I am a 15 year old boy from Norway.
I mainly play tenor trombone, but there are big chanses i'm getting a bass trombone during this spring/autumn.
I play on a Bach 36BO, which i have had since christmas, and i play in 2 bands, and i'm most likely gonna start in another band during autumn.
Hello. I just turned 58, and have only been playing (again) for a few months. My daughter is at Shenandoah Conservatory (Vocal Performance, visions of opera), and left her Yamaha 356 behind. She stopped playing after Jr. High. I hadn't played since my sophomore year in HS, but figured I'd give it a try again. I was never very good back then (I was always more involved in vocal music than instrumental), but always enjoyed playing. I also play guitar, and have recently discovered the thrill of the pit band. A good friend is a musical director for various schools in the area, and has gotten gigs for my wife (bass) and myself. Unfortunately, there aren't enough opportunities for guitar in many musicals, so I thought I'd try to increase my options for playing. I found a teacher in my area and have been working on getting back into shape. My range is still kinda wimpy (top and bottom), but it's coming slowly. My teacher says my tone is pretty good, so that's encouraging - I'd rather sound good in a limited range than sound like crap all over the place. Anyway, I've found this to be a great resource and am glad to be here. Dan
I've been playing trombone for 8 years and the last 2 1/2 years on bass trombone(man i love it) and im going ISU for music this fall. In 5th grade i wanted to play trumpet but my music teacher said my lips were to big for it and said i should play trombone and im sooooo glad she did that for me b/c its changed my life!! Ive been in concert band, jazz band, pep band, marching band, and made it to all state as the bass trombonist of the honors orchestra and hopefully this summer im going to play in a pit for Fiddler on the roof!
Not much else to say, but im really excited to be part of this and its only been one day and ive learned soo much already
You know, I never did get around to posting in this thread?
I'm 26, living in Oxford in the UK, modelling tokamak magnetohydrodynamics for a living (not quite sure how that happened, it seems fairly implausible). I've played piano since I was little, brass since I was 8 (euphonium), and trombone (bass) since I was 13. I now play on brass for most groups in Oxford, and some in London, on whichever of alto, tenor, bass, contrabass trombone, euphonium, bass trumpet, or tuba is desired. I have a nagging feeling that taking all this more seriously than the day job isn't how life is supposed to be run, but I'm enjoying myself! My girlfriend (also an inveterate brass doubler) is moving in with me in August, which is maybe not strictly relevant here, but it's a thought that makes me very happy
[edit] Oh, and I'm not the Dave Taylor in NY... Maybe I should add a line to my sig to explain that to those who become confused...
Hello all!
I'm listed as a "New Member" so I suppose this applies to me !
My name is Emily and I'm part of the graduating class of '09. I've played trombone for 5 years now and I'm absolutely in love with it. I fell in love with jazz when I went to a Tommy Dorsey concert at a local venue in 6th grade and I've played it ever since. I want to someday be a Professor of Trombone at a major university. My passion since I can remember was to attend Juilliard. Let's see...I can't reach 7th position...I adore sightreading...and bascially that's all I have to say for now. Oh, I love OTJ and all the great advice I get from it!!!!!! Thanks to everyone who spends time helping us beginners, and band teachers/private teachers are the greatest!
Hey, I'm not totally new but I haven't really introduced myself here so I will.
My name's Alymay, I'm a high school junior from MA. I have been playing trombone since fifth grade (French Horn before that) and it is a huge part of my life. In the future, my plan is to double major in pharmacy and music, so I can have pharmacy as my paying job and music as my fun job as I jet off to med school to get my M.D. I also may decide to teach high school health, because the world doesn't have enough sex ed teachers comfortable talking to their students about sexuality. I know this is ambitious, but I anticipate challenges
When I am not in a rehearsal/practice session, class, or studying, you may find me on stage acting or singing in my barbershop quartet or the church choir (I'm a U.U., and though I'm not what you'd call "religious" in the traditional sense, spirituality is a fundamental part of my personality).
Quote from: "Miss_Rochut" Let's see...I can't reach 7th position
Me either! A good trick that i've learned is to slide the slide up with your fingers past the grip to get that extra inch or so. There are also ways to lean in your shoulder to extend your arm that extra bit. Because I've practiced these so much, if I extend both arms out, perfectly relaxed, my right arm goes considerably further.
Quote from: "spunkytrombones"If all else fails, that's what F valves are for!
Amen to that!! My F trigger has saved me trouble/made me lazy. Now on my Bach it's quite a bit more difficult for me to get 6th and 7th positions in tune. I'll be trying that technique and practicing my trigger-less horn more often because I'm looking for a good old reliable jazz horn for my junior year (hopefully sooner), and I don't want to have a lazy arm for those tricky B naturals!
