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Alternate positions trombone slide chart4/17/2024 ![]() I have found the high F on all positions but 2nd! What you should do, is find out what works best on your specific trombone. Note that in the extreme high-range you can play almost any note in any slide position. Want to improve your trombone playing? Start your free trial to the membership section of this site – there are enough high-quality trombone sheet music and content to keep you busy for months and years! Good luck on your journey to get to know your trombone even better! If you have questions or input to the charts, please let me know. Click each chart to download it in full size. This varies from trombone to trombone, so find out what applies to your horn. Watch out for intonation – notes on alternate positions might have to be held slightly up or down. You will find that some are quite useless and mostly of academic interest, but many of them are really useful. Go grab your trombone and try playing all the notes in the charts in all possible positions. As a rule of thumb, I recommend playing Bb on fifth position in keys that has both Cb and Bb (or B and A#) in them.ĭownload the complete alternate positions charts Which solution will result in the smoothest slide operation? Some keys call for specific alternate positions. You want to make your slide movements as smooth and short as possible, and alternate positions can really help you achieve this. And once you get higher than this on the trombone, you can play any not on almost any slide position! If you can play the note in the first place… Why use alternate positions?Īlthough trombone players mostly play a note in its default slide position, alternate positions are quite useful. Anything beyond this note is not very usable. In the chart, I have included notes up to the very-high F. While a newbie might struggle to play the middle-Bb, you might be able to play 2 octaves higher than that. The range on the trombone depends on your strength and embouchure. This is due to the fact that the intervals between the notes higher up in the harmonic series on the trombone get smaller and smaller. ![]() But as the range gets higher, alternate positions get more and more frequent. Higher range = more alternate positionsĪs you can see in the charts, notes in the low range have no or few alternate positions. For example, if the symbol □* is located in the column for 3rd position, this means that you will have to place the slide somewhere in between the 3rd and 2nd position in order to play the note in tune. This means that you will have to place the slide further in than the standard position. Some of the symbols have an asterisk added to them. The symbol □ means you have to use a trigger or F attachment to play the note in that position. The default position is marked with □ and the alternate position is marked with □. In the chart, I have noted both the default slide position for each note and the alternate position(s). But I bet this chart will reveal some alternate positions you hadn’t yet discovered! Listen to Bill Watrous make extensive use of alternate slide positions in this legendary trombone solo.Trombone alternate positions – the complete slide chartĭid you know that many notes on the trombone can be played on more than one slide position? If you play the trombone, you probably do. Alternate positions become very useful when playing high and fast passages smoothly. The higher the note, the more alternate positions are likely to be available to produce that note. Many notes can be played using alternate slide positions. This action will extend the reach of the arm by several centimeters allowing the slide to extend further than usual. When extending the slide towards 7 th position, the thumb will leave the slide with only the 2 fingers controlling the slide.įor players with shorter arms, get extra length by extending the right shoulder forward and turning the head to the right side while playing. To create a smooth slide action, try the following tips. Jerky movements will result in a jerky sound. If you try to always keep your thumb on the slide, your fingers won’t be able to extend to their full length and it will force you to use your elbow too much.ĭeveloping a smooth slide action is the mark of an accomplished trombone player. When pushing the slide out, let your fingers catch the slide allowing the thumb to release off the slide. You’ll be able to move the slide faster and more fluidly if your wrist does most of the work rather than the elbow. Don’t transfer slide motion to your head – move the slide smoothly using wrist & fingers Tip: Keep the right wrist loose so it freely bends to operate the slide. Don’t hold the slide tightly with a claw-like gripģ. Important right-hand DON’Ts for trombonists:Ģ.
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