For some strange reason I`ve become possessed with the idea of learning to play jazz trombone. It must be because I just turned 30 and am hitting my first mid-life crisis. :-) Anyway, I know this has been asked before but I`m having trouble sifting through all the info, because I don`t know what I`m looking at, so apologies for those that are tired of the topic.

1) For somebody with zero trombone experience, what`s a good instrument/brand to start with? Remember, the goal is jazz... preferably small groups doing bop rather than jazz orchestra, but think in terms of both, and I doubt I`ll be performing classically any time too.

2) How much should I spend on my first horn? Obviously I don`t want to spend much in case I don`t take to it, but on the other hand I know from experience that an unplayable instrument is always a waste of time and money, no matter how cheaply I came by it.

3) What features do you look for in a horn? What are bad qualities that will make life much harder for me? Since I can`t play yet, it`ll be impossible for me to just pick one up and know whether it`s good or bad.

4) Anything I should know about mouthpieces/valves/mutes/other accessories that the uninitiated wouldn`t think to ask about?

5) Assuming money were no object, which instrument would you buy and why?

6) When you`re long out of high school, where do you go to get experience? I wish I could go back in time and join jazz band...

7) How do you practice if you live in an apartment if you want to avoid being evicted for being too loud?

Thanks in advance,
rouftop

I hate jazz...cant help you out there...

Jazz trombone is pretty much my lifestyle now, so id love to help you out! and please also bear in mind these are all my own opinions, so theres no need to discredit anything.

1) If you`re doing jazz, go for King all the way!

2) sorry, i live in new zealand, so im not sure about the pricing in the US of A. But, if its any consolation, you can get a decent horn for about $1000NZ.

3) The condition of the slide is the biggest problem. when checking a trombone out, take the outer slide off, and check for dents on that, and also on the inner slide. even the slightest dent will produce so much drag its not funny. If the `bone feels comfortable to play, and appeals to you, then thats always a good lead. The main Trombone brands to look out for are King, Bach, Yamaha, and Conn.

4) If you want to play jazz `bone, you probably won`t want anything with any triggers/valves and whatnot. the smaller the trombone, then the higher it will be able to go. You can use big bass trombones for jazz, but I`ve only really seen people playing 4th trombone in big bands using a bass `bone.

5) King 2B Jiggs Whigham model. Why? it`s an awesome jazz trombone, has an excellent upper range, and has a really nice tone for solo work etc. its also made to be lightweight, which is always a plus.

6) I don`t know, I`m still in school, but I`d ask around for a private trombone teacher or something i suppose for lessons, and look around local universities and music stores for ads for bands, and ask any contacts you have in the music business.


7) Use a standard mute if you have to, but it`s not the best option if you`re starting out on trombone, as you need to try and perfect a good sound, and the mute always sharpens the pitch. Maybe try and find a practise room somewhere, maybe at a uni?

If you want to play lead (and I mean the really high notes) I have a 1923 conn 2H that I am selling. Best lead horn ever built. I am selling it because it is too small for me.

It has a .458 inch bore (most trumpets are .459, so it is really small) and a 7 inch bell. it is silver plated with gold plating inside the bell, and the silver on the bell section is in a matte finish with polished slide and bell engraving. There are a few small dings, but nothing big that could be a real problem. The slide works extremely well for an 80 year old slide, though it has a bit of plating wear. It is still slick. It has a really lightweight bell as well, and a standard weight slide, so you get the bright responsive sound, while retaining the ability to slot on the pitches, given with a heavier slide. Let me know if you are interested.

I`m assuming you`re talking about jazz soloing and lead playing so if I`m wrong, ignore everything I`m about to say.

Don`t get anything much bigger than a .500 bore for jazz playing. You definitely don`t need an F attachment. The most popular jazz horns are King 2B (about .490 bore) and 3B (.509), and Conn 6H(.500) There used to be a higher-priced version of the Conn called a 48H Connstellation that I really liked, but for some reason most of the pros play the 6H instead. Quality control on the newest Kings and Conns is good again, which is untrue of many old brands. Avoid Kings and Conns made after about 1968 except new ones. I haven`t played a King Jiggs Whigham 2B but I`ve heard they`re great. Somebody told me the Martin Urbie Green trombone is really good but I`ve never played one. There are some great Olds jazz trombones from the fifties and they tend to go for less money.

My suggestion to get started is to buy a good, older student horn, like an old Conn Director or King Cleveland or an Olds Ambassador--there are tons of them out there and they`re cheap. The quality is good (but make sure the slide works good), they`re the right bore for jazz playing, and by the time you`re ready to buy a great horn, you`ll have a much better idea what you want. The old Conn 2H that was offered in the previous post would be a great pro horn to learn on because it will be easy to play. If you go out and try horns, find a good jazz player at a local club or college and give him fifty bucks or a couple of beers to help you try out horns.

The most important thing is to listen to good trombone jazzers and get an idea in your head what you want to sound like. That`s what will determine your eventual choice of horn. People who say one brand is good and another one stinks are full of it. It`s like saying a Gibson guitar is better than a Fender, it all depends on the sound you`re going for. In the meantime, a good student model will definitely not hold you back when you`re getting started.

Give up fool trom is for real musos.
And jazz trom is a desecration on da t-daddy. or summat like dat