Quote from: "Miss_Rochut"Quote from: "spunkytrombones"If all else fails, that's what F valves are for!
Amen to that!! My F trigger has saved me trouble/made me lazy. Now on my Bach it's quite a bit more difficult for me to get 6th and 7th positions in tune. I'll be trying that technique and practicing my trigger-less horn more often because I'm looking for a good old reliable jazz horn for my junior year (hopefully sooner), and I don't want to have a lazy arm for those tricky B naturals!
I have that problem when I play my Bach, if I ever want sixth position I usually overshoot because I'm worried about it (seventh position with the extra stretch method usually is fine), but usually when I switch over to my old yamaha student model I am fine, probably from years of being triggerless. I am definitely a jazzer at heart, too, but I want to play bass trombone eventually, so I don't find the triggerless horn thing an issue.
Hey everybody, my name is Kelsey and I'm a new member (obviously).... I've played the trombone for about six years now, and I am a senior in high school. I also play a lot of other things... tuba, baritone, trumpet, flute, bass, piano... stuff. I live in Michigan in a very small town. I play a Conn 88H that I just got... the Christmas before last, if I remember correctly.
I plan to go to college and study music, probably education.... I love the trombone (whoo!). I'd like to talk to all of you people
Hello everyone. Let's see, I am a sophomore at Montoursville High School in Montoursville, PA. I've played trombone for 5 full years now. I've been playing baritone for about 2. I also play some electric guitar and bass as well as keyboard (which I don't like learning songs on, I just play random stuff and it usually sounds pretty good actually). I also have a trumpet but I don't play it that often. I'm not involved in any bands outside of school but the Repasz Band is nearby so if I ever get enough free time I may look into that someday. I don't think I will major in music in college because I'm #1 in my class and probably could go farther with a science degree than a music one.
I play tennis which my band director probably isnt too happy about because I'm the only good trombone and since our tennis team made it to the state quarters and me and my brother made it to state doubles I missed like 5 wednesday practices in a row and I dont have band in my schedule at school. I will listen to pretty much any type of music. Its not uncommon for me to go from listening to my circus screamers cd (the best cd i own) to Chevelle (which is where my cryptic name came from) to Christian Lindberg (my favorite trombonist).
Hey im a senior at Franklin High School in Franklin, PA. I've played trombone for 2 1/2-3 years after switching from clarinet (i really sucked at clarinet). Im in jazz band, marching band, pep band, concert band, and play with our town band. Im drum major of our marching band. i wouldn't consider myself amazing at trombone but i did go to district jazz band last year so i guess im not that bad. I really wish i would have started playing trombone earlier. I play a Conn 88 HO and im an avid Maynard Ferguson fan so i have a Superbone, which i sort of know how to play, but the whole combination thing can get really confusing.
Good day! I'm Lee Dise. Originally, from Newport News, VA. Lived all over the country. Done all sorts of things. Finally settled down across the river from Newport News, in Virginia Beach. I studied at various colleges, have a degree in music from Wichita State (1976) and did some graduate work in Pittsburgh, where I studied with some of the Pittsburgh Symphony guys -- Bob Hamrick, Bill McGlaughlin, and the late B.B. McCulloh. Spent four years at the Travis AFB band in Fairfield, CA. Met my lovely wife there, the former Debbie Wallace from Glendora, CA, and have been happily married for 23 years. I've been playing trombone for so long, I ought to be good at it by now. I haven't given up quite yet.
Quote from: "nickrex37"i have a Superbone, which i sort of know how to play, but the whole combination thing can get really confusing.
Yeah, I got one too about twenty-two years ago. I usually switch between valve and slide. I sometimes use the combination like an F-attachment to play low Eb to low B.
Quote from: "dise"I studied at various colleges, have a degree in music from Wichita State (1976) and did some graduate work in Pittsburgh, where I studied with some of the Pittsburgh Symphony guys
Hey my name is Danny, and Ive been playing trombone for about 6 years now. Im a freshman trombone major (bass) at Marshall University. (hence the 'thunderingtrombone'), a member of the Zeta Eta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and winner of the John Philip Sousa Award.
I started playing trombone back in 8th grade as my 3rd instrument (trumpet, tuba, then trombone), and now here I am today.
I currently own a Blessing B-128 pea shooter, but Im probably going to sell it soon. In high school I played on a Bach 42BO but when I graduated I had to give it back to the school. Right now Im playing on a Yamaha YBL-331 single rotor bass and am looking to buy a horn sometime soon.
