, and are mostly used by
professionals who like a variety of styles. Most symphony trombonists prefer the large
bore tenor trombone because it has a darker sound. Although some symphony musicians
may use a medium bore horn when playing certain works like the solo in Ravel’s Bolero.

Common Brands of Tenor Trombones Used by Advanced High School Students

• Bach Stradivarius – 42B
• Blessing – B88
• Conn – 88H
• Getzen –3047 or 1047
• Yamaha – YSL 882

* I have not listed every make and model of tenor trombones. This is a select list of horns I
have seen high school students use over the years.

Common Brands of Custom Trombones Used by Professional Trombonists

• Edwards
• Greenhoe
o Bach
o Conn
• Shires

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Mouthpieces

I encourage you to find a mouthpiece that will help you play the trombone as opposed to a
mouthpiece that makes it difficult to play the trombone. Unfortunately, the mouthpiece
that comes with the horn from the manufacturer is not always the best. Granted, the time to
switch to a decent mouthpiece should come under the supervision of your private instructor
or music teacher. The move to a large mouthpiece too soon could also hamper your
development as a trombonist. I believe that beginning trombonists should begin on a
mouthpiece equivalent to a Bach 5G. Anything smaller (Bach 6.5 AL or Yamaha 48) will
not help you achieve a good foundation.

There are various mouthpiece manufacturers around. The commercial brands tend to be
least expensive and the custom brands are more expensive. Here is a listing of some of the
most common mouthpieces I have come across:
• Bach
• Black (Alessi signature models are made by Greg Black)
• Doug Elliot (Custom mouthpieces suggested for advanced players.)
• Griego
• Schilke
• Wick
• Yamaha (Offers signature models)

Mutes

There are various types of trombone mutes. Some are:

• Straight (most frequently used mute). Not all straight mutes are metal. Some are
made of fiber glass and wood. These softer substances will give you a less abrasive
sound.
• Cup
• Bucket
• Plunger (a.k.a. a toilet plunger w/out the stick)
• Practice (very useful for when all the practice rooms have been taken)
• Wah-Wah (a.k.a. “Harmon Mute.” The Harmon brand makes the official “Harmon
Mute.”)

I recommend two brands of trombone mutes that are popular amongst many trombonists.
“Jo-Ral” and “Dennis Wick” trombone mutes come in all of the types of mutes listed
above. “Stonelined” and “Tom Crown” are older trombone mute manufacturers that do not
always offer a consistent sound. Since the purpose of the mute is to change the color of the
trombone sound, I would go with a reputable brand like “Jo-Ral” and “Dennis Wick.”

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Cleaning Supplies

Slide Lubricant and Water Bottle

As a beginner, you may have used the manufacturer’s slide oil on your first trombone. Oils
should not be used on your new trombone. You should use a cream-based lubricant such as
“Trombotine,” “Superslick,” and “Slide-o-mix.” Avoid thick creams or greases, as they
will “gunk-up” your slide. Remember, a little bit goes a long way!

Find a small water bottle that sprays evenly and will fit with the other cleaning supplies in
your case. Use the water bottle to spray both sides of the inner slide as needed…not to
pester the trumpet players sitting in front of you in band.

Rag
A rag is useful for cleaning all of those spills and old lubricants on your slides. Get a rag
like a shami that will not leave little particles on your slide when cleaning. In addition,
your mother will appreciate you wiping your hands off on the rag, and not your pants.

Snake and Cleaning Rod

A cleaning rod will most likely come with your new trombone. The rod will have a slit at
the end of it for you to attach a cloth into for cleaning of both the inner and outer slides. I
recommend cheesecloth. A snake is flexible enough to reach the crook of the slide where
the cleaning rod is unable to reach.

Tuning Slide Grease

Thicker grease is recommended for your tuning slide such as lanolin or Vaseline. Unlike
your main hand-slide, which should be lightening quick, the tuning slide(s) should be able
to move, but not move once you have positioned them in the correct place.

Rotor Oil
It is best to obtain light oil for your F-valve. Hetman oils are very popular among
trombonists. Use thicker oil for the valve joints. A well-lubricated valve will reduce the
need for constant maintenance and noise.

General Maintenance
In order to keep your slide in proper working condition (smooth and free from bumps) it is
recommend that you clean your slide with luke-warm soapy water once a week. Just
remember this: the trombone is complex pieces of brass and metal working against each
other just like a car engine. If you take care of it, it will work well for you for a very long
time!

It is recommended that you have your horn professionally cleaned once a year. An “acid
bath” is given to a horn that has not been cleaned in a while. Be careful! Make sure that
your local repairperson knows the type of lacquer that is on your horn, so that they do not
mistakenly take off the shiny lacquer.

Send your slide to the “Slide Doctor” for the best slide repair. See below for websites.

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Cases/Bags

It is essential that you own a separate bag for your trombone music and supplies. This way,
you will have everything with you when you are ready to practice and/or clean your
trombone.

Gig bags are nice, but do not sacrifice safety for convenience. The BAM cases and
Wolfpak cases provide hard protection, yet they are somewhat lighter than your traditional
hard wood case. If you need to fly with your trombone and only have a soft gig bag, the
SKB golf cases have worked for trombonists in the past. Hickey’s Music Center has a
large selection of trombone cases.

