I would like to know the SERIOUS opinions you guys have about trombone "scream" playing or just taking it up on chords. It seems that trumpets are the only ones aloud to do it and that disturbs me, trombones have a huge range and we can play just as high with practice. If a trombone player were to play clear and with tone while playing a high note during chords is it really that bad? My band director seems to think so.(he is a trumpet player)

This is from the trombone forum, what do you guys think?

Honestly, im gonana say trombones can play screaming high if they want to but i think you guys should leave it to the trumpets. It comes more naturally to the ears to hear a trumpet play up there then listning to a trombone scream. Honestly, there is also the posibility of blowing ur lip up there on a trombone when our whole lifves, trumpet players are trying to play in that range. If u can do it without hurting urself, go for it. If there is even a .1% chance ull injure something, let the trumpets take care of it. Hopefully they are qualified

HEY!!! I DONT AGREE WITH WHAT THE LAST GUY SAID-sorry. If u can play high, I think u should regardless of what ur band director says. But remember this, chances r u will never play higher than an average trumpet player because they are pitched higher. Although, I have heard the trombone player in Maynord Fergusson and his Big Nova Band play some really high notes. Also, do what u wanna do, and if u arent getting the responses u desire, post this question on a trombone forum. If u have any further questions please e-mail me. Srry if I wasnt much help.

My band director is a very good trombonist who can play as high as a trumpet player. However, when a trombone plays high the tone is very dark and mellow unlike a bright trumpet sound. The bright sound is what most people want to hear but if you can get a high note with a bright sound go for it!

As most of you guys know I play trombone, yet I also play trumpet, as well as soprano trombone. Although I did not post the question in the trumpet forum I thank you for your words of encouragement. I have been screaming on trombone for the past 3 years and have never injured myself as of yet. I suppose i need to work on getting a trumpet`s brightness. Thanks for the encouragement.

The reason why trumpets can liberally take notes up an octave is because we are the highest voicing in the big band. In other words there is no other instrument that plays higher than us and therefore there is no harmonic clash when we play up an octave. Trombones, on the other hand, are in the lower register and playing up the octave may produce a clash in the harmony with another voicing (saxes, low trumpets) especially when the chord being played has extentions (b9, #9, #11, etc.). It not a question of whether or not you are capable of playing the high notes on a trombone, it is how your your voicing fits in with the harmony. Honestly, if your desire to be the highest voice in the band (other than in a solo section) then, my friend, you will have to play the trumpet.

i think the main reason we talk about trumpets playing high on these forums is b/c this is a trumpet forum... however when you think of a trombone, you think of big solid low notes. A trombone just isn`t meant to play high screamy notes. That`s why it`s part of the LOW brass section. It is made for a different purpose than trumpets.