TromboneChat

Hi everyone!

As we have all been stuck in a continuous lockdown, I have been practicing more diligently because who doesn't need to get better? One thing I have noticed in my own playing, recently, is that my low range is a lot weaker than my high range. So, while rifling through the materials I have, I found Phil Teele's Advanced Embouchure studies. Obviously, it is intended for bass trombone, but would it be worthwhile to adapt it and use it on Tenor Trombone? Long tones definitely help with this sort of thing, but it is nice to have a "program" with direction when trying to improve something like this. Does anyone have any experience doing these exercises on Tenor Trombone, or recommendations otherwise for improving the low register?

Understand that the exercises go to a range that is pretty far outside of where you would play a tenor trombone. Also, they MANDATE an F-attachment and really need a double trigger.

That said, no reason you can't use the Teele studies for your lower register.

They certainly exist, but I'm not sure that's the first direction I would go on tenor trombone.

Simple things like scales, arpeggios, etudes down a 4th or octave may be more worth your time.

I've done them a lot on tenor, mostly in college but still do them here and there, and found it very helpful. However it was really aimed as a supplement to Charlie Vernon's book, which will really do great things for your low range on tenor.

The challenge, I found, was not to let me face get too open, which the Vernon stuff helped keep the focus. There's some parts that don't work because of one valve instead of two. basically just leave all the pedal D/C stuff out- I found everything that's meant for two valves, even if they're playable with one, don't quite have the same effect as doing them on bass because you don't get the extra resistance.

BGuttman, I saw the need for the double trigger, I just figured I'd ignore the part where the notes ended up outside of my range. Granted, a lot of them are, but maybe bass trombone is something for me to strive towards in a few years

Burgerbob, I hadn't considered etudes lowered by a 4th or an octave. That may be where I start. It will probably help cover more areas than just playing low, too.

I play Both bass and tenor, and i use "benders" on tenor... This have a lot of the same effect on low register and tone as the Teele etudes...

I use a lot of the Phil Teele exercises on tenor. His long tone routine is very time consuming, so I cannot get to them every day, but I like to use them frequently. I even use the exercises when I play on a straight horn. I play the "fakey" notes between low E and Pedal B-flat and use his same philosophy of "avoid shifting." I also play the very low pedal low E-flat down through an A or A-flat (bottom notes on a piano). I just use the same "fakey" positions through the C and double pedal B-natural in 1st, B-flat in 2nd, etc.... Of course, it is a bit trickier to avoid shifting way down on those pitches.

I like to work on the fake notes on my straight horn, because it makes them speak with ease and clarity when I put a trigger horn in my hands. Another trick I use to boost my low register is to play for a couple days on a .525 bore horn with a trigger and focus on notes below the bass clef down through the extreme pedals. When you return to a .547 bore horn, the low register is so much easier to play.

I think long tones in all ranges is enough. Include the pedals. Include the high range.