The trombonist can play perfectly in tune or
atrociously out of tune. A trombone student is at a definite
disadvantage when it comes to learning to play in tune. Like a string
player, he or she must learn where to “put” the slide
for each note. This takes a great deal of coordination and will hopefully
get better and better with time. Other instruments are able to at
least “land” somewhere in the vicinity of a correct pitch
by pushing down buttons or keys. With the trombone, however, there
is a lot of room for user-error. Beginning slide position charts,
a lack of student awareness about intonation on the trombone, as
well as differing intonation tendencies among major trombone models
are contributing to this wide-spread problem.
Beginning Method Books
For the purpose of this article, I consulted
with many beginning method book slide position charts, including several
second volumes, and as suspected, I did not find one clear accurate chart.
Now, I understand that for the purpose of simplification, beginning method
books mostly use the “standard seven” positions without any extra
adjustment indicators of longer or shorter positions so that the student
will not feel overwhelmed. However, unless the student has access to good
private teaching or a trombone-playing band director, the student may never
progress to the next step of learning the adjustments of specific partials
critical to playing in tune. Most method books try to show adjustments for
some of the notes (such as alternate “D”) but ignore other alterations
for notes on the same partial. (One recent method book, even publishes the
wrong direction for the adjustment for alternate “D”.) By not
introducing students to the needed alterations for each slide position, they
are not receiving all of the information they need to play in tune.
A lack of ear-training is contributing
to the problem students have of not playing in tune. Too
often, students rely on a visual indicator such as the bell
to learn where to “put” the slide. Simple frequent
reminders to students that they can learn to “hear” intonation
problems will help. Also, tell them frequently that if they
do not know if they are sharp or flat, try moving the slide
in one direction, and if it gets worse, move it the other
way. Practicing scales or arpeggios with open fifths also
helps students learn to tune specific chord tones (i.e. the
third of a major chord is played lower). For despite a fingering
chart’s best intentions, all tuning ultimately rests
with the player’s “ears”. With digital
tuners starting at less than twenty dollars, there should
be no excuse for students to not own a tuner.
Not all slide positions are created
equal! Many of the popular brands of trombones do not share
the same intonation tendencies, particularly on the fifth
partial. The “D” in first position, according
to the natural harmonic series, should be flat, however,
in many fine current trombone models, the “D” in
first position is actually sharp. Subsequently the “C-sharp” in
second position is also sharp and the “C” in
third position may be slightly sharp. In fact, a horn that
has a sharp fifth-partial “D” in first position
amazingly may also have a flat alternate “B-flat” in
fifth position on the same partial. It is important that
each individual student know his or her own instrument tendencies.
Again, every student should own a tuner.
How the Harmonic Series Affects
First position notes (or partials) on the trombone
are written below. Solid notes indicate that an adjustment should
be made to get the note in tune. The arrows indicate which way the
adjustment should be made. A downward arrow means move the slide
outward. An upward arrow means move the slide inward. Note that only
the partials that are octaves of the fundamental “B-flat” are
in tune. The first position “A-flat” on the seventh partial
should not be playedbecause it is too flat.
(Click on image below to enlarge)
Chart of Positions Requiring Adjustments
Each slide position on the trombone lowers its
pitch by a half-step. Therefore each half step down from the out-of-tune
partial generally follows the same adjustments. The following chart
indicates what adjustments are needed for each out of tune partial:
(Click on image below to enlarge)
What Is Most Likely Out of Tune In Your Trombone Section?
For the reasons listed above, the most likely culprits for out of tune notes
are from the sixth and seventh partials. If nothing else, learn the sixth
partial notes: “F”, “E”, “E-flat”, and
alternate “D” (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively) above the
staff should be played in long positions. The seventh partial notes “G” and “F-sharp”/”G-flat” above
the staff should be played in extremely short second and third respectively.
Tune the main tuning slide on all trombones
to top of the staff “B-flat”. Although the fine tuning of the F-attachment
and D-attachment will need to be left for another article, tune the tenor
trombone F-attachment tuning slide to the bottom of the staff low “F” in
first position (all the way in). Bass trombonists should tune their main
tuning slide and F-attachment as above, then the D-attachment should
be tuned to the below the staff “D” in first position.
All positions should be checked with a tuner
frequently, especially middle of the staff “F-sharp”/”G-flat” and “C-sharp”/”D-flat” in
5th, low “C” in 6th, and low “B” in 7th. Remember
that young students will be growing (and so will their arms.)
By following the above recommendations
and passing along the information to your students, better
intonation in your trombone section will certainly follow.
Intonation can and should be taught to students as soon as
is feasible. Adjustments for out of tune harmonics, an understanding
of intonation tendencies among different trombone models
in the fifth partial, as well as attention to the student’s
ear training will dramatically improve your trombone section.