¢ BASS CLEF EDITION HOW TROMBONISTS DO IT BY ERIC CREES AND PETER GANE A BOOK ON TROMBONE LEGATO LIP FLEXIBILITIES - WARM UPS - STUDIES__-How Trombonists Do It by Eric Crees and Peter Gane Foreword Lip Flexibilities Inherent Problems in Trombone Legato © Use of the Slide © Use of the Glortis Tongucless Legato © Tiills © Fast Slurs Against the Slide “Tongued Legato Studies, ‘Warm-ups’ and Exercises ERERENCES: GUILDHALL BRASSSCLLABUS 1 Beginner Exercises 1... Beginner Exercises 2 Beginner Exercises 3 2 tb 3 2 4 3b 5 4a 6 sa sb 7 6 6 8 7 9 Ba ab In conjunction with the ‘National Association of Brass “Teachers in Education’. © Copyright 1988 by Brass Wind Educational Supplies Company, All Rights Reserved. MM 12 13 22 42 52 66 67 78 76 83 34 96 97 Photareryng atts copyright mtr i illegal and this publicaon is exlaed from any blaker photocopying Fei ot‘This foreword is written in an attempt to give the student trombonist and teacher a greater understanding of legato playing. The trombone, being unique amongst brass instruments in possessing a slide, demands different and special solutions to overcome the many and varied problems arising from this situation. Ie is hoped thae not only trombonists, but students and teachers of other brass instruments may benefit from this introduction, for, as a colleague once remarked, “The trombonist has to breath as other brass players should? By this he meant that the ease by which legato can be achieved with valves often leads to these players neglecting breath control. We have linked together lip flexibilities and legato as we believe that they are both facezs of the same thing — the ability to create a musical phrase, Unfortunately their interdependence is not always appreciated by the student and each is practised without relating one to the other. So often we hear a trombonist playing without correcting the instrument's inherent problems and allowing bad legato which would be ridiculed on other instruments. There is absolutely no zeason why a true legato, equal to ‘wind and stringed instruments, should not be possible. It may be difficult, but itis attainable, Ie is the authors’ hope that the days bi gone when eae be stated categorically in a well-known orchestration manual that “There is in general no true legato on the wombone at all? LIP FLEXIBILITIES ‘The values of lip flexibilites are manifold in developing the muscles of a well-formed embouchure, in increasing range and stanina, and as a vital ingredient of a warm up. The more subtle benefits which result fom lip flexibilities, especially if performed in a thoughful and musteal manner and not as a means of impressing one’s musical colleagues, will train the brain and parts of the body involved with playing, via the ‘muscular memory’, to respond sympathetically. ‘The resul co-ordination of the different parts of the body involved will make for greater accuracy, clarity and security throughout the ‘whole range, At this carly stage, however, it ost ‘be ‘emphasised that these exercises are not an end in themselves, but are part of the resource centre of technique which con tributes to the ultimate aim — the making of music. INHERENT PROBLEMS IN TROMBONE LEGATO. HE we examine the following examples it become apparent thatthe movement ofthe lide creates problems for the wombonst, that would not arise for the trumpet, horn, or tuba player. eee pee 4) Change in harmonic — slide static. ate 1 2 2 2 1 eee ea 1b) Change in harmonic and slide position with contrary : totion of ide to note 25E= ©) Change in harmonic and slide position with contrary motion of slide to note. 4) Change in harmonic and slide positon with similar ‘otion of ide t note _ 2 2€) Change of side position with similar motion of side to note LD) Change in harmonic and slide position with same note In examples (a), (b) and (c) the slide either remains static or ‘moves in contrary motion to the direction of the next note, Te when the side moves outwards the nose coves up o.4 higher picch and when the slide moves imward: the note moves down to a lower pitch. Thus, there is movement across harmonics as opposed to example (¢) where the notes move in sympathy to the direction of the slide and remain on the same harmonic. The difficulty here is chat the resulting change in Lo hharmonic can cause 2 shock in the air column which makes for a rather jarting and unwanted accent unless the air supply is well supported and