How to choose the right trombone

The main feature of the trombone, which distinguishes it from other brass instruments, is the presence of a movable backstage – a long U-shaped part, when moved, the pitch changes. This allows the musician to play any note in the chromatic range without changing the position of the lips (embouchure).

The sound itself is formed from the vibration of the musician’s lips pressed against the mouthpiece . When playing the trombone, the embouchure is primarily responsible for sound production, which makes playing this instrument easier than other brass instruments – trumpet, horn, tuba.

When choosing this musical instrument, you should first of all pay attention to the range in which the musician will play. There are several varieties of trombone: tenor, alto, as well as soprano and contrabass, which are almost never used.

The tenor is the most common, and when they talk about trombone, they mean exactly this type of instrument.

In addition, trombones can be distinguished by the presence or absence of a quarter valve – a special valve that lowers the instrument’s pitch down by a fourth. This additional detail allows the student trombonist, whose embouchure is not yet fully developed, to experience less difficulty in playing various notes.

Trombones are also divided into wide and narrow scale. Depending on the width of the scale (in simple words, this is the diameter of the tube between the mouthpiece and the wings), the nature of the sound and the amount of air required for sound extraction change. For beginners, a narrow-scale trombone can be advised, but it is better to choose an instrument depending on personal preferences.

After the future trombonist has decided on the type of instrument he is going to master, all that remains is to choose a manufacturer.

Currently, in stores you can find trombones produced in many countries of the world. However, those instruments that were produced in Europe or the USA are considered the best. The most famous European manufacturers: Besson, Zimmerman, Heckel. American trombones are most often represented by Conn, Holton, King

These tools are distinguished by their quality, but also a considerable price. Those who are looking for a trombone only for study and do not want to spend a lot of money on buying an instrument that is not yet known, we can advise you to pay attention to trombones made by companies such as Roy Benson and John Packer . These manufacturers offer very affordable prices, as well as high quality. Within 30,000 rubles, you can buy a pretty decent tool. Also on the Russian market are trombones manufactured by Yamaha . Here prices already start at 60,000 rubles.

The choice of brass instrument should always be based on the individual player’s preferences. If a trombonist is afraid of choosing the wrong instrument, then he should turn to a more experienced musician or teacher to help him choose the right trombone that will most fully satisfy the needs of a novice wind player.