Great Tone on the Trombone
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- Опубликовано: 28 авг 2024
- Want to improve your sound on the trombone?
In this video, I show the basics of how to get good tone quality on the trombone or any brass instrument. Wonderful tone can be acheived on a student level instrument. The key is: 1) establish a warm and relaxed column of air 2) relax the throat 3) spread the teeth and lips farther than you think you should (you should be able to put your thumb between your teeth 4) drop the tongue to the bottom of your mouth 5) Use lots of air
6) place each note you play with the tongue using a "Dah" or "Tah" syllable 7) balance the tongue with a burst of warm air 8) Think of the pitch before you play
If you're thinking of getting a step-up instrument remember this: Your tone will not be helped if the tubing size or bore size is the same as your student line instrument. You will need to get an instrument with a large bore size. (ex. .574)
Check out my latest video entitled "Transformed," where I play an original trumpet and trombone solo.
• Transformed
We filmed it in my backyard. Watch it and you'll see why the fire department came.
He just listed everything that I've been doing wrong for the past 8 years of playing this instrument, I feel like I finally love my instrument again I feel so motivated (too bad it's 12:47 am)
I love your pfp
I feel this on a spiritual level
Omg I just looked at the time and it was 12:47 AM wtf just happened!?
i dont mean to be offtopic but does any of you know of a tool to log back into an Instagram account?
I was dumb lost my login password. I would love any help you can give me!
BRO I FELT THAT IT'S 11:55 thankfully i started in September
wish i had this man when i started off
Me too! I've been playing all wrong
ikr
bin dy it take time
john jazz p
At least you didn’t have a trumpet player as your trombone teacher
For higher notes you will need to bring your lips closer together. High notes are achieved by moving the air faster to get your lips to buzz at a higher frequency. You will also need to arc the back of your tongue. This will force the air to move faster and increase the lip frequency of vibration. For high notes say "Tee" and low notes say "Taw." For high notes think of "compressing" the air stream in order to get a faster column of air moving.
Actually, for high notes, think of firming your lips up against the teeth while increasing airspeed. At the same time you arch the back of the tongue.
This guy knows what he is talking about. I did the whole teeth thing and 2 weeks later (I only played for like 30 minutes a day at most) my tone was way better.
When he showed what a bad tune sounded like I was like 🤭...that’s me😭
Carys Wall same
Same 😔
Haha crying, but same🤣
I love you so much. I am an 8th grader in band and I finally have found the source of my problems. For 2 years I’ve been mashing my lips together. Thank you so much I cannot tell you how much I love you. I was thinking of quitting band I was going to cry because I really loved it and wanted to go to marching band. Thank you god bless.
I'm so glad it helped!
I came here thinking it was my tone but my trombone actually just has an air leak
C00LCHAMELEON yeh me too
I had a broken spit valve for too long and it sucked
same
@@lukeebduck647
I had the same thing happen with me before. I stuck a paper towel in there to plug it until it got fixed.
John I just wanna say this video helped me tremendously. Everytime someone asks how I got good on my bone I tell them I came across this old white guy on RUclips
Thank you sir! : )
I haven't even started playing the trombone yet but this video has already given me a couple of basic tips to think about later and made me excited to start playing! Here's a man who very enthusiastically plays with his trombone.
+Vpmatt And two years later I have started playing trombone and after a few months of progressing well, this video has today given me some great tips to make a little step forward after a period of struggling with my tone. Thanks John!
Vpmatt same
Gonna start around Christmas when I can get one :)
John Wright--I loved this video! I started playing t-bone when I was twelve, then carried through college as a music major. Then I changed majors....didn't pick up the trombone again until I was 35 or 40. It really DOES all come back.
This man is the reason by tone improved by light years
You are a great teacher. I'm playing again after a 30 year hiatus (drafted into the orchestra for Christmas and Easter at church). Nobody ever explained these techniques to me in this way. I was pretty good back then (first chair, all city, etc.) but I guess I just tried to model the tone of my favorite players. Much better to understand what goes behind it. Thank you so much for this video!!
Wow I been Playing the Trombone wrong the whole time. Playing the bad noise
Not even going to lie, this 100% helped me :))
Gracie Whaley
Awesome
THANK YOU FOR THIS! I’m in the 7th grade and I have a playing test due in 3 days. I know all the notes but I could not stop sounding bubbly and off, until I found this. This helped me so much I’m ready for the test already 🙏
Thanks, I didn't realize how bad I sound... Man, I've got some serious work to do.
I am, for the most part, a selftaught hobby,trombone player. I’ve a a few lessons over the years, and is the first time I heard to keep your teeth far apart. I just tried it, and although it’s a totally feeling, my tone was greatly improved. I was even able to double tongue a bit, something that I’ve never been able to do because there wasn’t enough room in my mouth. Many years ago, I auditioned fir the army band and was accepted into their OJT program as a trombone and trumpet player. Even the guy assigned to coach me didn’t teach me as much as I’ve learned from you tonight.