Gadgets
Tuner
It is imperative that you own a tuner. Boss and Korg make several models that are
inexpensive. Some are made with a metronome also.

Metronome
The metronome is the other “must-have” for every musician. Although The Dr. Beat
model DB-90 is expensive, it a great tool that will do just about anything you could ask. I
have an exercise above where you can set the metronome to “Tune” mode, and buzz
against a stable pitch. I leave the tuner sitting on top of my DB-90 so that I can glance over
for an occasional note check or tempo reference. Seiko makes inexpensive metronomes
that are just as small as a simple tuner.

Recording Device (Mini Disc)

How are you going to make yourself better if you never know what you sound like? It is
amazing what you can hear when you are not busy playing. A small Sony microphone
plugged into your computer’s microphone jack will work well too. Look into downloading
the recording software, Audacity. It is available online for free.

Trombone Stand
Get a stand that is sturdy and will be able to hold your trombone’s weight. I own two
titanium UMI stands. The older metal stands may collapse under heavier horns.

Music Stand
You should carry around with you a folding stand that you can keep in your trombone bag
with the rest of your trombone materials. Newer ones are becoming sturdier than the old
metal ones.

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Recommended Solo Literature for College Auditions

Tenor Trombone Solos:

• Barat Andante et Allegro
• Bernstein Elegy for Mippy II for Trombone Alone
• Boda Sonatina
• David Concerto in E-flat major
• Galliard Sonatas
• Guilmant Morceau Symphonique
• Marcello Sonatas
• Rimsky-Korsokov Concerto
• Smith Solos for the Trombone Player
• Telemann Sonata in F minor

Bass Trombone Solos:

• Bartles Elegy
• Bozza Theme & Variations in E-flat
• Galliard Sonatas
• Hidas Meditation
• Hindemith Drei Leichte Stücke
• Lieb Concertino Basso
• McCarty Sonata for Bass Trombone
• Sachse Concertino in F major

Study Materials

• Aharoni New Method for the Modern Bass Trombone

• Arban Complete Method (Bowman-Alessi edition)
• Blazhevich Clef Studies
• Bordogni/Rochut Melodious Etudes, vol. 1
• Klay Daily Exercises for B-flat/F Trombone
• Lafosse School of Sight-Reading, Books A and B
• Pilafian/Sheridan The Brass Gym
• Pilafian/Sheridan The Breathing Gym
• Tyrell 40 Progressive Studies
• Van Dijk Ben’s Basics
• Vernon A Singing Approach to the Trombone
• Vining Daily Routines for Trombone

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Suggested Reading

• Farkas, Philip. The Art of Brass Playing, Wind Music, Inc.

• Frederiksen, Brian. Song and Wind, Wind Song Press Ltd.
• Green, Barry. The Inner Game of Music, Anchor Press.
• Herbert, Trevor. The Trombone, Yale University Press.
• Kleinhammer, Edward. Mastering the Trombone, EMKO Publications.
• Nelson, Bruce. Also Sprach Arnold Jacobs: A Developmental Guide for Brass
Wind Musicians, Polymnia Press.

Recommended Trombone Recordings

Tenor Trombonists Album Name

• Joseph Alessi Slide Area
• Jay Friedman The Singing Trombone
• Nitzan Haroz Towards the Light
• Mark Lawrence Trombonology
• Carl Lenthe The Audition Window
• Christian Lindberg The Virtuoso Trombone
• James Markey Offroad

Bass Trombonists Album Name

• Blair Bollinger Fancy Free
• Denson Paul Pollard Up From Below
• Charles Vernon Charles Vernon and Eric Ewazen

Jazz Trombonists Album Name

• Jay Jay Johnson The Eminent, Volume Two
• Jay Jay Johnson and Kai Winding Trombone for Two: Jay & Kai

Ensembles Album Name

• The Eastman Trombone Choir
• Four of a Kind
• Alessi, Lawrence, Lenthe &
Stewart
• Philadelphia, Cleveland &
Chicago Brass Ensembles
The Legacy of Emory Remington
Four of a Kind: Music for Trombone Quartet
Trombones Under the Tree
The Antiphonal Music of Gabrieli

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Useful Websites

• www.trombone.net – The International Trombone Association. All trombone players are

welcome to join this organization that promotes the trombone and all trombone-related
activities across the world. ITA issues quarterly journals with informative articles plus
information on newly released CD’s, new works, and upcoming concerts/events. Student
rates are more than reasonable. ITA also sponsors an annual festival held in various
countries around the world.
• www.slidedr.com – John Upchurch will fix almost any slide for a small fee.
• www.yeodoug.com – Doug Yeo, Bass Trombonist of the Boston Symphony
• www.basstrombone.nl – Ben van Dyke, Bass Trombonist of the Rotterdam Philharmonic
• www.jayfriedman.net – Jay Friedman, Principal Trombonist of the Chicago Symphony
Orchestra
• www.josephalessi.com – Joseph Alessi, Principal Trombonist of the New York
Philharmonic
• www.wwbw.com – Woodwind Brasswind music store.
• www.hickeys.com – Music store from Ithaca, NY. Great source for all trombone-related
material.
• www.windsongpress.com – A great resource for Arnold Jacobs’ pedagogical devices.
• www.drake.edu/artsci/Music_Dept/index.html - Drake University Dept. of Music.

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