3
Tone & First Sounds
Mouthpiece buzzing, embouchure formation, first sounds, and building a characteristic trombone tone
Mouthpiece Buzzing
Free Buzzing
- Begin with free buzzing (no mouthpiece) — lips together naturally, blow gently until the lips vibrate.
- The buzz should feel relaxed and easy — not forced or tight.
- If students struggle, have them say "poh" or blow a raspberry — the sensation is similar.
- Free buzzing develops awareness of the lip vibration independent of the instrument.
Mouthpiece Buzzing
- Place the mouthpiece on the lips and sustain a comfortable pitch — don't worry about which pitch at first.
- Practice sirens: glissando smoothly up and down through the range. This builds flexibility and ear-to-lip connection.
- Buzz simple melodies — Hot Cross Buns, Mary Had a Little Lamb — to connect buzzing with musical context.
- The BERP (Buzz Extension and Resistance Piece) can help simulate playing position while buzzing, adding back-pressure similar to the instrument.
- Daily mouthpiece buzzing (5+ minutes) builds embouchure strength and tone awareness.
Key Idea
"Sound before instrument." Students must be able to produce a centered, steady buzz on the mouthpiece before putting it in the trombone. If the buzz is unfocused or airy, the sound on the instrument will be too. Build the foundation at the mouthpiece first.
Embouchure Formation
Finding the Embouchure
- Say "em" or "mmm" to find the natural starting position — lips together gently, corners engaged.
- Lips should be together naturally — not pressed tight, not loose and floppy.
- Corners firm but not pulled back — think of holding the corners in place, not smiling.
- Chin flat and pointed down — avoid the "orange peel" bunched chin.
- Jaw slightly dropped — creates space inside the mouth for a full, resonant sound.
Mouthpiece Placement
- Mouthpiece should be centered on the lips — use a mirror to verify.
- A common starting point is approximately ⅔ upper lip, ⅓ lower lip, but this varies from player to player.
- The trombone mouthpiece is larger than trumpet — it should sit comfortably on the fleshy part of both lips.
- Let the rim rest naturally — don't press the mouthpiece into the lips.
Key Idea
NEVER tell a student their embouchure is "wrong" if they are producing a good sound. Embouchure is personal — there is no single "correct" placement. Lip thickness, jaw structure, and teeth alignment all vary. If the student sounds good and plays without pain, their embouchure is working. Guide, don't dictate.
First Sounds
Building in 1st Position
- First note: B♭ (1st position, middle of the bass clef staff).
- Have students sustain the note as long as possible with steady, warm air.
- Next add F below (1st position, partial below B♭).
- Then E♭ (1st position, one more partial down).
- Build the first 5 notes in 1st position (using the overtone series) before moving the slide.
Why Stay in 1st Position?
- Slide accuracy is a motor skill that takes time — don't add it until tone is established.
- By staying in 1st position, students focus entirely on air, embouchure, and tone quality.
- Once they can produce a clear, centered sound on several partials, then introduce 2nd and 3rd positions gradually.
- This approach prevents the common problem of students moving the slide randomly and hoping for the right note.
Teaching Tip
Use a tuner or drone so students can hear and see when they're centered on the pitch. This builds internal pitch awareness from Day 1 and makes slide position training much easier later.
Tone Development
Long Tones
- Start with 8-count long tones, then build to 12, then 16 counts.
- Play at a comfortable mezzo-forte — not too loud, not too soft.
- Listen for: steady pitch, consistent volume, warm, centered sound from start to finish.
- Use a tuner and drone — develop pitch center awareness from the beginning.
Lip Slurs & Remington Exercises
- Lip slurs between partials are the most important trombone exercise for tone, flexibility, and range.
- Start with B♭–F (partials 2–3 in 1st position), then F–B♭ back down.
- Smooth transitions — no bumps, no tongue between notes. Air only.
- Remington exercises: long tones that descend chromatically by moving the slide (B♭ in 1st, A in 2nd, A♭ in 3rd, etc.) — a staple of trombone warm-ups at every level.
- These exercises build evenness of tone across all positions and registers.
Characteristic Trombone Tone
- A characteristic trombone tone is warm, round, resonant, and centered.
- Think "like a French horn but with more edge" — rich and dark, but with projection and clarity.
- The sound should fill the room without sounding forced or harsh.
- Play recordings of professional trombone players for students: Joseph Alessi, Christian Lindberg, Wycliffe Gordon, Abbie Conant.
Common Problems
| Problem | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Airy sound | Embouchure too loose, not enough air support, or air leaking around the mouthpiece | Firm the corners (say "em"), increase air speed, check mouthpiece seal on lips |
| Thin / pinched tone | Too much mouthpiece pressure against the lips, jaw clenched, throat tight | Reduce mouthpiece pressure, drop the jaw, think "oh" vowel shape, use more air |
| Splatty attacks | Tongue too heavy or too far forward, starting with tongue instead of air | Start notes with air first ("hoh"), then add a gentle "doh" articulation; tongue should touch just behind upper teeth |
| No low range | Jaw not open enough, embouchure too tight, insufficient air volume | Drop the jaw, relax the embouchure, think "warm, slow air"; practice descending lip slurs into the low register |