Tyrone Shoelaces I I am so glad the video was helpful for you!
Great info that mirrors my much more limited experience (played in HS and college). I'd like to know who the people are giving you thumbs down. Probably technique know-it-all zealots who have their own rigid ideas about embouchure etc etc. Whatever.
Thanks John! I wish I'd been more attuned to tone when I was starting on any instrument. My son is starting trombone and his first comment was "I can't believe this will ever sound like music!" I guess that means he's listening.
Great stuff, young fella! Love your tone! We need more brass teachers like you.
Great points! Sometimes moving up to a larger mouthpiece helps also. I played a King 3B with an F attachment in HS and used a 6 1/2 AL mouthpiece. I understand that the 3B is a larger bore 'bone, which I think really helped with my tone-John in Texas (TMEA All-State-1978)
wowwy, thank you, I have found my problem, by teeth seperation, when I did your tips in class today, I sounded great
The_ Tierney
Cool
I’m glad it helped.
Great advice. He knows what he is talking about, and demonstrates it quite well. Pay attention. Direct other trombone players here. The hardest pitches to play well are low Bb down to low E. They often sound pinched.
That's a really good video I learned a lot from it I've never had any lessons but over the years I have spoken to some really good players (including Bill Watrous) who have helped me tremendously and this video is a great help Thank you Mr. Wright When you truly love something in your life sharing and helping others to achieve comes naturally.
Am I the only alto saxophonist watching this? lol. This is some great info. Keep it up, John.
im a trumpet D:
Wow, this helped me SO much. Really good mechanics of getting good tone. I've reeeeally been struggling with that. Thank you!!!
I'm just starting to learn trombone because I'm trying to switch into the bass trombone studio at my university (I'm a clarinet major)...and your "horrible tone" is still better than mine D:
I have an audition for a higher class band at my high school tomorrow and this video really helps me with getting a nice warm sound. thank you.
Hey,
If you're looking for more Trombone tutorials check out our Brass Recordings channel which has lots of useful tutorials covering all aspects of Trombone playing.
I once saw JJ Johnson at the Village Vanguard (or Villiage Gate?, anyway it was the one where you had to go down the stairs) in the early 90's. It was one those beautiful rainy but warm nights in NYC where the streets glisten in the reflected city lights. I was once quite serious about t-bone. I over-practiced and developed "leather lips", so I never really realized much success with the instrument, so as you can imagine, I was psyched to see JJ. Of course he had a beautiful tone, but there was one instance where he went totally transcendent: It was just one long tone played for 5 or 6 seconds, I think at the end of Autumn Leaves, somewhere in the mid B-flat partial of the horn. It not only filled the room but it was like he hit the resonant frequency of every single object in the room. The note had so many overtones that it felt like it emanated from everywhere. It took me quite by surprise, I wasn't sure what was happening. That guy was a trombone shaman. I didn't even consider trying to approach him later to ask. To me, a (then) young white geeky business type, he was way too cool. (He was also a bit grouchy a few times to the patrons up front that night. )
I just got a trombone for marching band after two years of not having one, playing again for the first time was so fun but also surprising because I remembered a lot more than I thought I would. The one thing that didn’t stick with me was tone, though. I sound really bad and some of my notes are even kind of warbly, but this was a fantastic refresher on what makes a trombone sound as good as it can. Thanks!
This video was very informative. This is pretty cool, my first trombone was a King 3B, almost identical to the one you have behind you. That was a fantastic horn; it was really rugged, great for lessons, marching and jazz band. A few years ago, I changed to bass trombone exclusively, and it's surprising how hard it can be to get a quality sound on a small bore horn nowadays.
A good teacher, you know how to explain what i have been looking for.
This was very helpful. The points about tongue position and teeth spacing were especially helpful. Thank you!
Thanks so much! Just by practicing your few steps my tone quality is 10x better!
Man.. I wish youtube existed when I was in school! Thanks so much!
I’m probably late to the party but this is amazing I am a trumpet player moving to the Trombone I believe the open aperture is producing a better tone on both instruments. I don’t think I was able to do it years ago on my trumpet I needed to pinch my teeth but I was able to do it on the Trombone because as you mentioned moving to hirer ranges The aperture is formed automatically by your air this is amazing thank you. Once I discovered how to do it on the Trombone I was able to execute it on the trumpet.
Good discussion, understandable by students.
This guy is my trombone sound dad
Make sure that you are practicing every day in order to build the muscles necessary to hold a good embouchure.
