A SINGING’ APPROACH TO THE TROMBONE (and other Brass) 1995 Revised Edition $20 by Charles G. Vernon Bass Trombonist, Chicago Symphony Orchestra .TLANTA BRASS SOCIETY PRESS 953 Rosedale Rd: NE Atlanta, GA 30306 USA (404) 875-TUBA (8822) phone/fax eMail: michael_moore@atlmug.org©1983 by Charles G. Vernon/Atlanta Brass Society Press Revised 1986, 1995 Reproduction of all or any part of this work with out the expressed written permission of both the author and publisher is strictly prohibited. Original edition edited by Dan Satterwhite Revised edition edited by Michael Moore and Joe Hughes Music copywork by Michael Levin, Dallas, TX Encore 4.0/Mac typesetting by Cynthia Prichard, Joe Hughes and Michael MooreFOREWORD This practice routine is dedicated to Arnold Jacobs and Edward Kleinhammer, who either wrote or inspired these studies. Ihave compiled these etudes in order to organize and share my own approach to music. It is not intended that the performer do ail of the studies every day. It is preferable to select a variety of etudes (different ones each day) and to be certain that all practice time is quality practice time. Enjoy, (Lab iber Charles G. Vernon Bass Trombonist, Chicago Symphony OrchestraBREATHING As for breathing, always remember two basic things: (1) SIT TALL and (2) SUCK AIR from the mouth, not the body. This will help to realize and use the full lung capacity. Several exercises designed to loosen and relax the breathing apparatus can be found on page 35. BUZZING THE MOUTHPIECE Mouthpiece buzzing is a very important part of playing the trombone, or any other brass instrument. It allows the player to produce music with the lips (singing with the lips as if they were vocal cords) without having to deal with any of the technical problems associated with the trombone itself. After practicing the mouthpiece enough so that buzzing is fairly easy, it is important that the player spend most of his mouthpiece time buzzing the actual music to be played — Rochut etudes, ballads, etc., as well as nursery rhyme tunes that can be played (sung) off the top of the head. To begin mouthpiece practice, buzz first in the middle range, and extend in both direc- tions. Make the high and low registers sound as free and easy as the middle range. Remember that the buzz is resonant like the human voice. Do not force the lips to buzz too high or loud - control the buzz with the speed of the air. Always strive for a focused, centered, free sounding buzz in all registers. Using a lip vibrato helps to focus the sound. ‘As soon as the mouthpiece is put into the horn, the resistance of the buzz will change. This is not of major concern and certainly not enough to not buzz the mouthpiece. Remember ~ it is the approach that is important. CONCEPT OF SOUND Imagine, in the depths of your mind, what you think the greatest trombone sound in the world would be like. Use adjectives to describe this sound -- beautiful, singing, fat, clear, rich, full, smooth, round, dark, centered, warm, etc.Play the following exercise: 1 mf -f Starting with the middle F, try to hear your “imaginary sound” playing that note. Then, recreate on the trombone the sound you hear in your head. While playing the note, do Not try to listen and change the sound of the note as it is being produced. Simply concentrate on the sound you hear in your head. Then, during the rest, recall what the note you played sounded like, and repeat the note, trying to make it sound closer to the sound in your head. Continue with an E, the Gb , alternating up and down by half steps until the entire range of the instrument is covered. a Remember ~ while working on this and all of the following exercises, that the END PRODUCT (beautiful sound and music) is to be the predominant thought while playing. CONCENTRATE ON EVERY NOTE! Cover the entire range of the instrument.The breathing tube may be used in the rest to aid in keeping the throat as open as possible. Use the air as fuel to continue the sound. Make each note smoother and richer than the last. Articulate these with a “dah” or “doo” syllable, when the tongue needed. Repeat the exercise until the sound produced is the same as the imaginary sound in your head. ° Once again, use the imaginary “greatest trombone sound” as a goal to aim for. Smoothness in the change of note is of importance here. Try to hear the trombone sound in your head “singing” the exercises as you play them. Remember to CONCENTRATE on each and every note! Repeat the exercises in all keys (major and minor) and in all