TromboneChat

I did it. I did the impossible! Actually got a gig on contra. Get this. Latin jazz big band. 1 note. Pedal F. Fortississimo. Busted my lip.

So worth it.

Cool! Congrats!

How many horns were in the section? I mean; to use a contra in a latin setting, I'd guess you'd have to have some other horns for that contra to complement, or?

Sometimes when I play many very low notes on bass - especially if I haven't played bass much beforehand - I usually get very tired in the corners of my cheek, and in the sides of my neck/throat and my lips feel like limp towels. Once after a very long and taxing repertoire, I had troubles closing my mouth and lips around the edges of my water bottle and spilled all over my suit.

I was doubling bass and contra in a 4 bone section. Contra wasn’t actually called for in the chart but I asked the composer/band leader what he thought of me bringing my contra for it and he seemed pretty excited about it! There was a single pedal F with 3 f’s under it and I thought it would be way more fun to blast on the contra. It was glorious.

I guess this is what it takes to widen the contra use: Someone owning a contra finds a suitable spot to fit the instrument in. The band leader would probably never have come up with using a contra in that setting, on that spot in the chart.

Great job, both musically and instrument beneficially!

I, myself, am not sure I ever will own a contra bass trombone, but I have half a mind of writing some big band scores using it; two are laid out for instrumentation, so don't be surprised if this little thread stimulated me into taking that step.

George Flynn doubles bass and contra in the Maria Schneider band. Sounds great.

I've been playing contra for the last two months....and I snuck in a mini tuba for a couple of notes !! Go low