TromboneChat

Against my better judgement, I just ordered an alto trombone, although I have no idea why. I guess you might say I have been alto curious for a while, and since I have a couple of months break with my regular groups, I thought it might be a fun thin to do for the rest of the summer. And it was only $350 (JP 136).

Anyway, what is a good book to use to start learning this strange beast?

Thanks!

I liked Harrison's book, but I think he's withdrawn it. There's also Mike Lake's "Alto Trombone Savvy".

Or you can work out your own. Try playing Rubank up a 5th. Or work out scales and arpeggios.

I also learned to play bass clef parts on the alto. I reinforced this by taking the alto to my Community Band rehearsals and playing my 1st trombone parts. Want another challenge? Try playing Eb horn parts on the alto.

After more than a few failed attempts to learn alto, I finally just sat down with a tuner, worked out a few things, and then started into the Fink book.

I like the method book(s) - I think there are 2 volumes - by Stephen Anderson. They start of with short etudes, in the mid-range of the instrument, with a mix of Arban-like material and short lyrical tunes. They progress into more advanced material.

He also writes in a transposed (E flat) bass clef, with the exact same material on the opposite page in alto clef (concert pitch). You don't have to use the transposed versions at all, but I liked being able to play the etudes right away, and then dive into doing the same material in alto clef. I think I saw the books still listed on Hickeys site recently.

Worked well for me.

Jim Scott

Brad Edwards’ “Simply Singing for Winds”. I started alto trombone during my time studying with Dr. Edwards at Arizona State and the way he made me approach alto was bulletproof. The book is filled with simple melodies that are easy to latch on to so from the start you can focus on making music and your sound concept rather than over thinking the mechanics. He would make me play each tune in every clef so I wouldn’t make an automatic association between alto clef and alto trombone but rather would just learn where the pitches are on the alto. Now I don’t have any real problem with different clefs on tenor or alto.

Aside from that, he also assigned a daily regimen of lip slurs,long tones, and articulation exercises. I just used the Michael Davis warmup books (and still do every day) since they’re fairly comprehensive of all the main fundamentals.

Wish me luck. I get my alto tomorrow.

A little bit every day ...

For some inspiration, and to learn how it should sound, you might want to pick up Ron Barron's alto CD:

http://www.trombonebarron.com/Ron_Barron/BB1008CD.html

Also, Toby Oft has an Alto CD available: https://www.tobyoft.com/

So I got the horn today. I have to say it is pretty darn nice for $350. Everything seems well put together and the lacquer is excellent. The only complaint is that the case does not really match the horn. The slide section is OK, but the bell section seems like it was designed for a tenor and the bell flops around pretty badly. The guy I got it from is checking with JP on this. I ordered the Anderson book to start with. For now, I am going to spend some time with a tuner and a position chart.

BGuttman wrote: ↑Mon Jul 15, 2019 6:45 pm Want another challenge? Try playing Eb horn parts on the alto.

Is Eb alto horn music the same as reading alto sax parts? Pretend it's bass clef and add 3 flats?

Mikebmiller wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2019 7:53 am

BGuttman wrote: ↑Mon Jul 15, 2019 6:45 pm Want another challenge? Try playing Eb horn parts on the alto.

Is Eb alto horn music the same as reading alto sax parts? Pretend it's bass clef and add 3 flats?

You could read it that way. I've found the tessitura of Eb horn parts requires reading bass clef and bringing up an octave.

But I'm talking about playing as a transposed instrument where the note one ledger line below the staff is the 2nd partial in 1st position (as an example).

Mikebmiller wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2019 7:53 am

BGuttman wrote: ↑Mon Jul 15, 2019 6:45 pm Want another challenge? Try playing Eb horn parts on the alto.

Is Eb alto horn music the same as reading alto sax parts? Pretend it's bass clef and add 3 flats?

To play E flat auto horn, or sax parts on the alto trombone, you should play the music like tenor clef on the tenor trombone -then add 2 flats. Treating E flat treble clef like Bass clef with a key change is how you play it on tenor or bass trombone in B flat.

One solo that is often played on the alto trombone is the Sonata for Alto Horn - Hindemith. I noticed that it was the test piece for the alto trombone competition earlier this month in Muncie. To play the note that is written as third space "C" in treble clef, you must play an E flat (1st position tuning note on the alto trombone). Playing this music on an alto trombone is exactly the same as playing treble clef baritone/euphonium/tenor sax on a B flat trombone. We don't usually think of the trombone as a transposing instrument, but if we're playing music that has been written for a transposing instrument, we do have to factor in the key of the instrument we're playing on to find how to easily transfer that notation into something we can easily read.

Jim Scott

I am making reasonable progress on this alto thing. I am reading bass clef parts pretty well but the alto clef stuff is still a work in progress. I wasn’t that good with alto clef even on tenor, so it is a double whammy trying to remember the note and then remember what position to play it in. I am enjoying the challenge, though.

Back when I learned alto, I used the Ralph Sauer clef studies. They're not too technical, so you can concentrate on really learning the notes, and he deliberately used material that's not too familiar so you can't cheat and play by ear. If you're going to be playing alto trombone parts, they are going to be in alto clef or occasionally in tenor clef, never in bass clef. Playing Rochuts or similar in bass clef is good to get familiar with the intonation, and will feel "familiar" since it's similar to reading tenor clef on tenor trombone, but won't help you learn to read alto clef on alto trombone, which is what you really need to do.

You gotta walk before you run. I’m still in the walking phase. Fortunately, the list of people calling me to play alto in public is pretty short. Like zero. I have a brass choir concert in November where I might try to use it on one or two tunes if I am ready by then.