John Wright I still can't produce a good tone, I don't understand why it's just so breathy
me too
I cant thank you enough. This video helped my tone so much. Thanks!
Glad it helped!
This video is really helpful! I watched this video first when i was a beginner and to this day (1 year later) i still find this helpful!
Egemen Camsun g
Thank you very much Ive blown w open lips since 1960s. Great to have space between teeth
Mannn, this guys is really really good! I play his video right beside my tunner, and guess what guys...
Ever time he goes F flat, the machine goes *beeppp(but-in-F-flat)* :v
You hit a Bb on the piano to tune to Bb. The trombone reads in C, not like the trumpet- it reads in Bb, which means they tune to their C, which is really a Bb. But you don't have to worry about that on trombone.
This video just made me discover I’ve been playing wrong since the 6th grade and not once did one of my teachers say anything.
I tend to squeeze my lips very much, especially during the high notes. It would then prevent me to last all the way to the end of the song that I am playing (mostly for songs which lasts over 100+ bars), the area above my lips are always red and painful after I play. My instructor told me to not squeeze my lips and blow faster air into the instrument. I've tried but I never seem to be able to reach the high notes. My sound isn't very good either. Any advice on my query?
Very interesting. I played trombone for a couple of years way back when I was at school. That would be about 1970. What a long time ago !. I'd really like to get another one and give it a go. This video has got my interest going.
Ah ok got you. Sorry for my snotty attitude. It was knee jerk reaction. I hear so often that a professional large bore is the "step up" horn and I think it misleads students sometimes. Once again I apologize for the attitude your info on tone quality will help me greatly with a student I have. I have told those things before but I think hearing it from another source in a different way will be the breakthrough. Thank you so much for putting up with jerks like me. 👍🤠
Super lesson, John. Good teaching.
Thanks my friend had tone problems, ive always had good tone but this will definitely help me help him
Chris, I have been playing for over 3 years if you teeth naturally close try playing easy exercises with baby carrots on your back teeth it helped me.
Thank you so much, John! Your video was extremely helpful to me.
thank u so much for this video i have been playing my trombone for three years and and this video was so helpful I SUBSCRIBED AND LIKED THIS VIDEO and again thank you so much you're awesome
Very good. Excellent demonstration and advice.
Definitely a breakthrough thanks for your advice. 👍🤠
You are very welcome. : )
I'm a junior in high school but I learned this in like 8th grade, my middle school band director was smart!
Thanks man didn't realize I had I my teeth so close
The advice in this video is great! I noticed when I recorded myself my tone didn't sound great. I found this video and now my tone is much better. The recordings are actually starting to sound good! Thanks! I do have one question though. How do retain the relaxed throat and spread mouth when I go high? It's really hard to hit high notes without squeezing things up.
Summer break may have also had something to do with my tone since I haven't played with an ensemble for months.
The first thing you have to do is use a ton of air, which will help your high notes come out cleanly. However, you must properly channel that air through a relaxed throat and relaxed lips, but as you said this gets harder and harder. One thing that helped me was to think about having an “Oh” vowel in the back of my throat, and play lip slurs up to high notes sole concentrating on my air speed and this oh vowel. Eventually, you’ll train yourself to keep this relaxed oh vowel throughout the different registers. Also one more tip-don’t force the back of your throat to open, just take a few deep breaths to relax it and play retaining this relaxed throat. It’s quite challenging.
thanks! this Really helped me in my middle school band.
I have the same trombone he has.
I have the same conn 3 mouthpiece
That mouthpiece! I thought I was the only one.
That was very helpful. Thanks for the time to make a great instructional video like this.
Whenever I try and get a wider and nicer tone by opening my mouth it starts to get out of tune. Is that suppose to happen?
Since your air passage is more open, the pitch might drop a little. Just make sure to play with a relaxed embrasure and good air support and then tune to that. Always warm up and set your tone before tuning.
Adjust your tuning slide so that the correct tone is in tune.
I'm a high school trombone and u r amazing
i play with first trombone and i worked about 1 years to got sound actually is :)
I liked your video except one part. My king 2b would beg to differ when you suggested bore size is directly related to tone quality.
Rick C-137 i agree Rick
I have a 2b and was thinking exactly the same.
Played trombone from 4th grade until high school graduation. Haven't played it since. Dabbled a bit with the trumpet and flugelhorn during the 70's but nothing serious. Now nearly 50 years later I am joining a community jazz band. Don't even know where to begin. Help!!
Thanks, Now I Know what i should sound like in Band Class Thank You So much!!
Try yawning. When you exhale it should feel like the same sensation when you are playing in the low register.
Spread the teeth and lips a thumb's distance apart in the mouthpiece.
You should feel open and relaxed.
Any time I start to play, you will see me pull my lips apart to create plenty of room in the mouthpiece.
