TromboneChat

I play a Bach 16M and use a Schilke 47. My D above the staff in 1st is extremely flat, so flat I’m having to exclusively use 4th position D. I’ve never noticed this before but after many years of choral singing my ear has matured a bit... I just came back to trombone after 15 years or so... and for the record I’m having a ball.

Could it be the mouthpiece? Suggestions? I’m hoping it’s just a poor horn/mouthpiece combo.

It's because you tune your Bb with the slide closed or nearly closed. Don't do that, especially on a jazz horn.

If your tuning slide is pulled out when you tune up your Bb, your horn is going to be flat. Put another way, push your tuning slide in, and your D won't be flat any more.

That "D" is usually a flat note on most instruments. The mouthpiece may affect how flat it is, but the basic tendency will most likely still be there regardless. See if you can get used to tuning your "B flat" out a bit, and be able to come in for "D" in first. Some older instruments used to deal with this by putting springs at the top of the slide that you would place 1st position out a bit, and you could compress the springs for the flat notes in the overtone series. Most of the newer custom instruments like Edwards, Shires, Rath, etc. seem to have designed their horns to make that "D" and the one an octave higher to be closer to where the tuning "B flat" is. It's usually workable on other instruments if you do what has been suggested here. Lots of jazz players like to tune 1st position out a bit for a better slide vibrato on 1st position notes in addition to the tuning issues.

Jim Scott

I removed the cork in the barrels of my trombones and put springs inside. Like at old german trombones. So i can give a flat 1th position a push inside

Push the tuning slide in, forget it, and tune with the other slide. If that's not enough, cut the tuning slide down.

John