TromboneChat

Hello,

I'm noticing something creeping into my playing after jumping back into bass trombone and large bore tenor after primarily playing small bore lead and a straight 547 for a while.

An old tendency of mine to somewhat tense up, possibly to add resistance unconsciously to make a note speak creeps in starting with low Eb. Low F and E speak and are nice and round on the open horn or F attachment or Gb alone on bass and a loud Eb seems ok. Starting with Eb, I find myself tensing up, possibly bringing lower jaw up (teeth closer together) as well. Honestly, probably a lot of unconscious shifts happening that I might not be self identifying. If I don't make these shifts and try to just stay open the notes seem incredibly flat. When these notes do speak, there is definitely an "eeee" as opposed to an "oooo" (for lack of a better term a buzziness instead of a roundness) sound being produced. Pedals are wide open, it's everything between that I can't get the desired volume or sound.

Possibly worth noting, I play Tuba in wind ensemble and occasionally have a gurgle around that same register (especially low D when it is a soft entrance).

I was playing a lot more 2-3 years ago while in school, but now I work full time and don't do a whole lot of playing. I'm working to re-establish a practice routine and would appreciate suggestions of what to incorporate into those sessions

I'm not wanting to solve this with an equipment change, but I'll list what I'm using for reference.

Small bore - happy with how this plays - king liberty, wedge 6.75C Delrin w/ tone ring

Large Bore - Corp 42 straight horn (currently being converted to have an instrument innovations valve). Valve register on this is less restrictive and seemingly speaks better than on my bass, but the build isn't complete - Hammond 11ML, brassark MV42 seamed copper leadpipe

Bass - Q series yellow (recent purchase, previously played school's newer 62hi, and an old holton bass) - current mouthpiece Shires 1 1/2MD using #2 leadpipe (previously Bach 1.25GM, the Shires seems to have more core. Just ordered MK GR nickel leadpipe for this horn too).

Tuba - Yamaha 3/4 4V BBb - Jim Self Yamaha mouthpiece

Input is much appreciated. I've already started working on Rochut down the octave and I just ordered the Brad Edwards bass trombone book. The preview seemed to have lots of super helpful excercises. Might be time to go grab a few lessons from my old teacher!

Definitely shouldn't be happening on the tuba. It may be easier to fix it there first and then take it back to the bass trombone. It does sound like you're trying to "control" the notes too much in that tuba register. Work on loosening up, maybe dropping lower jaw, retaining good open mouth cavity. But probably you're already doing all that. I find tuba to be much more forgiving than trombone in that range (also I'm a much better tuba player), and hence my suggestion to start there. You don't need new exercises or books, I think.

One thing to practice is lip slurs with the valve(s) down. Take generic 3-note patterns and play them all the way through the valve register, with the upper notes on the valve as well. Do your best to make those slurs smooth and in time. A mirror can help identify if you're doing something unnecessary. Finding the pitch and making it clear on the note in the staff with the valve(s) down will help make sure you are playing the lower octave in the right position. Another benefit is that, done with care and patience, this can help adjust your set for the notes just above the "problem" area as well, to better accommodate what you need for that register.

1. Gliss around this range. If you feel like you sound good on a note, start on it and gliss towards the danger zone. See what changes (or doesn't!) that makes that the case.

2. I feel like some people are actually attempting to be TOO open below the staff. When that's true, something has to compensate for the note to happen, which ends up sounding not as good as a balanced oral cavity and chops.

Great advice so far. I'll only add my positive experience with "benders" and false tones, even on trigger and bass bones, constantly striving to fatten the tone of these "false" tones such as low F in first, E in b2nd, Eb in #4, etc....When I do these religiously it always helps tone when I actually use the triggers for these notes.

Good luck,

Thank you, all of you for the input! I had completely forgotten about the false tone excercises - those helped a ton a few years back. I can pop out some pretty loud Eb's and D's on my King but haven't done much on the larger horns. The right position advice is great too - I may be trusting muscle memory a little too much. Definitely know I'll need to find all the Gb and D positions much more solidly.