I like playing anything from jazz to classical, and really dig the modern stuff. And thats about it.
Hi, my name is Griffin. I live in Willis, TX and play the Bass Bone. I am a sophmore in high school. I love playing (almost more than eating) lol. I play a school owned Conn 112H with a Schilke 60 mouthpiece. I am trying to get enough money to buy an Edwards Bass Trombone. Comes to around $5,217.50. Lol I have the 50 cents so i'm almost there! I am first chair at my school. The other bass trombonist is one of those people that couldn't care less about band, but stays in it anyway. I am setting my eyes on the prize this year, I plan to make state. Last year, my freshamn year I made 4th chair @ Area. That's a result of a really bad audition by the way. So ya, how yall doin?
Ok, I am really out of place with all of you outrageous kids who are still in high school and have been playing for six years or something! - and probably already play better than I'll ever play! ... but here goes.
I started playing trombone this past February and play as much as I physically can - main limiting factor is left hand and arm pain, secondary limiting factor is embouchere getting wasted. That's OK, both factors make me take care of myself.
I'm a bit of a mid-life crisis story. Way back in the 5th grade, I took violin lessons for half a year and (thank God) learned how to read music. Then - it was the early 70's - my family moved out to what we in Alaska affectionately call "the bush," where I spent my life 'till 18. This was fairly unimaginably far away from a town (40 miles by boat from the nearest village of 300 people) or city (150 miles by float plane from the nearest town of 15,000), so let's just say that band or orchestra was not a real option. No joke, we were the only family on an entire island, and our nearest neighbors were 5 miles away - by water.
My high school education was by correspondence courses, BUT ... I had a great friend who at times lived in the area, and she played recorder, so we played duets together often when I was 16, 17. I created my own music class and got credit for recorder music from my correspondence school.
Then I moved back to the real world at 18 and spent the next 25 plus years getting along and actually just figuring out how to survive in that real world, got a degree in chemistry, spent 10 years as an analytical chemist, of all things (I know there is another lab rat out on this forum somewhere), and now have ended up in software development (of all things).
But through it all, I have always LOVED BIG BAND and LOVED MARCHING BAND (sorry for those of you who cringe at Marching Band, I can't help myself, I just love Sousa). Not to mention love jazz. But it is really, really hard to find a way into playing music if you miss the middle/high school years. So I finally decided that you really do only live once (here's the midlife crisis part), and I bought a cheap trombone, started taking lessons, actually marched in last year's fourth of July parade (I did a lot of what I call slide-synching (we have a small volunteer marching band and they will take anyone)) (note the nested parentheses for all you math and software types), and now am playing with our student symphony (we are also blessed with a student symphony that will take just about anyone).
Thanks for this totally cool forum. You guys (and gals) dispense with the best advice, and also just let yourselves have fun (why else would you be trombone players?).
Hi [s]peoplz[/s] people I'm Gemma
My Music story: I'm a band geek freshmen at Taos High! I've played the baritone for the past 4 years and have just started playing the trombone. I live in a small town in New Mexico ware no one seems to care about music. However I still LOVE my tiny 20 person band, and my 1 person section. I've come from a family of musicsions, and have grown up around music, so I jumped into band first chance I got in 6th grade I was originally planing on playing the Tuba like my great grandpa but it was too big for me, so my director handed me a baritone and I've bin happly playing it ever since. I quickly became obsessed and now practice a few hours a day. even though I know I'm not going to make it, I'm auditioning for the New Mexico All-State Band. Recently my ant and uncle got me a Trombone, and I'm working on learning it now
About me:
I live in taos New Mexico. I'm in 9th grade. I love drawing, band, Baritones, and Trombones.I'm a Cartoonist. My favorite color is red, fav animal: dogs! fav food: Mac'n'Cheese. I love to practice my baritone: so there for I'm a geek oh ya and just so you know the reason why I'm such a bad speller is because I'm dyslexic
Hi, my name is Love, an actual swedish name (not att all related to the emotion and pronounced vastly different). I'm a MSc working in software development in Lund (Sweden), and in my spare time I play in student orchestra as well as a military band. Would like to play in a Big Band as well (since it's closer to my personal taste in music), but then again the week only has so many hours...
Owns a Yamaha student bone and a really nice Bach 50B, which is what I've been playing for the past years. However, since I got put on principal a few months ago I've picked the Yamaha up again.
Been playing for about 7 years, with 11 years of piano lessons preceeding that.
Hi everyone,
I used to be a forum member about 5 years ago, but I seemed to have lost touch and what not, though I would still visit from time to time just to read up on the various topics.