constant. This problem is compounded by the fact that at a given volume the lower register needs more air than the upper. The physical slide distance beeween ervain notes creates yet a further obstacle. In example (b) moving the slide outwards, a glissando down from one note can occur before the next higher note is reached. A, bat In example (d), the legato may catch the harmonic immediately beneath the next note when moving up the slide, or the harmonic above the next note when moving down the slide. ‘The main problem in example (e), isthe likelihood of glissandi between all the notes. We can thetefore say that in all legato whether the tongue is used or not the fundamental requirements are: © use of the slide © use of the glottisB USE OF THE SLIDE. Ie is imperative to move the slide quickly and precisely becween notes in order to avoid jissandi. However, no jarring accent on the note should be yeard, This is only possible if a steady and uninterrupted ‘ow of air is provided. It always appears paradoxical to see «good trombonist playing legato, as the seemingly jerky novement of the arm is accompanied by 2 mellifluous Common faults: smooth line of sound. The fast action of the slide must therefore be disassociated from the constant flow of air. ‘The practising of example (f) may be found invaluable in achieving this and will help to avoid the often heard bulges and unwritten erescendi and diminuendi which appear to be so prevalent amongst student trombonists. See examples (g), th) and (i). SE —=——————— PS af Pe wf p—— of Pf b) a The right elbow and upper arm must be kept well away tom the trunk berwis comet um movement wl Ee estricted, and when moving the slide care should be taken ot to move the wrist except, perhaps, to reach sixth and. -eventh positions. The movement of the slide should, in het, come mainly from the elbow with the shoulder noving sympathetically, but very litle, from about fourth >osition and further ont. Any movernent of the wrist will nvariably result in less then smooth legato with a tendency cowards the common faults (g), (h) and (i) showa above, a8 vell as glissandi and poor intonation. It also renders the swourate execution of rapid passages virtually impossible. some players actualy move their heads back and foreh and only move the slide part way to reach the required >osition. While visually spectacular it is at worst possible 10 damage the embouchure and at best a complece waste of snergy — so, keep the let arm and head as still as possible! The whole movement of the slide must coincide with the P= af =P of =P = mf — PonfeP rhythm and note values given, in exact tempo. Thus one is not only listening with one’s ears, but effectively with hand, wrist and arm as well! An excelleat way of practising this is to simulate the slide movement of any given piece, study, etc, with the instrument in the normal playing position, bur without actually playing any notes. This can also be successfully practised without holding ‘the instrument 2t all, making trombone practice possible almost anywhere! ‘The student will further benefit from vocalising the rhythm and even the pitch to achieve perfect co-ordination of tongue, breath and slide movement in both legato and detached playing As previously stated i it ewtental shat co-ordination is studied from the very first stages of playing. When students come to us complaining of a ‘slide problem’ or a ‘breathing problem or a tonguing problem’ iis the co-ordination of these three which is invariably lacking. @ USE OF THE GLOTTIS. It is important to mention the epiglotis here, as its rble is often unknown or misunderstood by the studen:. The epiglotis, usually known as the glottis, lies adjacent 0 the vocal’ cords and is used, albeit involuntarily, in everyday speech, mainly to control the ‘oluine of our voices, Rather than give precise anatomical details ofits use, itis nmuch beter explained by its ‘fee? An easy way to appreciate its presence is to sing the vowel sound AH as 2 long note and then to sharply cut off the. sound without closing the mouth. One of is functions then is to ‘op air coming from the lungs and this, of course, means that 1s prime function is to stop notes. A more subile and gentle ‘use, where the glottis only partially closes, can be experienced by singing, at any pitch, any of examples (2) to (e). Glissandi wil esl the glonis isnot used. The seudene is advised practise both these