The lips are the instrument, the trombone is just the amplifier... If you don't feed the trombone the sound through air and concept of sound even a big horn will sound thin.... You can get a great sound out of a small horn , sure a bigger horn might make it easier...but you have to have the sound in your head and airflow and lips before it even hits the horn
Hello Paul I'm 58 years old. I have got my trombone from a wonderfull music lover. one week with this trombone. And when it''s to late to practice I'm here listening to you. Thank you to being there. Mention I will joint an small group in september.
Man Paul You have really helped me man. I’m only in 8th for now man, I’m a straight tenor I made first chair district band and I made it to region and I’m in a rivalry with the second chair he’s catching up but I won’t allow it. And now that I’m watching your videos, I’ve grown so much now that I try them I will not ever be able to be catchable thanks to Paul 🙏🏼 I appreciate you so much man you really deserve all best u and ur family man. Ima pray for you 🙏🏼
Wanting to pick up playing in my retirement after 30 years of hospital OT. Still have trombone; played in college. Need to get embouchere and tone back. Saw you on U-Tube and subscribed.
When I want that warm tone I visualise Urbie Green or Bill Pearce. I've been playing for 60 years and in the beginning I had a thin tone. It was a combination of a very small bore Boosey&Hawks Imperial bone with. Small Conn 3c mouthpiece. Once I got my first Olds and a Dennis Wick mouthpiece my sound change dramatically. But two other points I would make might be helpful. The first is opening the throat. Everyone was trying to help but they never explain d what that meant. It wasn't until I was sitting next to an old guy, at least he was old to me but he was probably younger than I am now 😁 and told me to begin to yawn. That's when I felt my throat open, or as you put it,drop,. Once I felt that, I could reproduce it easily. The other point is everyone would tell me about using my diaphragm yet I now know that you can't consciously use your diaphragm. It's the abs that they are referring to and once I got that I had more control over my dynamic range and smooth flow of air. Visualising is so important. If I'm asked to play say the trombone parts of the 1812 overture the first thing in my mind is the recording of that piece I have of Sir Malcolm Seargent conducting the London Philharmonic. I hear those big bricks of sound the bone section had. If I'm called to play a soft ballad then it's Urbie Green or Bill Pearce or Tommy Dorsey. If it's a ragged and rough jazz solo then it's Wycliffe Gordon.......you get the idea. I tell young players to listen to as many bone players as the can as often as they can and in all different genres. And by listening I mean ACTIVE listening which means hearing how they shape the envelope of the note, the tonguing they use, the way they might phrase the melody, the tones and colours they use etc etc etc. Don't just let the piece play on the background as you look at your Facebook but analyse what they're doing. This activity is as important as the exercises the should be doing. I tell them that this is equivalent to driving a car with their eyes open. Love your work by the way.
Many moons ago I did something drastic. I made a toilet seat out of my small shenk mouthpiece with a throat opened almost the size of the bore. I gig with a small Bach horn, but it sounds like Holton .562 bore. Lately I've closed the throat to a standard size, but kept the cup depth a little deeper than a 3G size. I brightened it the tone a little. But you're right, small horn, big sound. Thanks
Thank you man this is great. I’m a 8th grade trombone player and this really helps me out because my sound was like that demonstration of what not to do.
I recently got my bone back (I lent it to my nephew because I hadn't been playing it). I really haven't played since high school (30+ years ago). I was pretty competent when I quit, but getting back to where I was will be a lot of work. My kid is a euphonium player and is picking up trombone for jazz band and orchestra. I have been trying to explain to him the importance of air support. You explained it very clearly and concisely - definitely better than I have. We definitely appreciate your coaching. Keep making beautiful music!
I agree visualization is important in any field of endeavor. Why should trombone playing be any different than driving a race car or running a marathon or .... pick your activity....When I was actively driving competively and attempting to teach others how to do so effectively I tried to encourage them to become one with the car, to make the car an extension of their body. That's part of what we need to do with our musical instruments. They are an extension of our mind and body and the better that connection the better the musical result.
@@PaulTheTrombonist how do you position your mouth in relation to the mouthpiece...is your bottom lip closer to the bottom of the mouthpiece? or centered or what? I struggling with finding the best place for overall best tone, articulation etc...had a lesson from a pro who pushed me towards moving towards having my bottom lip more towards the bottom of the mouthpiece. Its a re-learning experience for me with all the frustration that goes with that, but I think its helping. But I want a second opinion.
Man, the trigonometry really does help, and I'm just beginning to learn it in my physics class, if anyone is reading this, y'all should watch the video to better your trombone sound playing AND get better at understanding trigonometry
Hi Paul. I've been a subscriber for a while but somehow missed this video. Great advice that I know will help my sound. I aim for a full rich dark sound that I associate with the brass section of the Chicago symphony, especially during the Reiner and Solti years.
I'm in 11th grade I been playing for 5 years but I'm way behind on my skill level with rhythms and stuff but the main issue is my tone and high notes any tips plss on where I should be skill wise
The lips are the instrument, the trombone is just the amplifier... If you don't feed the trombone the sound through air and concept of sound even a big horn will sound thin.... You can get a great sound out of a small horn , sure a bigger horn might make it easier...but you have to have the sound in your head and airflow and lips before it even hits the horn
Exactly!
Hello Paul
I'm 58 years old. I have got my trombone from a wonderfull music lover. one week with this trombone. And when it''s to late to practice I'm here listening to you. Thank you to being there. Mention I will joint an small group in september.