octaves.Moderately slow so The key to this one is to always suck in the same amount of air during the silences, i.e. fill up over the length of 4 beats, over 3, over 2, and over 1. omThe following studies are a continuation of singing one note at atime. = — Use tongue for the first note and then move down alll positions as needed. Remember- Sing from one note to the next without any breaks!Note: Many possibilities exist. Try starting on different partials and positions, always slurring with a GREAT sound. +This exercise should be played without the aid of the tongue. Use a “ho” syllable to articulate each note. Breathe through the tube to keep the throat open. This exercise aids the lips to vibrate the desired pitch more readily. When playing, the sound should be even and free of “‘swells” and “wahs". Buzz the mouthpiece when necessary. a 8 Cover the entire range of the instrument.While playing these exercises, strive to maintain the same basic embouchure setting. All that changes during a ———-— or —————===— should be the speed of the air. To play louder. simply speed up the airstream. If, for example, the air fora gap note travels at 5 mph., the air for a J note might travel at 60 mph. The airstream must, however, remain very intense at the lower speeds. When playing these exercises, try to achieve the effect of a stereos volume being slowly turned up and down. Play each of these over the entire range of the trombone. As slowly as can be played in one breath per measure: oe Pmpmf f Sf fmf mp P P PPPPP CE se OT ———~ 12 PIF if Sf > P ———— PPPPP AO 13 f Strive to take as quick and relaxed a breath as possible.d=50 Slow, beautiful even sounds 14 PP» i Sf SS =~ WS pat o — ee =e s9: =s: ~ mf ™p P Pp ppp PPPP PPPPP Keep the same beautiful sound! > > > io - If Slow tempo with a beautiful sound 15 P= GT ee ft mf mf EEE ers f = = Do these on many many different notes in all registers 2This exercise should be thought of as being one beautiful sound followed by another, glued cleanly together, and riding on top of a stream of steadily flowing air. Do this exercise in all keys and octaves, all dynamics (299 ~ ff). << == ay also be added. When making a crescendo, think of steadily increasing air. Relate the speed of the air to mph., as mentioned before. and Play the following exercises as indicated below. Use different variations if desired. 1 2 3 4 ARTICULATION | _ tongued slurred slurred slurred DIRECTION 7 17 18 18 DYNAMICS If mf St P Be certain that the sound is even, smooth and relaxed throughout. Buzz the mouthpiece to help “sticky” notes.All Even, Matching Sounds In all 7 postions aPlay in all seven positions. Vary the articulation from liquid slur to very detached. Remember to buzz the mouthpiece when necessary. Play in all seven positions — both and f’, 22Play this exercise without the use of the tongue (glissando), starting with a “‘ho” syllable. Play softly and gently. 23 Play up chromatically at least to: Play the following exercises (with the indicated positions), tonguing only the first note of each sequence. Play each one smoothly, evenly and slowly. These may also be played down an octave. Vary the speed of the air.Play this exercise both smeared (glissando) and slurred, but very loudly rather than softly. Continue down chromatically as far as possible. 25 Spa orate wePlay this exercise both slurred and detached, and f . Make the slurred version sound liquid smooth. The detached version should sound like a long string of identical sounding notes -- small bricks of sound. Continue down chromatically Ee, SS 2603 Ss Cover the entire range of the instrument. These studies of intervals of a perfect fourth are invaluable for matching the sound of the upper and lower registers, as well as strengthening the upper range. Play them very smoothly and evenly. Make the upper notes sound easy and relaxed. Play both gp and f°, ass,Gy This one should be slow and soft, making a beautifully effortless, floating sound. doe eee a Re ~ i oN 2. fin, te be ts te og Bf ttt tee eS : a VyDo this exercise first without the tongue, smearing between each note (except where natural slurs occur.) Pay careful attention to the indicated alternate positions. Repeat the exercise, adding a very soft “doo” articulation where the smears were previously Buzzing the exercise on the mouthpiece will help eliminate “sticky” notes. The slower, the softer, the smoother, the BETTER! SLOW 29 ArPay careful attention to each and every articulation in the next exercise; make sure they are consistent. Think “‘beautiful