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)

were not trumpet players. we dont sound like trumpets and we dont approach high notes the way they do. we dont carry the upper register they way they do so when they scream it carrries and sounds ....... like a trumpet. at this point in time if your boss says no just dont do it. but remember that you should always be able to do it. because one day the trumpet is gonna crack the upper note and you can just scream it when they mess up. thats what i do =)


but remember we are inner voice instruments in most cases so just make sure for now you are taking care of the basics.

I`m a trumpet player so...yeah, have you guys ever heard of David Steinmeyer? He is absolutely sick at screamin on trombone! I think if you can do it like him then you should go for it but hey trumpets are better at it.

Alright here`s the deal. Yes, it`s fun to play up high, and to show off screaming, especially when you can pull it off and make it sound good. BUT. Trumpet players play up there because they are supposed to. Their music says so, either written way up there, or by saying "8va opt." The chords are specifically arranged like that for a certain sound. When other people, like us trombones, take things up when we aren`t supposed to, it changes the form of the chord, thus changing the song. If the composer/arranger wanted it that way, they would have written it that way. That is why your director doesn`t want you to take stuff up. It changes for the timbre of the group as a whole, and it changes the chord structure.

Don`t worry though, there are planty of pieces that we play way up high anyway. Save it for those, or while soloing.

Trust me, this is hard for me to say, because I am guilty of taking all kinds of things up, especially in college marching band. We used to have "octave days" were all the lead trombones would take everything up an octave, putting everything between F above the staff and Bb 2 octaves above tuning Bb. It`s a lot of fun, but not useful as a whole band.

yeah, i don`t think trombones can scream. i`ve taken things as high up as high high c, and the notes definitely do not carry that screaming tone as it does on the trumpets, instead it starts to sound like a french horn playing mf.

Well, if you can really nail them loudly, it really does cut through. When I`m in the upper register on my jazz horn, it cuts through a lot like a trumpet, very piercing and full.

It`s not easy to get to that lazer-tone level, but once you do, it`s a lot of fun.

Quick story: We were warming up for a game back in my college marching band days, and we got to the chord progressions, and I took the last note up from F above the staff to the Bb 2 octaves above tuning Bb, and the middle horns all looked at each other trying to figure out who played that note (an octave up from their note) so loud. I looked at them and laughed and said it was me. That was fun.

Erik I use a bach strad t-bone so it doesn`t have that piercing tone. Is there any way to train your lips or a mpc to buy which can give me a tone like that? With the exception of buying a new horn.

Actually, I also play a Bach Strad. It`s a 16M, but I can also (sometimes, when playing really loud) get that tone on my old Strad 42. (It`s a little harder on my new Edwards, but still possible). To me, it`s all about air flow. If you imagine your airflow size like a tube, imagine a very small round tube with VERY fast air moving through it. It takes a while to control that tone, but once you do, you can force out some serious power up on top.

Mouthpieces also will make a bit of a difference, but I wouldn`t suggest getting a different piece just for high playing. I have a Jet-Tone Urbie Green model, but I hardly ever use it. That piece can get you that piercing high tone pretty easy, but that is about all that sounds good on it, high and loud. I normally use a Dennis Wick 5bs with my Strad 16M, and it works fine, even for that piercing tone.

It`s really just something you have to get used to, and to figure out for yourself. Just use a crapload of air coming straight out of your core (stomach area, not your chest). That`s the secret. And it`s going to come out VERY loud. Deffinately not a useful tone outside of marching band, or a very loud jazz band. (works well in college jazz band).

If your using a larger Bach, like a 42 or even a 36, you can still get that tone, but it takes even more air, and it has to be even more focused, and your embochure must be set perfectly for each note.

sounds awesome, I`ll definately try that. Any other advice?

Hey guys, I`m not a trombone player, but I have definitely heard some screaming. One of my tbone friends is playing this solo piece for trombone by Folke Rabe called "Basta", and it is definitely high up there. In addition to some lightning fast scales, multiphonics, pedal tones, and some various theatrical elements in the music, there are some insane screamer notes in there. If you`re a t-boner, and you think you need a challenge in your playing, then learning Basta will definitely be worthwhile. I also have an mp3 of Basta, so email me if you want to listen to it.

Cheers,

Thomas

regards to the upper register "piercing" tone.

Long tones. lots of them, especially with a tuner. A lot of times people will try to "squeeze" those upper notes out and end up pulling a quarter tone sharp or so and it just wont blend or carry. but if the note is in tune the natural harmonics of the chord and the note will make it audible.

on a side note, "Screaming" is not musical. its much more important to work on your instruments musically and practical applications. but dont take it as dont mess around with this stuff

remember Its better to have it and not need it then to need and not have it.

Word Mas.

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