I`m in High school and I just wanted to share some of my feelings with you people. In my opinion trombones are treated like crap. We are given background parts all the time and the occasional soli at ballads. We can play fast but are treated like slide tubas. Why is this so and how do I deal with a band director who treats as seconds to trumpets when the trumpet section is absolutely horrible. Thnx for hearing me out guys.

i don`t know why you think that, but music wise i think its because the composers just don`t need the sound that the trombone produces. For the fast stuff, if you have noticed composers who play trombone know how fast you can move the slide (henry fillmore, author pryor, christain lindburg, etc.) and they make the trombone part a little more challenging. So i guess its just the composer and the way they think. But i think that its really because of the music and who the composer thinks what the melody needs to sound like.

i agree with both of you trombones get horrible music but the songs sometimes dont need the sound

i`ve played tenor horn and if u think that us trombonist av crap parts av a look at a tenor horn parts u have off beats all the wa through

i think the problem is, kids get into trombone playing without realising what they are getting into. by virtue of its voice in relation to other instruments, the trombone will carry the melody far less frequently.
it`s not a matter of trombones being treated poorly, it`s just the decision of the composer/arranger to use us in a more supportive role. not so exciting but very important. unless you are doing a lot of tunes like Rolling Thunder, etc.. you`ll most likely have to go outside of your band class for your fufillment. get three other bones together, get Robert Dalton`s arrangement of Stars and Stripes (Sousa) for four trombones.. I guarantee you won`t be bored trying to play the pic solo.

all our bands trombones left last year and now our band has a weak bass line and sounds crap. trombones have a reall yimportant part in arrangements even if you don`t play much. without trombones the music sounds weak and flimsy. however i know what it is like to play boring music but trombones are just as important as the melody lone

Hello! In my bad, trombones got some pretty good parts for marching and they`re getting some pretty good parts for concert to. I`m telling you...ALL band directors but everyone second to trumpets...it annoys the crap out of me cuz I play flute and we just flat out get neglectedd!! honestly! during marching this year, me and my friend would jump up and down and our director still wouldn`t see us and would move on to a different set...soo. ya

Flutes have no purpose on the field. Clarinets either. You can`t ever hear them, unless they are out of tune, all they do is up the size of the band.

I say ditch em all, unless you have a few GOOD picc players.

Right on Erik! Half our flutes and clarinets can`t even march,wait, on second thought, they can`t play either...hmmm, so, yeah...we`d be so better off without `em most of the time...

I don`t play trombone (i play bassoon which means I know how it feels to be ignored).Were kinda similar in that they often don`t want our type of sound as one of the main parts.Were like the support,&that means getting the sucky parts.Personally i think low winds rock,but our sound just isn`t as adored as a screeching flute or clarinet.

i can disagree to you erik on some parts. I have heard clarinet solos without a mic before. Actually it was performed by my brother`s girlfriend a long time ago, it was in a jazz piece. But i can`t say the don`t belong on the field, my girlfriend plays clarinet, but still even if she didn`t i would still disagree due to some of the music we play. I know that there are 2 clarients that play really loud and are really good, so i guess that as long as the play loud, with a good tone, and able to play, they can be on the field...but then there are stuff i don`t like about them, not much though. But why are we talking about clarinets when this is trombone forum.

and i don`t feel that flutes have a place just because you can`t hear them without a mic....you can see fingers movie, but no sound...like a old fashion movie. well...i guess if there is about 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 flute players in a band then you might be able to hear them...other than that, yah iagree they just make a band bigger

Sounds like you band isnt balanced or people are unable to play dynamics correctly.

Generally Marching Band = a steaming pile of old horse excretum

However, you do look rather daft in those pantomime outfits

PS. You might hess that I`m viewing this with an outsiders point, not being in the US :D

my band is balanced, im just saying their not as loud. Plus im using examples

Oh whine whine whine I play euphonium and trombone.. if any instrument is ill-treated, it is the euphonium- no one even knows what it is.. I hardly ever play music that actually says euphonium!!! At least everyone knows what a tbone is! euphs aren`t allowed in orchestras or jazz bands either.. urgh!
however.. we still have the sweetest voice and are the solo voice of the low brass.. and king of march music.. woot!