facility in the bass trombone lower range

[tim]

This has eluded me for years, I've faked my way thru it but now I really want to be able to play quickly in the lower register without sounding like a wet f**T. sorry for the description.

[Burgerbob]

Practice it, a lot.

[Kbiggs]

The only way to develop low register facility is through intentional practice.

Having said that, I wonder, from your description, whether you are changing something with your air and/or your embouchure when you play in the lower register. People often get into the habit of changing either of these to produce a sound. However, the sound produced has a different tone quality than the tone, say, one octave above—the tone quality is inconsistent from one register to another. Careful examination with a mirror and recording device can help.

However, I would suggest a lesson with a qualified teacher, someone who can watch what happens and hear what changes. Doug Elliott, who is an excellent teacher and is here on this forum, would be a place to start.

[Doug Elliott]

I would not downplay the need to "Practice it, a lot" but it's extremely important to be doing it correctly, in a manner that has some hope of succeeding, and on equipment that will work for you.

[Johnstad]

Great exercises for this...

https://www.ilanmorgenstern.com/trombon ... gcWeOiIQqM

[Burgerbob]

I would not downplay the need to "Practice it, a lot" but it's extremely important to be doing it correctly, in a manner that has some hope of succeeding, and on equipment that will work for you.

Just to add on, when I say "practice," I have had a lesson with Doug and have a much clearer understanding of my face. It's invaluable and will save you a lot of headaches down the road, even with lots of practice time.

[Savio]

I think everyone is different so its a good idea to seek a teacher and find what is needed to do it correct for our self. I see some few players that is nearly born to play any register and seems to do it without much problems. But most of us have to work and find out what is our own way to do things. Im still struggling with lot of things but thats part of the fun, to find solutions. What can help is simple excersises like slurs from middle register down to low register. Try to do it without much movements and effort. Or some simple tunes going down in the low register. Try different things and always listen for what you think is a good sound. We are not born with a mouthpiece on the mouth so we have to find a way that is simple and effortless. Im still trying everyday and think its a part of the fun. Small steps every day can make our day.

Leif

[Vegasbound]

I would not downplay the need to "Practice it, a lot" but it's extremely important to be doing it correctly, in a manner that has some hope of succeeding, and on equipment that will work for you.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^

[imsevimse]

I think everyone is different so its a good idea to seek a teacher and find what is needed to do it correct for our self. I see some few players that is nearly born to play any register and seems to do it without much problems. But most of us have to work and find out what is our own way to do things. Im still struggling with lot of things but thats part of the fun, to find solutions. What can help is simple excersises like slurs from middle register down to low register. Try to do it without much movements and effort. Or some simple tunes going down in the low register. Try different things and always listen for what you think is a good sound. We are not born with a mouthpiece on the mouth so we have to find a way that is simple and effortless. Im still trying everyday and think its a part of the fun. Small steps every day can make our day.

Leif

Yes, that's also my belief. To play higher and higher I took a melody and transposed it up in half steps until I reached my absolute top note. I choose "Londonderry Air" which has a leap of a sixth that limits the register upwards. I guess on bass I need to find a just as useful song and do the opposite. Go down in half steps until the limit. When I reach the limit I have to go beyond too, at least a half step. This is how I practice register.

/Tom

[Savio]

I think everyone is different so its a good idea to seek a teacher and find what is needed to do it correct for our self. I see some few players that is nearly born to play any register and seems to do it without much problems. But most of us have to work and find out what is our own way to do things. Im still struggling with lot of things but thats part of the fun, to find solutions. What can help is simple excersises like slurs from middle register down to low register. Try to do it without much movements and effort. Or some simple tunes going down in the low register. Try different things and always listen for what you think is a good sound. We are not born with a mouthpiece on the mouth so we have to find a way that is simple and effortless. Im still trying everyday and think its a part of the fun. Small steps every day can make our day.

Leif

Yes, that's also my belief. To play higher and higher I took a melody and transposed it up in half steps until I reached my absolute top note. I choose "Londonderry Air" which has a leap of a sixth that limits the register upwards. I guess on bass I need to find a just as useful song and do the opposite. Go down in half steps until the limit. When I reach the limit I have to go beyond too, at least a half step. This is how I practice register.

/Tom

Tom, thats a good idea. I do that with the bordogni etudes. With modern score apps like Sibelius, Finale and the free Musescore its easy to transpose to all keys. But since we all play that nearly every day we can translate to any key in our head without a paper in front. Same as the scales. My facility in the low range have never been good but its better when I try to play melodies down there. But of course a good teacher is a short cut. So if you live nearby a good teacher try that first before struggling to much.

Leif

[tim]

Thanks all, right now I'm working my way thru the Blazehevich 70 Studies for tuba. It's not easy stuff and for a bit of added challenge I'm playing with a Silent Brass system. That helps me to use a more relaxed airstream. If I overdo it the note doesn't speak. When i take the mute out, I try to use the same airstream and the Conn responds so much better than when I fall back into the habit of blowing my long departed Getzen.

[tim]

Blazehevich volumes 1 & 2, two a day, with a metronome. Sometimes a click or two faster the written.

[BGuttman]

Biggest problem I had in the trigger register was getting the notes to speak. I used the Alan Raph "warmup" for a few months and suddenly the notes spoke better.

The Raph warmup is really easy: start on trigger F. Play 2 half notes, 4 quarter notes, 8 eighth notes, 12 eighth triplets, and finally 16 sixteenth notes. Work on clean attacks. Now do the same for trigger E. Then Eb. Then D. I think you get the idea. The shorter notes will get harder as you go down. Just keep at it, and eventually they should speak. Just remember not to push anything. If you fail 3 times, stop and try again tomorrow.

[JakeRoberts69]

[baileyman]

Great sound he has. Funny he talks about connecting the mid to the low, then illustrates by connecting the low to the mid, and very rapidly indeed.

Doug would probably have much to say about the embouchure advice, but experience with freebuzz in that range indicates little movements, such as his "jaw forward", that help the notes to happen. Not necessarily jaw forward, but some kind of movement.

And freebuzz in the range is not something that can happen "flappy and loose", which he criticizes. I remember sabutin saying there is a muscle fatigue that shows up from the control necessary to play those notes well. They are work, just different work. And a session in the range shows the truth of that. Freebuzz requires muscular control to tune those frequencies, and that practice translates directly to the horn in my experience.