When going for higher notes:
1) Send faster air over an arched tongue. (Joseph Arban)
Faster air will cause your lips to vibrate at a higher frequency.
2) Flex and tighten the lips against the teeth, but do not mash them together.
They need room to vibrate.
Your teeth become the fretboard. Your lips become the string.
As you flex your lips firmly against the teeth, the vibrating surface becomes shorter and shorter, thus...
creating a higher frequency. (Cole Porter)
Thanks for the advice! Helped my tone tremendously
this was extremely helpful, thanks very much for the video!
Thank you I'm in 7th grade int band and last year you helped me get I'm my schools jazz band and symphony orcestra
You don't know what you're saying. That is a Conn, which is a very fine brand. Nat all good trombones have an F-attachment, and not all trombones with an F-attachment are good. That is a fine instrument, and even if it was a student model, he obviously does have a "proper trombone' because he has a bass right next to him and another trombone with that.
Hey man I hope to play like u one day thanks for the help ill remember it for shore😊
John, thanks for this but I was wondering about tuning. With a regular tuner I tune Bb with Bb but what if I'm tuning with a piano. Do I hit C on the piano and play Bb on the trombone? I'm a little confused. But I love this vid about tone.
Tune with Bb
I just started and I need a lot of tips
are ú in six grade
Kaleb Najar No I play for jazz in eight I play oboe.
You are spectacular sir!
very good video. thanks. i would like to see a video of you playing a song.
Nice video John. After years, I discovered I tongue incorrectly through my teeth. Unfortunately when I've tried to tongue at the bottom of the gum-line, the tone between notes is very smeared and light; very difficult to get an articulated staccato. Also, the higher the notes, the worse the articulation. Is there any hope and exercises you can suggest? Even though I can multiple tongue without the instrument, I can't imagine it will ever be clean until I learn to single tongue properly. Thx
Those braces will not be in your mouth forever. Keep working, experimenting, spreading the teeth and lips,
drop the tongue to the bottom of your mouth, expand the throat and go for a deep rich sound. Watch other videos on how to get good tone on brass instruments. Someone might explain it in a different way that you can relate to.
You have to envision yourself producing such a beautiful tone that when you play just one note, people stop to listen.
I feel like my teeth want to naturally want to close when I try to go higher. I'm a beginner only going for a "D" above the bass clef staff. Any tips?
use more air
@@Stand_Tall not necessarily more but faster
This is very helpful thank you sir.
I love your tone
Thanks professor!
Thank You So Very Much.
This has helped me so much
Hey Charlie,
If you're looking for more Trombone tutorials check out our Brass Recordings channel which has lots of useful tutorials covering all aspects of Trombone playing.
I'm in seventh grade and second year and can reach triple Bb because I've learned you don't tighten your lips together for higher notes it's all in the cheeks and then you position your lips correctly
TheSanitationEngineer haha I’m a little late to reply but do you still play by chance?
Good advice. Thanks
Also I use different size mouthpieces depending on the sound I am after 6.5 al is a good all round mouthpiece but some times I us a 5G on my 42 for an even softer sound if needed and sometimes I use an 11 on my model 12 for a stronger brass sound and then I will use a 7c on my 36 for rock or jazz.
thank you very musch its realy helpful
This is amazing. Thanks, I needed this!!!
Great!
I kind of got a bit scared when you said 'get a large bore Trombone' as i just bought one with a really small one to play high notes more safely. I'm in a wind orchestra on the 1st trombone and have to get up to d2 (the one that is 5 lines above the "normal" lines - sorry, english isn't my first language). Other than that, this video helped me so much
Some of those first trombone parts are actually written for the alto trombone which is really quite small. If you’re having to cover those types of parts, the horn you bought is fine. You can’t play pitches that high without a small horn. Rest easy my friend.
Great explanation! Thank you! :)
You're very welcome!
Even though the video is good, (and it's 10 years old so this won't matter, but I don't care) I disagree with you, about calling a small bore trombone a "student" trombone. Marshall Gilkes plays with an amazing shires small bore horn, and also Carol Jarvis, but se uses Rath, and bill watrous used to use small bore too, and those are great trombones, like REALLY great, even "professional" I might say. The thing to pick a small or large bore (or even a bass bone) is to know what music you'll be playing, since a small bore horn will definitely suit better a jazz gig, and a large bore one is better, for a classical context. (And the bass trombone applies to both, but that's other story) Anyway, I hope someone will read this so I didn't waste my time 😂
Yep, small bore jazz and large bore orchestral.
@@johnwright1964 Hi John it's me again. This video is really great. I come every once in a while to revisit it and I always learn something again. Thank you very much, really.
I have the same trombone!
Thanks
thanks for sharing.
I can not thank you enough. What john jazz said. Peace!
Nice