I am currently working on my Master's in trombone performance at UNM.
Besides practicing, I usually spend time in front of the computer arranging various pieces for various brass ensembles (I think I should get them played someday) and sometimes hit the bars after a performance or rough day of playing.
Anyway, it's good to be back.
Travis here, a 34 year old intern pastor in Iowa. I have recently picked up the trombone after 5 or so years off. I started college at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio as a music major but finished with a religion/history major.
Currently I am borrowing a NICE Conn 72h from a member of my congregation that plays on an Edwards Bass. While the Conn is a nice horn,it is too much for me. I want to get a large bore tenor (probably will be a Xeno) to replace the Bach Strad 36B I sold about 3 years ago. I purchased it new in 1986 when I switched from trumpet to trombone. I think that horn is somewhere in the Columbus, Ohio area.
I picked up euph in college and walk both sides of the valve/slide fence
I guess I'm not technically a new member, but it's been a while. A very long while.
I'm Allen. I'm from Little Rock. I'm fresh out of college, working as a high school/junior high band director. On the side, I do freelance teaching and performance. I'm in the Little Rock Wind Symphony and a big band called Jazz Xtreme.
i'm not new either, but it has been awhile for me also
i plan on checking in here at least once or twice a week
sorry, life has had me bogged down
and for anyone who doesn't know...
i'm Ross and i play trombone. still in high school(but not for long)
the new forum looks nice
Not exactly new but have been browsing (lurking) for some time now.
My name is Richard, I am 32 years old and am based in Hampshire in the UK. I mainly play Bigband but am now doing some bass trom with a local amateur orchestra.
It is good to see such a good natured and helpful bunch of people on the web, nice to be a member of the comunity
Hey everyone, I guess I might as well start posting here (I started writing a comment about mouthpieces, but realized I was rambling something fierce, and wasn't even keeping to my own arguement, so I'll just save it for another day!)
My name's Glenn, and I'm currently a freshman at Ithaca College studying to be an audio engineer (Sound Recording Technology is the official title). It's a BM degree, so I'm a full fledged music major...setting myself up for a fulfilled, yet severely poverty stricken life. Currently playing a Conn 88H and a Getzen 3508R, and there's over 6" of snow outside (about time!)
Jim here. I'm a college student getting back into trombone for fun.
I play doumbek, tabla [barely], some djembe, and I tried learning trumpet, but I just don't seem to have trumpet lips. I'm in school for my Bachelor's in Computer Engineering. I'm also an avid cyclist.
Hey everyone, my name's Chris...just joined the site a few days ago but so far I really like what I see. I'm a sophomore at my highschool where I'm playing the bass trombone and loving it. Lookin forward to participating in the site, having a place like this is a really great idea.
Quote from: woodsonbbone on Feb 03, 2007, 07:56PMHey everyone, my name's Chris...just joined the site a few days ago but so far I really like what I see. I'm a sophomore at my highschool where I'm playing the bass trombone and loving it. Lookin forward to participating in the site, having a place like this is a really great idea.
Welcome Chris! I'm a sophomore too.
Hey people, I'm Tori, and I like to type a lot. So mine is pretty long, I'm long-winded. ^^
Umm, musically:
I started with the violin in first grade, and I continued through second grade, but it bothered my chin and shoulder. Little children are such wimps. =) My mom decided a year or two later that I needed to learn piano, so she bought me a keyboard. I never took lessons on that, and it was pretty much a complete failure until a child prodigy of a piano player moved in next door and started to help me along. I stopped playing in fifth grade, when I decided that I wanted to play flute in beginning band. I wish that we would have had the oppertunity in elementary school to try different instruments. Anyways, I went through a year being one of the better flute players. When I got into middle school, I used my elective for drama not band, which was dumb. In 8th grade though they offered band as a second elective and I took the oppertunity, and picked up the flute again. I started to reteach myself, when I switched to high school band though I nearly died. I hadn't learn to count rhythms and any not above a high C was just not happening- we need good middle school band directors. Freshman year I struggled, but it was thought I'd switch to the French horn. I picked up guitar and bass also, I left guitar though to focus on my bass since I like the sound much better. (I'm a bass line kinda' gal) Now as a sophomore I've gotten /much/ better at the flute, one of the top 5 or so in symphonic band. This past November though I decided I wanted to switch to the Euphonium, however for anyone who has ever looked at the price of a Euphonium I had to choose an alternative if I wanted to play a low brass. Naturally I chose trombone. I'm going to band camp over the summer, planing to play trombone, and I hope to start lessons shortly. I'm also really enjoying getting back into the piano.
