Tell me more ×
Musical Practice & Performance Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for musicians, students, and enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 5 down vote favorite

I have difficulty cleanly attacking lower register notes with my f attachment .547 bore trombone using a 1&1/2g mouthpiece. Could I expect that a larger bore bass trombone would improve these notes?

share|improve this question
1  
Do you have a specific question about this? – Luke Aug 15 '12 at 16:59
Although not explicit, the question is something like: "should I expect that a bass trombone will allow me to hit the lower notes, if I cannot currently hit them with my current one?"; overall I do agree that this question would be better if edited to be more precise. – Dave Aug 15 '12 at 17:31
1  
Can you specify where in the low register you are having difficulty? It also sounds like you're using a bass trombone mouthpiece on a tenor trombone--while that combination is not unheard of, it is possible to attack cleanly throughout the register on more standard tenor gear. – NReilingh♦ Aug 16 '12 at 17:25
@NReilingh, that's been my experience as well. Mixing around equipment just spells disaster for me. I can get adequate results out of any matching equipment (adequate by my standards), but as soon as I vary just one component a bunch, everything starts to unravel. – Josh Fields Aug 16 '12 at 18:15

1 Answer

up vote 4 down vote

A larger bore bass trombone will let you put more air through the horn in a manner that will let you more efficiently produce low register notes. (Lots of slow air).

In my experience, this certainly helps, but will not magically solve all problems. It may even introduce a few of its own, especially if you're playing it for a long period of time, without specific bass oriented lessons.

I organized a trombone quartet to play one piece for my college senior recital, and played bass for that. It certainly made a big difference in the low register (anything lower than E) in the tone department. The articulation was better than a bass mouthpiece on my .547 bore.

However I noticed that in terms of articulation, not quality of sound, my cleanest articulation was on my normal .547 setup with my normal mouthpiece. Putting a larger mouthpiece on it simply muddied things, although made it easier, lip-wise to produce the pitch.

Your mileage of course will vary, but it might be worth borrowing a bass for a few days to see if it seems to make a difference. That would also give you a starting point as to what to look for when it comes time to buy.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.