Man Paul You have really helped me man. I’m only in 8th for now man, I’m a straight tenor I made first chair district band and I made it to region and I’m in a rivalry with the second chair he’s catching up but I won’t allow it. And now that I’m watching your videos, I’ve grown so much now that I try them I will not ever be able to be catchable thanks to Paul 🙏🏼 I appreciate you so much man you really deserve all best u and ur family man. Ima pray for you 🙏🏼
Wanting to pick up playing in my retirement after 30 years of hospital OT. Still have trombone; played in college. Need to get embouchere and tone back. Saw you on U-Tube and subscribed.
When I want that warm tone I visualise Urbie Green or Bill Pearce. I've been playing for 60 years and in the beginning I had a thin tone. It was a combination of a very small bore Boosey&Hawks Imperial bone with. Small Conn 3c mouthpiece. Once I got my first Olds and a Dennis Wick mouthpiece my sound change dramatically. But two other points I would make might be helpful. The first is opening the throat. Everyone was trying to help but they never explain d what that meant. It wasn't until I was sitting next to an old guy, at least he was old to me but he was probably younger than I am now 😁 and told me to begin to yawn. That's when I felt my throat open, or as you put it,drop,. Once I felt that, I could reproduce it easily. The other point is everyone would tell me about using my diaphragm yet I now know that you can't consciously use your diaphragm. It's the abs that they are referring to and once I got that I had more control over my dynamic range and smooth flow of air.
Visualising is so important. If I'm asked to play say the trombone parts of the 1812 overture the first thing in my mind is the recording of that piece I have of Sir Malcolm Seargent conducting the London Philharmonic. I hear those big bricks of sound the bone section had. If I'm called to play a soft ballad then it's Urbie Green or Bill Pearce or Tommy Dorsey. If it's a ragged and rough jazz solo then it's Wycliffe Gordon.......you get the idea. I tell young players to listen to as many bone players as the can as often as they can and in all different genres. And by listening I mean ACTIVE listening which means hearing how they shape the envelope of the note, the tonguing they use, the way they might phrase the melody, the tones and colours they use etc etc etc. Don't just let the piece play on the background as you look at your Facebook but analyse what they're doing. This activity is as important as the exercises the should be doing. I tell them that this is equivalent to driving a car with their eyes open. Love your work by the way.
That’s awesome , thanks for sharing!
Many moons ago I did something drastic. I made a toilet seat out of my small shenk mouthpiece with a throat opened almost the size of the bore. I gig with a small Bach horn, but it sounds like Holton .562 bore. Lately I've closed the throat to a standard size, but kept the cup depth a little deeper than a 3G size. I brightened it the tone a little. But you're right, small horn, big sound. Thanks
Thank you man this is great. I’m a 8th grade trombone player and this really helps me out because my sound was like that demonstration of what not to do.
I recently got my bone back (I lent it to my nephew because I hadn't been playing it). I really haven't played since high school (30+ years ago). I was pretty competent when I quit, but getting back to where I was will be a lot of work. My kid is a euphonium player and is picking up trombone for jazz band and orchestra. I have been trying to explain to him the importance of air support. You explained it very clearly and concisely - definitely better than I have. We definitely appreciate your coaching. Keep making beautiful music!
I agree visualization is important in any field of endeavor. Why should trombone playing be any different than driving a race car or running a marathon or .... pick your activity....When I was actively driving competively and attempting to teach others how to do so effectively I tried to encourage them to become one with the car, to make the car an extension of their body. That's part of what we need to do with our musical instruments. They are an extension of our mind and body and the better that connection the better the musical result.
Nice!
@@PaulTheTrombonist how do you position your mouth in relation to the mouthpiece...is your bottom lip closer to the bottom of the mouthpiece? or centered or what? I struggling with finding the best place for overall best tone, articulation etc...had a lesson from a pro who pushed me towards moving towards having my bottom lip more towards the bottom of the mouthpiece. Its a re-learning experience for me with all the frustration that goes with that, but I think its helping. But I want a second opinion.
I love this. You have been a great inspiration to me when it comes to my tone quality
Wow, thank you!
The trigonometry in the thumbnail has intrigued my curiosity, I wonder if I will find out how it relates to playing by the end of the video 🤔
Man, the trigonometry really does help, and I'm just beginning to learn it in my physics class, if anyone is reading this, y'all should watch the video to better your trombone sound playing AND get better at understanding trigonometry
@@MPKuttnerTM Awesome, happy to hear it helped
Hi Paul. I've been a subscriber for a while but somehow missed this video. Great advice that I know will help my sound. I aim for a full rich dark sound that I associate with the brass section of the Chicago symphony, especially during the Reiner and Solti years.
Love this video!! Keep them coming. Carole Paul Trombonist
That was awesome ✨
Ima have to try this out, thank you, my concert season starts soon so I gotta pick up all the techniques for school, Kaiser if you’ve ever heard of it
Awesome, wishing you well at concert season
Hey Paul, Great Video! From Which Company is your trombone? Greez from germany
It’s a BAC custom
I'm in 11th grade I been playing for 5 years but I'm way behind on my skill level with rhythms and stuff but the main issue is my tone and high notes any tips plss on where I should be skill wise
Do long tones and practice rhythms off the instrument first by clapping / tapping them
Thanks Paul! As a 15 year old beginner trombonist, your videos have helped me a lot
random right angled trig in the thumbnail lol
There are smaller trombones eh?