In the future musically, I want to be a Middle School band director, and hopefully kids won't end up with the same problems musically that I had. High school music should be fun.
(As a side note that no one cares about Freeze Frame is now on "Everybody hates Chris" and that was one of our stands tunes last year.)
Otherwise:
I like to play video games: World of Warcraft, Soul Calibur, and Guitar Hero,are the first that come to mind. I also like Horseback Riding. Sorry for being so long winded.
Hello or "Salut" as we say here so you must have guessed that I am French.
I am 27 and have played the trombone for 17 years but that's not my job. I am currently trying to finish a PhD in physics after an engineering degree.
I play in different bands : concert band, brass band, symphonic orchestra and bass quintet (the links points to french websites but it may interest some of you)
Another detail : I have a Bach 42AG.
I think that's it and I am glad to participate to this forum.
ps : any other french speaking people on this forum ?
A long time ago I have been a member on this forum and liked it a lot but now that I came back it has changed a lot...to the good ..so cool to be here, again.
My name is Sebastian and for the older members of the OTJ my former nickname wa STUDENT1(GETS AN EDWARDS). Well as I said I was in a lot of stress during to university preperations and so I did not log in for a long time. Also I found my older acount not to looks very professional, which is what I want to be here, so I simply made a new one...and...TADA, this is me, back again.
So for the ones who do not know me yet, my name is Sebastian and I am 20 years old and livin in the western part of Germany. I am a bass trombonist and WILL START WITH MY PROFESIONAL STUDIES OF THE BASS TROMBONE AND MUSIC(Music performance major) in April. I play in a concert wind band , and am playin with a big band on a regular basis (GIGS). Furthermore we play with some brasssplayers as an ensemble on weddings and so) and I play with different amateur level symphony orchestras. Besides playin bass trombones for hours I also HAVE TO PLAY the piano. My hobbies besides music is watchin and playin basketball, goin into clubs at the weekend if I do not have to play a concert the next day, and goin to cinemas chilling with the friends swimming and reading.
Don't forget Lou2CV and our Belgian contingent (Slidennis and Johnny_Verhoven). We also have a resident of western Switzerland who drops by from time to time.
I worked for a week in France (Limours) but it was quite a few years ago. I can still read and understand French, but my written and spoken skills are quite rusty.
Sebastian - welcome back! I was wondering what happened to you.
^ ENJOY that piano playing!! I had to do it in college also, but it was OK not to take it seriously. I didn't - and now it drives me crazy that I can't play piano worth a damn. It sure would be useful for teaching lessons.
I've been meaning to get around to introducing myself in this thread - hopefully soon.
hello, i just found this thread.
i found this site while doing a google search for a doubble belled trombone ( i saw a picture of one and wanted to know more about it) . i've been playing trombone for a few years in lovley minnesota... that's about all.
I would like to welcome our newest member. His name is Russ White. When I saw the name as a new member I wondered could it be the same Russ White that was in high school with me in 1971! He was an upperclassman I met in band when I was a new freshman. He was one of the few older cats in the trombone section who weren't total jerks! He was very encouraging to me and a real cool guy.
He embarked on a career with the fire department, and retired a chief. And now he is playing trombone again! Please no jokes about hot jazz!
He can give more details re: his return to the trombone fold for himself, but I just wanted to say that I am very happy to have stumbled upon him again!
Quote from: greg waits on Feb 28, 2007, 07:56AMI would like to welcome our newest member. His name is Russ White. When I saw the name as a new member I wondered could it be the same Russ White that was in high school with me in 1971! He was an upperclassman I met in band when I was a new freshman. He was one of the few older cats in the trombone section who weren't total jerks! He was very encouraging to me and basically a cool guy.
He can tell his own story about returning to the trombone fold, but I just wanted to say that I am very happy to have stumbled upon him again!
my name is Kelsey and I'm a new member (obviously).... I've played the trombone for about six years now, and I am a senior in high school. I also play a lot of other things... tuba, baritone, trumpet, flute, bass, piano... stuff. I live in Michigan in a very small town. I play a Conn 88H that I just got... the Christmas before last, if I remember correctly.
oh ya and just so you know the reason why I'm such a bad speller is because I'm dyslexic
While the Conn is a nice horn,it is too much for me. I want to get a large bore tenor (probably will be a Xeno) to replace the Bach Strad 36B I sold about 3 years ago. I purchased it new in 1986 when I switched from trumpet to trombone. I think that horn is somewhere in the Columbus, Ohio area.
the piano. My hobbies besides music is watchin and playin basketball, goin into clubs at the weekend if I do not have to play a concert the next day, and goin to cinemas chilling with the friends swimming and reading.