by "zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
Published 05/09/2017 at 08:04
by "zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
Published 05/09/2017 at 08:04
Tags: musiclopnik
; Trombone
STARS: 1
One a slide and the other a valve. I played the slide one throughout middle and high school, but there is an interesting story on how I got the valve trombone.
You see, the summer before my sophomore year of high school, I decided to do some bike tricks. Needless to say, and I still clearly remember it to this day, I did not properly land the bunny hop off of the handicap ramp. I actually shattered the back of my right shoulder. What makes the situation even funnier/worst is that, again, I play trombone and marching season would be starting soon.
I actually marched a few shows without a instrument while in a sling. Sometimes I got bored and sang the tunes. Anyways, once I mostly recovered, my parents bought this valved trombone for me to play and march with. I didn’t play it for more than a few months, and I picked up the slide trombone once I fully recovered.
This happened 14+ years ago. My parents have been trying to sell the valved trombone this whole time, and either no one is interested or they look down upon it (“true trombones are slide, *rabble rabble rabble*). Recently I’ve been wanting to play any/all instrument I can get my hands on; so I bugged my parents to ship the valved trombone to me. They finally gave in.
The valve trombone is a piston valve; there is also a rotary style and a Vienna valved style that exists. It’s in the key of Bb, like it’s slide counterpart. I’m told it has the same fingerings as a Bb Trumpet. The logic is the same though, each valve increases the length of tubing, so the 7 positions of a trombone slide are in fact all there (I checked).
The biggest difference is that you don’t need to tongue the notes as you do with a slide. And you can’t do a true glissandos (sliding/slurring one note to the next, the specialty of the trombone). Back when I marched with it, it was like a new instrument that sounded very familiar.
Also, word of advice, these things are heavy with a lyre on it. Would not recommend marching with it.
"TheRealBicycleBuck" (therealbicyclebuck)
05/09/2017 at 08:21, STARS: 0
Obligatory:
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"InFierority Complex" (lanciere)
05/09/2017 at 08:33, STARS: 2
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"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
05/09/2017 at 09:02, STARS: 0
Will have to wait for lunch to view it. I’m guessing it’s worth the wait?
"TheRealBicycleBuck" (therealbicyclebuck)
05/09/2017 at 09:10, STARS: 1
“Seventy-six trombones led the big parade...”
"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
05/09/2017 at 09:36, STARS: 0
Fun fact, more trombones in life is always a good thing.
"TheRealBicycleBuck" (therealbicyclebuck)
05/09/2017 at 09:46, STARS: 0
I tried to play brass but the buzzing would tickle my nose so badly that I had to stop. A friend of mine, a trombone player, encouraged me to keep going and the tickle would go away. I had to stop when my eyes started watering so much that I couldn’t see. Of course, being my best buddy, he made fun of me for crying.
I decided to stick with woodwinds.
"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
05/09/2017 at 10:19, STARS: 0
Good friend there. Yeah, never had that problem, thankfully. Of course, playing trombone has become like second-nature to me.
"TheRealBicycleBuck" (therealbicyclebuck)
05/09/2017 at 10:34, STARS: 1
Most woodwinds have similar fingerings, so it was easy to switch from one to another. Only the clarinet was different enough to cause trouble. Part of me wishes I had bought my own, but using the school’s instruments allowed me to bounce between them when I got bored. The strangest switch was during jazz/concert season. I would play bari sax in jazz band from 7:15 to 8, then switch to oboe for concert band from 8 to 9.
My mom played clarinet in high school. She used a school instrument, but they had to provide their own mouthpiece which I found when clearing out her house. She had an unusual bite and they left interesting marks on the mouthpiece. The big surprise was finding a clarinet. I have no idea when she bought it or if she ever played again.
"DanimalHouse" (thrillerwa09)
05/09/2017 at 10:49, STARS: 1
Valve trombones are the tits, but MAN we gave SO much shit to the guy who played one in our jazz band. Don’t know why, but he never learned the slide positions on a traditional style trombone.
Also, bit shout out to bass trombones, which are so excellent.
"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
05/09/2017 at 12:20, STARS: 1
Playing around with the valve trombone, I found that depending on the fingerings, it can indeed mimic a slide trombone, which is very convenient. I think I was (depending on the valved pressed), none, 2, 1, 1 2, 2 3, 1 3, then 1 2 3. I may have the order wrong, but that is seven positions. I figured it out by playing the harmonics of each different fingering. In Theory, I can use this knowledge on any Bb brass instrument. My thought process operates in trombone slide positions, lol.
"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
05/09/2017 at 12:23, STARS: 0
Talking with the guitarist at church, I realize learning slide trombone is harder then I remember. It’s like riding a bike for me, but if you’re not use to the positions, it’ll be hard to pick up.
I really want a soprano trombone, sounds like a trumpet.
"DanimalHouse" (thrillerwa09)
05/09/2017 at 12:48, STARS: 1
Yeah, I’ve never seen one of those. Could be fun!
I get a little PTSD when I see the word “Soprano.” I played Alto Saxophone in our band, and I dreaded playing the Soprano Sax for certain songs. Even though I was decent, that instrument still sounded like a cat deflating. Horrible.
"DanimalHouse" (thrillerwa09)
05/09/2017 at 12:51, STARS: 1
My favorite video involving a straight piped scooter trombone, that I just discovered recently:
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"TheRealBicycleBuck" (therealbicyclebuck)
05/09/2017 at 13:32, STARS: 1
If only everything could be handled in trombone slide positions. If you included a head position (left/right/straight), you could convert rally co-driver notes into music.
"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
05/09/2017 at 16:45, STARS: 1
So that’s pretty awesome.
"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
05/09/2017 at 16:51, STARS: 0
Anything could really, :)
"Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious" (shour)
05/09/2017 at 23:32, STARS: 0
The place I see valve trombones used the most is by trumpet players in cover bands or Tejano bands. Rock bands who cover all the 60s/70s/80s horn stuff, classic R’n’B or disco. When you have three trumpets and two saxes, and you need some trombone parts for Chicago or EWF, etc...have one of the trumpet players use the valve bone.
Probably seen that on four or five occasions, and it’s seriously the only time I’ve seen a valve bone seriously played. (Ferguson’s superbone doesn’t count.) I imagine a trumpet player who does a lot of local Broadway pit playing might also be a common user, but since you generally don’t get to see in the pit...
"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
05/10/2017 at 05:54, STARS: 0
Thanks hilarious. What’s the source?