Ballads

[tbdana]

Boy, are ballads deceptively hard.

Seems like they should be easy. Slow tempo, long notes, nice melody...what could be easier than that? And there are some absolutely wonderful ballads out there for the trombone. It's where we can really shine.

But ballads are the hardest music I ever play. The great trombone ballad players are few. Dorsey. Green. Watrous. Nash. These guys really knew how to play them. And note that each one is among the best players ever. Why is that? Because playing a ballad that well is something that is very, very hard to do.

Oh, people play the notes. Sure. That's not too hard. But how do you get beyond the notes to make a beautiful ballad?

[MStarke]

I would certainly add Alan Kaplan to the great ballad players. I love his recordings.

And I agree, really beautiful ballad playing is one of the hardest things to do on trombone...

[ithinknot]

It's a singing question, not a trombone question.

Beyond a baseline of technique, the outstanding quality is style... which can be "learned" (recognized/assimilated/internalized/expressed) but not really "taught". You can't transcribe or fake an instinctive and compelling feel for tension and release.

(Plus those guys constantly worked alongside the best singers.)

[Posaunus]

It's a singing question, not a trombone question.

Beyond a baseline of technique, the outstanding quality is style... which can "learned" (recognized/assimilated/internalized/expressed) but not really "taught". You can't transcribe or fake an instinctive and compelling feel for tension and release.

I have to agree. My best (though still amateur) ballad playing is when I know the song well (or can at least imagine singing it).

Incidentally, I think there are a lot of singers who don't really understand the ballad style.

[Savio]

I love ballads. But I can't say I'm an expert at playing them. I think there are two things that are crucial.

First of all, we have to have a good musical understanding.

The second is good technique.

Maybe mostly a good tone, legato, articulation, etc. So we probably have to do our daily exercises like flexibility, long notes, Arban, Remington, etc.

But the most important thing is still what I mentioned first. We have to love ballads, understand different styles of music. Even listen to other styles like opera, musicals, symphonies, Disney, pop, jazz, Star wars. Try to familiarize ourself with all aspects.

Listen to Frank Sinatra, and his good friend who is not mentioned here; George Roberts. Then we just have to try and fail, and try again? It's easier if we love the trombone and the music. I remember playing my first ballad. Beatles, Hey Jude. 45 years ago. I thought it sounded fantastic. Haha...but it's sometimes important to find back that feeling and joy we had. The feeling of achieving something. So now I try to remember that feeling and not be so critical of myself. Anyway, ballads are very revealing, no room for cheating.

Leif

[Savio]

A little apropos;

A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to meet Chris Stearn who is here in the forum. He probably plays mostly in the opera and symphony world. But he tried my old Conn 70h and played the "Makin Whoppee" ballad right in my ear. It was just amazing. So control over dynamics and everything. So I think versatility is important. Understanding music and different styles.

[stewbones43]

You can programme a clockwork monkey to play Blue Bells of Scotland, but you need to be a musician to play a ballad.

Cheers

Stewbones 43

[AndrewMeronek]

Not just trombonists have a hard time with ballads. Lots of jazz musicians do. I think there's a strong tendency to simply play too busy (especially drummers) and aren't willing to risk letting the music breathe. I know in my own playing it's something I have to consciously replace with a melodic plan, otherwise it's all flailing limp noodles.

Tension in ballads is good. Space grows tension.

[mgladdish]

I'd add Nils Landgren to that list. Perhaps my favourite vib out of anybody.

[AndrewMeronek]

Here's one that's a bit off the beaten path.





Yes, Scott absolutely needs to be involved in conversations of great trombone ballad players.

[TheConnArtist70H]

Hi Dana - I hope your visit to LA went well.

I must admit to smiling when I seen your thread, and to answer your statement, they certainly are not easy.

It took me months to learn and control my breathing, quietly taking in huge lung fulls of air then playing with a real slow soft flow of air, always having enough for the phrase being played. You also need to be super relaxed, try playing arpeggios or low to high range phrases etc playing so softly say p, or mp ( max ) but trying to hit every note with full tone at the beginning then tapering the sound off to almost nothing, great great practice for ballad playing. Also the art of Rubato is also important in order to create some expressive playing. And my last and most important for me being Lip vibrato with only slightest of slide movement.

The only other important thing I would add if I may, is try and find a song by say Sarah Vaughan of someone of that era who you like, get to know the song, the words to the song and listen to the phrasing. The more you do this, the more you will be able to gain an understanding of the song, the meaning and develop it into your own concept through your horn.

Having my own mini studio ( basically our fourth bedroom ) and half pro recording equipment helps BIG style as you
can record and listen to yourself, at first I thought what's that crap I'm playing, you can hear everything you thought was right ( intonation / breathing ), but isn't and you listen and put right the wrongs, eventually you start to play much better.

You are a pro and sound great so please don't take my comments as a reference to you, I'm talking about me.

I an't no pro, just an amateur but have had soooo much fun going through the process, it's an adventure.
And all in the privacy of your own home, tariff free but not Cat free.

I hope this helps a Little.

Have a nice day... Al