The Trombone

The trombone emerged as a variation of the medieval trumpet when the slide, in the form of a U-bend, was created (mid-15th century), immediately producing an efficient and unique low brass instrument capable of playing all chromatics. From that time to the present, the instrument has consisted fundamentally of a bell section including attached inner slides, outer slides, and mouthpiece, the tube being cylindrical up to a gradual expansion toward the bell.

Trombone Details

The trombone has a length of 270 cm. A common design pitch is B-flat. If the tube is made wider with respect to its length, then the pedal tones sound more easily but the upper resonances are more difficult to play. A common construction material for trombones is yellow brass (70% copper, 30% zinc), but there are other variations. Slides may be made out of several materials: nickel for light, fast slides to heavier brass and nickel combinations.

As with other brass instruments, an approximate harmonic series is made with the aid of the bell effect and the mouthpiece effect. For the trombone, the lowest resonance is significantly lower than the numerical fundamental frequency of the harmonic series. That numerical fundamental or "pedal tone" is produced by the combination of the upper resonances, and is a very strong and useful note.