Doubling on alto trombone
-
I have bought myself an alto trombone (another member of the trumpet family) for Christmas. As the playing register is similar to the trumpet, the mouthpieces are in sizes similar to the baroque trumpet, I thought that I would give it a go.
I will report on my progress. As I have some trumpet playing Advent and Christmas concerts still scheduled, I have not yet played it.
-
Is that a slide instrument? If so, is it easy to learn?
Allora Pocket Trumpet 2014
Harrelson Summit 2017
Kanstul 1526 2012
Getzen Power Bore 1961
Getzen Eterna 4-Valve Fulgelhorn 1974
Martin Committee 1946
Olds Super Recording 1940
Olds Recording (LA) 1953
Olds Recording (Fullerton) 1967
Olds Ambassador 1965 -
@Dr-GO Needs to be a slide instrument... but if you've once mastered the slide positions on a normal trombone, it's easy (relative distances as regards mouthpiece/bell rim remain roughly the same). It's tougher on the tenor trombone due to the vastly different mouthpiece size. But even that can be mastered with enough incentive: Some years ago I inherited a trombone from a dear departed friend... thirteen years after his passing, his daughter called me and told me they had opened up her father's music room for the first time, and found hand-written labels who was to inherit what... and his pride and joy went to me (B&H Sovereign big bell trombone)... and of course I was in honour bound to learn. First piece I played was Amazing Grace at his graveside... been using it for a number of gigs since.
-
There are valve trombones, but I suspect the one ROWUK owns is a slide trombone.
-
@administrator your suspicion is correct. A real slide trombone. The slide is of no big concern. Habits are built through repetitions and I already have enough alto clef material to get started. I have already committed to a concert in April, so I know what is coming.
-
Time for a soprano trombone?
-
Which reminds me....Maynard had some kind of frankenhorn with both a slide and valves. Anybody remember what this thing was called?
-
@administrator said in Doubling on alto trombone:
Which reminds me....Maynard had some kind of frankenhorn with both a slide and valves. Anybody remember what this thing was called?
It was a “FireBird”, Holton ST303. You can buy one from Gamin Brass on eBay for $14,000, or Berkley Winds, a Chinese brand, makes a facsimile that on eBay for $1250. A friend of mine has the Berkley model but pointed out to me that it’s trombone slide was also the tuning slide, therefore not very practical.