glottal exercises away from the instrument Unt he can easly distinguish between them. It can therefore be seen that the glottis is a contralling agent that is used in co-ordination with the slide, or in slurring from one open note to another to assist legato. ‘An open feeling in the throat must always be maintained, ot the sound quality wil become tight and restricted. To this end it is well worth practising the above exercises while actually yawning, and then with the mouth almost closed, but vwith the same ‘openness? in the throat. [With mastery of the above techniques it will be seen that an excellent legato can be achieved without the use of the tongue, thing more readily svalable on a valve instrumentTONGUELESS LEGATO @ TRILLS. Two advanced special fete which are in ft forms of tongueless legato are tills and fast scales with Contrary movement of ide so note —~ see studies and exercises 8.1 t0 64. The will, which is purely an extension of lip flexibility between two adjacent harmonics, is often used a8 a virruoso effect in concertos, but also finds its way into fotchestral repertoire with such composers as Stravinsky, Britten and Ravel. The execution of a musically satisfying till in the low register, where the interval between harmonics is large, is not easy and in the hands of even the best of players, cumbersome. However, in the upper register, where the harmonics are closer together, musically rewarding trills are possible and effective. Here it is possible, even with an interval of a major or minor 3rd, to create the ‘aural illusion” of 2 will of a tone or semi-tone. Again, to achieve the required result the flow of air must be continuous with good support, the control coming mainly from the centre of the wachure, with perhaps a little help from the lide Example (j) should be practised slowly and shythmically at first, then faster, until the musical effect is obtained. The slide positions need to be adjusted for good musical intonation. ‘Notes marked with arrows, 1 thus, are to be played ina slightly shorter position until the willis ‘running’ smoothly, pethaps by the second bar. 3rd Pos. ft AA he Ag hod a ERELEEEEEEr oes [Although tails have been mentioned here in the introduction for the sake of completeness, chey ar, of course an advance technique and should not be attempted until the exercises containe “1 in groups 1 to 5 have been thoroughly studied.@ FAST SLURS AGAINST THE SLIDE. These are also an impressive effect and, like the wil, are becoming increasingly a prerequisite of modem eechnigue. These are also best practised slowly at frst, with emphasis on an unbroken air column with vontinuous support, quick and precise slide action and careful tuning of the outer noves of the scale. g6oe7 &) errs In our experience, students and players alike can_find difficulry with both these effects. As with learning to ride a bicycle, some may succeed at the first atempt, while others may take time and practice to lear. Everybody has the potential, and although it can be frustrating for the player ‘tho does not quickly achieve this skill, all aspects of technique can be greatly improved through intelligent races aber than Bind acospence of ones ably TONGUED LEGATO. ‘What exactly is the ‘legato tongue’? It is a special use of the tongue t0 form a soit consonant ot, syllable which co- ordinates with the slide and glottis and assists in a smooth wansition from one note to the next. Again this arid description will be of litte use to the beginner’s first amempts at this form of legato so a more practical realisation will hopefully be of some help, ‘The ‘feel’ of itis best experienced by pronouncing TAH or TUH with the tongue behind the top front teeth and then gradually moving the tip of the D TAH TAH DAH DAH Again ic is essential that any sharp or explosive type of accent i Sheil and ustaged charecter given fo each note. Apart from the first note of a legato phrase, all others should be played with a relatively higher tongue position to achieve this smooth effect. The exact form of the syllable pronounced can vary from one note to the next in the same phrase in order to achieve subtleties of phrasing, but it will be found empirically that a more DEE form of syllable generally works better in the higher register and a more DAW form beter in the lower. ‘The problems inherent in the legato congue are similar to those in the tonguing of detached notes, but because the