sound” throughout. Vary the dynamics and tempo.2 =f-- ft. = See aN ei pree! aie 2- ee cS a" me xX @-- -- 236 Pot a mom -9- > = 2. + ts 2: oo — Ss #£ Be Z5_ a . -a8e eer — Efet fi Bees 19William Tell Studies THEN PLAY lo Do each two measures of moving notes like this. Also do variations |, II and Ill. MAKE BEAUTIFUL SOUNDS‘VARIATION 1 VARIATION IL To play these variations correctly, you must put the slide in the right place! VARIATION OI f Now play William Tell with the security you have gained through these studies. - 21.CHICAGQ SYMPHONY ORCHEST2.A2 ORCHESTRA HALL WILLIAM TELL, OVER TURES IUINO!S 0604 TROMBONE III G. ROSSINI Andante. d-s4) Allegro. (108) 3 A 0 Bs 10. Andante.(d..6) 4 0 G eter Reisen Noten werden aur dazn miigespich, wenn dle angagebonen Instrumente nich Doses sind Oreh.B 1070 -22-Die Walkiire Studies >> >>> > S>> > SETS > Kill the wab - bit Pata @ asis: ” 7 > ETC. These (of course) should be done up an octave as well. Play pp through fy -23-The Ride Wagner 2Zarathustra Study Sf Further orchestral studies will be published separately soon -25-LOW REGISTER STUDIES Play each of these extremely smooth, both and f°. Using the breathing tube between repetitions will aid in producing an unrestricted column of warm moving air. “34 a a 35 aN. feu oH eu «28Slow m_~ On a mm 51 a AS IS AND DOWN AN OCTAVE,Sound and music should always be of prime importance. All notes should sound easy and relaxed; all with the same, even sound, Play (sing with the lips) ballads, Bach ‘cello Suites, Rochut, etc. in all registers. For low register development, start with a Rochut and play it as written. 53 - Se mf Then read it in tenor clef, down an octave. Bass clef, down an octave. ?——___ c Tenor clef, down two octaves. D ee -30-Bass clef, down two octaves. E For higher register development, play Rochut in: Tenor clef F Alto clef G Bass clef, up an octave os H of ‘Once again, remember to make the upper range sound free and easy 31As in 53, you must also play simple articulated studies as well, always striving for great sounds. ETC. O80 ETC. ETC. ETC. ETC. a a ETC. ETC. QO HO7OROThe following piece (or similar material) may be used in the same manner as the Rochut. SARABANDE from Bach Cello Suite No. 5 As written 55 “wm — az Tenor clef, down an octaveAnd that in tenor clef, down an octave 7BREATHING Sit Tall! The following exercises can be done with a plastic tube (approximately 1/2 inch in diameter) placed between the teeth to assist in opening and relaxing the throat, and channeling the air to the lungs. A suitable tube may be purchased in any hardware store. (Be sure to remove all plastic filings .) A plastic bag (wastebasket or kitchen size) tied over the end of the tube will help to prevent dizziness. Breathe as explained above, eliminating as much friction as possible, Strive for a dark, quiet sound as the air rushes past the lips. A. Inhale fully with a few short, rapid inhalations, filing to the maximum. B Rhythmic exercises. Do these in rhythm, repeating each as necessary. Keep a constant rhythm without losing time on the rests. It is important to achieve maximum relaxed exhalation, with a maximum inhalation in the written value of the rests. You must get the same amount of air EACH TIME you inhale. J=50 IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT. IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT OUT_IN IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT _IN Use the syllable “hoo-hoo-hoo.” O-U-T IN O-U-T IN (with acknowledgement to Jamie Hafner, Brevard Music Center) -35-About the author. . Charles G. Vernon is the Bass Trombonist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Prior to assuming his post, he held the same positions with the Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, and the Baltimore ‘Symphony. He has also appeared as guest alto trombonist with the Atlanta Symphony, and has commissioned numerous works for alto, tenor and bass trombone. A native of Ashville, North Carolina, Mr. Vernon attended Brevard College and Georgia State University. His teachers included William Hill and Gail Wilson, as well as his mentors Edward Kleinhammer and Amold Jacobs. Mr. Vernon has been on the faculties of Brevard Music Center,. Catholic University, Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts, Temple University, the New School of Music, the Curtis Institute of Music, and the DePaul Schoo! of Music. He is also a clinician for the Selmer Instrument Company, and frequent guest artist for the Intemational Trombone Association.