TromboneChat

Hi all!

I've been taking time this summer to make some short to medium length youtube videos about extended techniques for performers and composers. So far there are videos up about Split Tones, Overpressure Multiphonics, Air Sounds, and fun things you can do with the F-attachment.

Feel free to look around and let me know what you think! There's a lot of fun stuff out there that's non-traditional that we can use, and while it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea it's still fun to play around with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLh5Ei3 ... vd-8AiJNXO

Cool stuff William. For me, the description of how to produce split tones was most beneficial.

thanks for watching! if you have any questions about split tone stuff please let me know - it's so tricky at first!

I've been working on the split tones a little bit. It appears that your advice of maintaining or BEING STUBBORN with the starting tone (I have been using F and the other notes in that partial.....2nd, 3rd, 4th position, etc..) is the secret. The natural instinct is to let the note shift down to the B-flat partial. You must not give in and really stick with the starting pitch. It's a fresh, interesting thing to practice!

The key is to nearly but not fully flip your embouchure type. For example, if you are a typical downstream player, try playing an Ab on top of the staff with the embouchure you use for PEDAL Ab. And overblow. I've heard a few heavy hitters cheat and use flutter tonguing to get the effect started until it settles. If I go for it and it didn't speak, I'm doing the same thing.

I had no idea how this was done until I saw a live performance of the trombone concerto Arabenne. It's also only one of two times the effect is used in music that the average person would still clap for at the end of the piece. Hats off to Lindberg for sneaking effects into entertaining music but not making it about the effects. Can't think of a single piece other than that where it doesn't give the feeling of just being noise disguised as intellectualism other than the Marijn Simons concerto, "Visiting the Angels".

I like the explanation.

As a joke sometimes if I'm playing with a new group of people, I'll "warm up" with a terrible tone that can include "overpressure multiphonics". You know, to keep 'em guessing. But I do dig serious thought about using whatever sounds we can, as long as things don't get damaged.

@brian thanks! i'm glad it was helpful!

@Andrew the split tone warm up is a good one i like surrounding extended techniques with long tones - like in a three note sequence, regular "golden sound", split tone, golden sound in one long breath. helps keep everything grounded

@harrison - that's a good method too, but it's definitely different then the one i'm describing. with this approach (originally learned from Mike Svoboda) there is no real flip or pedal embouchure. if fact, after a few years there's barely any embochure change at all, even at louder volumns. but whatever works! it's good to have options.

my old "cheating" version of the technique used to be multiphonics under the played pitch. works well if it's in the voice range...

i love the conversation around modern techniques and "average" audiences. while there's not always space in a large orchestra concert, but in solo and chamber performances I've had a lot of success talking with the audience and explaining what they're about to hear. that plus a story about either the piece or my own connection to "modern" work goes a long way towards building trust and a good listening experience!

As mentioned in William’s video and in his recent addition to this thread, I do see the possibilities with developing an improved tone concept by going in and out of split tones. I played around with it today and found my sound to be very free and relaxed when I returned to my “symphonic sound.”

It’s nice to have options for tone development. For many years, I have used a routine of multi-phonics and always find that my throat is more relaxed when I return to “regular playing.” Another trick I have used is the extremely loud playing with my Wick practice mute.....a routine that Denis has preached for decades and he used it with me at every lesson I took with him. I also super-impose exaggerated vowel sounds into my playing and find that it gives me the utmost control in darkness and brightness in my sound. Again, the split tones seems to be another great option for developing tone concept.

inspired by the recent whistling thread, as well as being asked by a few composers over some time, i made a quick primer on whistling through the trombone - hope you enjoy if interested!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLzVjXT ... e=youtu.be