end ‘of one note is the beginning of another they tend 10 be iagnified. The most usual ones occur when the tongue arrives too early for the next nove and a DARD or DART sound is heard between the notes, usually accompanied by an unwanted crescendo as shown under the heading Coron Fan Even Worse is when the tongue stops the __ alt altogether, which of course, precludes any possibility of legit. The side must always move. at the very last | Moment and it is essential co co-ordinate exactly slide and tongue movernent, If the student has any of these faults, bse 36 Apart from the above effects there are limitations as to the speed at which good legato through glottal control alone is possible. If example (e} is practised increasingly fascer without dhe tongue there arrives a speed after which glisand will occar however well controlled the glottis. Obviously another type of technique is needed co achieve a good legato, land this is where the ‘legato tongue’ is employed. tongue upwards towards the palette whilst repeating, che syllable, ‘The syllable gradually changes from the hard TAH or TUH to the soft DAH or DOO, and it is this latter ‘tongue position which is used instead of the more ustal lower ‘one. It will be quickly realised that syllables other than DAH ‘or DOO may be employed, such as DAW, RAH, RAW, ROO, NAH, NAW, NOO. The nuances of these’ will be quickly felt i they are pronounced on a single note as in example (), RAH RAH NAH NAH ete, and they are more swidespread than one would think even in otherwise capable players — then example (e) should be practised first without the tongue, then introducing as litle land as soft a tongue as possible, co-ordinating this carefully ‘with the slide and glottis. Another fault is the use of too slow a tongue movement. Like the movement of the slide, the tongue moves as quickly inside the mouth as it would for detached playing, despite the constancy of the aie. The singing of simple exercises is to be greatly encouraged, a, as often as not, the problem encountered in playing is exactly the same as in singing — we are surely all familiar with the bulges and unwritten crescendi between notes of the less than good singer! Legato tonguing is not of course restricted to faster playing and may be used for all legato if required. Some very fine players in fact use this technique whenever legato is Fequired, However it is recommended that all the various sways of producing a smooth legato are practised and mastered in order that the player’s final choice is a musical rather than a technical one. When the great cellist Pablo Casals was asked by an i ver, “Wh z i the alo Casals was asked by an interviewer, “What do you find the most difficult aspect of playing the G27 his simple reply was “Getting from one nose to the next the way [ want to”. This encapsulates Soccincly the A that not only “cellists but trombonists and all other musicians have.1 ‘Try to play all exercises as smoothly and with as few ‘bumps’ as possible, and remember — keep the air moving! Slow d=72 Sc Slow der i a i 2SSee=-= A122 : nf —== af —-p af —= f— =e Slow ¢ =60 > 13 i— mf i— ce With movement d =100 mov La Ls Le L7 Ls 1.92 Z Tongue only the first note of each slurred group. This also applies to exercises 3 to 5. To help the lower notes push the jaw downwards and outwards, and pivot the trombone upwards slightly. For ‘upstream’ players the opposite movements will be required. Even at this early stage of playing see if you can get a sense of musicality into each exercise by observing the dynamics (volume directions) and expression marks. Moderato st Pos, maestoso (majestically at a moderate speed) d= 60 Eat. = SER Som PSE on 2th Pos (opt.) eS f Tenor trombonists with valve attachment and bass trombonists should develop the low register by continuing these slurs using the valve i.e. all notes to be played with the valve depressed. 3rd Pos, ri, ABe elt cae we flexibility of the embouchure, Keep the quavers even in sound and rhythm. Moderato con grazia (moderate speed played in an elegant style) d= 60 Ist Pos =p —_ wf ~~ mf ————mp reer eee eee eerie eee of of of np 2nd Pos, ere EEE mp Sey of Scorer HEE eee af ef of 3rd Pos. reer er eere ere ere mp a =p —_. of ef ef Ath Pos. -—_ Sth Pos. cont. cont =p = ™p =r 6th Pos. cont. mp nf 7th Pos.