Position Thoughts

[VJOFan]

Any suggestions of an optimum way around this passage. I’ve opted for staying in third through the first three notes but then I’m open to ideas. Particularly for the Cbs at the end.

Thanks.

[Schultz]

I’d probably play all the Bb’s and C’s in 1st and the Cb’s in 2nd. The first F in the first triplet i’d play in 4th. Everything else i’d play in the “normal” position.

[ithinknot]

Stay in third, or 3/3/1 at the beginning... marked slur between partials, move and articulate the C, whatever feels more secure

Definitely Fs in 3.5th at D+1 beat 1 and D+2 beat 4

Cbs at end in 2nd, at least technically reserving the right to bend coming up from Bb in 3rd (not saying you should, read the room stylistically)

[Crazy4Tbone86]

There are some opportunities to play the G in 4th instead of #2nd. The 4th position works nice to keep it in the same partial with A-flat when playing A-flat, G, A-flat. G in 4th also creates minimal movement if you descend to F in #4th. So many options in an excerpt like that. In the end, you should go with the patterns that give you the best sound and ease of phrasing.

[tbdana]

I honestly would play that two ways, with no preference other than where I happen to have the slide when I start.

First is, like you, to start in 3rd. I love playing Bb's in 3rd position. And I'd play the G in 4th. So I'd start 3,3||3,3,3,4,3,4,4,3|4,3,2-3,3|3,3,3,4,3,4,3,3|...

The second one I can do because I don't play 1st position all the way in and can play the Ab in tune in 1st. So that would go 1,1|1,1,1,2,3,2,1,3|4,3,2...

[Doug Elliott]

This may seem odd but I'd play the 2nd note Bb in 1st, going to C in 3rd. The 1st to 3rd gives a cleaner start to the C on beat 1.

I virtually never play G in 4th, it doesn't feel nearly as solid as #2, so all the G's would be #2.

Everything else between 2nd and 4th, except the F on beat 4 in 1st as it lays well descending from the G in #2

[Crazy4Tbone86]

Doug…..Interesting that you feel that the G in 4th is not as solid as #2nd. I have found that G in 4th to be a quirky note on many of my Bach 42 slide/bell combinations. On almost all of my other horns, it is very comfortable.

I thought it was just a Bach 42 thing.

[tbdana]

G in 4th gets solid if you practice it. If you don't, it won't feel solid. And especially coming from the Ab a 1/2 step above it in 3rd, it's a very solid one position, same partial move.

[Doug Elliott]

The same distance either way, and coming down the G doesn't need to be tongued. I'll keep playing it in 2nd, thanks.

[Savio]

I can't play that high register so good. In fact very bad. So no good suggestions from me. I'm out of topic but isn't legato more easier in the high register? So close between the positions up there? Still I'm amazed at how most tenor trombonists use 7nt position even when they have a valve?

Leif

[VJOFan]

I ended up settling into Dana’s first option above.

This arranger will lift ideas from recordings he’s heard, and I suspect from what he said this is originally a French horn line. I sound a lot more like a horn in longer positions so I’m going with that.

It’s been a great etude for learning where those notes actually lie on a horn I got not too long ago.

Anyone who wants to come back to the home of ITF 2025 here in London, stop by the Wortley Village Jazz and Blues Festival Sunday to hear how it goes.

[Oslide]

This arranger will lift ideas from recordings he’s heard, and I suspect from what he said this is originally a French horn line. I sound a lot more like a horn in longer positions so I’m going with that.

French horn line? - It's the beginning of "Penny Lane".

[harrisonreed]

I'd play all of that in 3rd and 4th because I'm super lazy like that. Except the low Db's obvs. Otherwise all of the notes are in one of those two positions.

Cb in 4th gives you the natural break from Bb in 3rd, which is a bigger deal than the discussion on G in 2nd vs 4th which should be easy to play and/or tongue either way.

[Crazy4Tbone86]

Things to consider when playing such an excerpt are the idiosyncrasies of any particular trombone. I have owned a couple trombones that played high C very dull in 1st position. Thus, I automatically put all Cs in 3rd person on those horns.

I have a couple of friends who have trombones with dull high B-flats in first position. The always play that B-flat in 3rd.

[VJOFan]

This arranger will lift ideas from recordings he’s heard, and I suspect from what he said this is originally a French horn line. I sound a lot more like a horn in longer positions so I’m going with that.

French horn line? - It's the beginning of "Penny Lane".

Not in this case. We’re not playing a transcription of the Beatles recording. It’s a treatment of the song so one hears the main themes but there is, for instance, no piccolo trumpet solo or some of the other bits from the album. It’s arranged like a standard. We do this bit about half way through.

[tbdana]

Not in this case. We’re not playing a transcription of the Beatles recording. It’s a treatment of the song so one hears the main themes but there is, for instance, no piccolo trumpet solo or some of the other bits from the album. It’s arranged like a standard. We do this bit about half way through.

I play a trombone quartet version of Penny Lane that does have the picc trumpet solo (for trombone). I think it's a Bob Elkjer arrangement. Of course, nothing will sound like the original except the original, but it's still Penny Lane.