Equipment

Equipment

by
Deb Scott, DMA
SFA Instructor, Trombone

Recommended Equipment/Sizes
Important measurements for the trombone are the bore size (the diameter of the tubing) and the shank size (the width of the opening for the mouthpiece-large or small.)

Best Uses	Bore Size	Shank Size	"F" Attachment?	Bach or Conn Mouthpiece
Beginner (6th-8th grade) & High School Marching Band	.500	Small	No	11C* or 11C -- drilled to 15/64"
Lead or 2nd in Jazz Band	.500	Small	No	12C or 11C
Intermediate Level (8th-12th)	.525	Small	Maybe -- not necessary	6 ½ A
3rd or 4th in the Jazz Band	.525	Small	Maybe -- not necessary	6 ½ A
Advanced Level (10th -Prof.)	.547	Large	Yes	6 ½ AL or 5G
Bass Trombone in Orchestra, Band or Jazz Band -- Advanced Level	.562	Large	Yes -- Comes with 2 attachments. Usually F and D/Eb.	1 ½ G or 2G

* I believe that the smaller 11C mouthpiece is more compatible with a smaller beginning trombone. Many new instruments are furnished with a 6 ½ AL mouthpiece that can be traded to a smaller size by the music store. A good tone begins with the player and the player's concept of sound, not a mouthpiece.

Common Instrument Brands
Recommended:

Conn
Edwards
Bach (jazz also)
Benge
King (jazz also)
Getzen
Yamaha

F-attachment

The F-attachment adds extra tubing to the tenor trombone, allowing it to play lower.
Pressing the trigger puts the harmonic series of the trombone into F, (rather than Bb).
Its primary function is for the convenience of having alternate positions in the low register.
It adds 4 notes to the low register to help bridge a gap between low E and pedal Bb. (The low B is attainable if practiced by "lipping" down).
It is a convenience but is not necessary. Many principal trombonists in symphonies frequently play trombones without F-attachments.
Open wrap is preferable

Mutes
In order of importance, trombonists should buy the following mutes:

Straight (Denis Wick, Jo-Ral)
Cup Mute (Humes and Berg, red and white)
Plunger (from hardware store)
Harmon (Wick or Jo-Ral)
Bucket (The Soft Tone Mute) -- A relatively new answer to the bulky bucket mute, a neoprene cloth that fits over the end of the bell -- distributed by UMI.

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