(opt.) a ofTenor trombonists with valve attachment and bass trombonists should continue this sequence using the valve attachment for ALL notes. ard Pos. a af = 6th Pos. ™p fooeeeee 9 ———— nf ———mp —t of —————— af Long 7th Pos bead —_~ =f ya Lento nobilmente (slow with a noble style) d= 60 mf4 “The range now increases to D (bass clef) E (treble clef). To help the higher notes retract the jaw a itd and pivot the trombone downwards slightly, Again the opposite movements are required for “upstream! players, Make sure that both the upward and downward slurs are similar in quality. 7 \ ‘Andante cantabile (slowly in a singing style) d= 60 Ist Pos. 3 eerie rarer ete mf of f nf nf of f 3rd Pos. eae mf af —— ¥ a of nf mf a 4th Pos. Sth Pos. of of i ——— ffGrave posato (ponderous and dignified) d =60 Par SetanERibs! Petal 5 With the range now extended upwards to F (bass clef) G (treble clef), ensure an even sound in both higher and lower registers. Neither let the high notes become too “squeezed” (a result of insufficient air support), nor let the low notes become too ‘nasal’ and tight (insufficient jaw projection and upward pivoting). Moderato deciso (firmly at a moderate pace) d =60 } Ist Pos, oo Beatie 7 = 2 —————— Ff ———— Apps = oes feo eatenoo Cee ee 3rd Pos, 7 ?————_ fF SSS 4th Pos. --—— SO? sth Pos. 2S — ep # : raat! cont,Having carefully practiced the previous exercises, the embouchure should be fairly flexible. In the following exercises: © Experiment with the legato tongue (see introduction) by trying phrases or consecutive aotes with and without the tongue even when these consecutive notes lie in the same position, © Try to match the sound as closely as possible but appreciate the subtle musical difference between the two, @ Study carefully the recommended alternative positions so as to give as many options as possible in producing fine legato. @ Listen carefully for good intonation. You will need to: — sharpen 5th position B® (creble clef C) —sharpen 4th position F (ireble clef G) —flatten 4th position D (treble clef E). © Practice at various speeds. REMEMBER: © The slide must move quickly and precisely between positions but keep the air support constant — no musical bulging! Keep the wrist ‘firm’ without tensing. Make sure your legato has the same quality whether or not you move the slide. ‘You must ‘listen’ with your hand, wrist and arm as well as your ears! Move the slide in the exact rhythm of the music. Compare these different techniques to a singer sounding a legato phrase to AH (without the tongue) and then to LAH or DAH (vith the legato tongue). Even try singing the exercises yourself to understand the difference.In 6.2 match carefully legato with slide movement ard legato without slide movement. \ From d=60t0d=120 — tN Se ad 6.2 mf-pGavotte d =120 eee eeere reer co ae ftXD pk Shape the phrases as musically and smoothly as possible particularly in exercises 7.5 and 7.6, Beware of catching any wrong harmonics between the outer notes of the lon; wer slurs as exemplified in exercise 7.5, Practice both slow and fast. a PF Ok This may be continued down to 7th position. d=72 2 DE8 These exekcisés have been deliberately written to exploit the technique of slurring against the slide. It will be found that intonation is as big a problem as the technique itself, especially with the alternative positions required. Remember, yet again, that the technique is not an end in itself, but a means to making music, Practice with and without the tongue, and combinations of both. jo pm Play the following without the tongue apart from the first note. d= 76 Sa6 ral. —— fo eee = Vivace e leggiero d.=120 erp $ be —_ 3 mp 4 L_—se 8 ee —= if = 2p of La 5 5 a — if 4 = s a bs9 These exercises exploit two contrasting examples of trombone legato. In particular 9.6 looks deceptively easy but requires excellent breath control, 9.7 appears a litde daunting but should be approached as expressively and melodically as possible, in the same way as one might play the lave romantic music of a composer such as Alban Berg. Play (mf (i pp Gi) p ——= iv f — ppAst Pos. Beer ce ao a CPE eee gee eee 93 2 2nd Pos, cm XE Ree rere ETO uthos Sth Pos, > bth Pos. RRO Mh a GEspressive J=60 ao a 7 & p= f= px nf nit. a eetopo HE ae ey arty nf ——— mp —— P ==—— PP = mp Practice all notes under slurs WITHOUT the tongue at first using the positions as marked. Then use a combination of ‘tongue’ and ‘no tongue’. Moderato rubato o =72 boy, BOR Be Se = aif at — anpespress- Ps fF errr eee bee ae ‘poco Mend Mosso 3 $ of = »?* 3 3 Lt — ae aces