Options how to play C and B
Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2026 5:50 am
In a few posts some time ago, someone asked about ways to improve and practice the B and C on a single-valve bass trombone. I meant to reply back then, but forgot. Now that the low register has come up again in another thread, I was reminded—so here it is. I hope it helps someone.
In addition to practice the James Markey exercises that others have posted in different threads like this one viewtopic.php?t=43150 and add false tones to them, I create my own exercises that are more rhythmic and melodic in nature.
Why are C and B the problematic notes?
On a single-valve bass trombone they are problematic because you can not reach far enough with the hand slide unless you retune the F-attachment. When retuned — depending on how much— your positions on the F-attachment changes and you also need to push the hand slide near the tip, where it almost falls off to get an in tune C or B, add to that you need long arms or/and may also have to do some lipping to get them. Any fast playing becomes uncomfortable because the notes are at the very end of the slide. You need some practice to be comforable to play bE or E-tuning and/or different versions of flat F-tuning.
On a trombone with two valves, the problem is that there is a difference in resistance when both valves are engaged for C and B and when you use one valve or no valves. I guess less if you play an Axial horn or have Hagman valves. A double also has the drawback of beeing heavier and can make stress on your hand and shoulder. It also invoves a lot of work with the thumb and indexfinger. To go back and forth between one and two valves is slower compared to the use of one trigger only.
If you just like me choose to play C and B as false tones, the resistance is low and the weight is low and the notes C and B are easy to reach since they are in the middle of the slide. No slow switch between one and two valves. Catch is the embouchure then needs to be trained to aim very precisely, since you get much less help from the instrument in guiding you to the correct pitch on false tones.
There are pros and cons regardless of which method is chosen.
Of course, you don’t have to use false tones to play my excerpts if you don’t want to, and if you prefer to play a bass trombone with two valves, that works just fine as well. The point is to surround the problematic notes with notes that aren’t, and to integrate them in a focused way by practicing short phrases that you can play without looking att the sheet music and then transpose them to cover the problem.
To train the low register with false tones, I construct short exercises based on bass figures I have encountered in the repertoire. These are usually two to three measures long and include figures involving B and/or C. I then play B and C as “false tones”, "fake tones", "factitious tones" or "falsets" if you prefer. These tones have many names at this forum.
I practice each exercise in at least four keys, so that the lowest notes cover Db, C, B, and Bb. After that, I vary the exercises rhythmically and in different tempi, and I add different articulations such as legato and staccato. My goal is to make the false tones sound the same as the surrounding notes. The better my false tones gets the better my normal tones gets. I know some do not see the point with false tones, and of course you do not need to master them when you have two valves. For me they are usable and also something I use to improve the low register. I started with false tones in the early 80-ies and for years they did not work that well. It is important you do not do special "trix" to get them. When they become usable it's the same emboushure as on the other notes. If you have to do some special adjustments to get them they will never be usable in real music.
I use a trombone with one valve for this, tenor or bass.
I found a set of excerpts I made and worked on a few years ago. They’re good examples of short patterns to practice. I transpose them through at least four keys, lowering the excerpt until I’ve covered the false tones C and B. The keys are usually D♭, C, B, and B♭. These are only suggestions. The point is to make your own!
(For me today) I do not write them down nowadays, and I make new ones constantly.
The excerpts should be practiced first, as indicated, four times for each phrase. On this page, most of my phrases are one-bar phrases. This means you play the bar four times in D♭, then four times in C, B, and B♭. Once you can do this by heart, you should instead play each row four times and transpose down to cover all four keys.
/Tom
In addition to practice the James Markey exercises that others have posted in different threads like this one viewtopic.php?t=43150 and add false tones to them, I create my own exercises that are more rhythmic and melodic in nature.
Why are C and B the problematic notes?
On a single-valve bass trombone they are problematic because you can not reach far enough with the hand slide unless you retune the F-attachment. When retuned — depending on how much— your positions on the F-attachment changes and you also need to push the hand slide near the tip, where it almost falls off to get an in tune C or B, add to that you need long arms or/and may also have to do some lipping to get them. Any fast playing becomes uncomfortable because the notes are at the very end of the slide. You need some practice to be comforable to play bE or E-tuning and/or different versions of flat F-tuning.
On a trombone with two valves, the problem is that there is a difference in resistance when both valves are engaged for C and B and when you use one valve or no valves. I guess less if you play an Axial horn or have Hagman valves. A double also has the drawback of beeing heavier and can make stress on your hand and shoulder. It also invoves a lot of work with the thumb and indexfinger. To go back and forth between one and two valves is slower compared to the use of one trigger only.
If you just like me choose to play C and B as false tones, the resistance is low and the weight is low and the notes C and B are easy to reach since they are in the middle of the slide. No slow switch between one and two valves. Catch is the embouchure then needs to be trained to aim very precisely, since you get much less help from the instrument in guiding you to the correct pitch on false tones.
There are pros and cons regardless of which method is chosen.
Of course, you don’t have to use false tones to play my excerpts if you don’t want to, and if you prefer to play a bass trombone with two valves, that works just fine as well. The point is to surround the problematic notes with notes that aren’t, and to integrate them in a focused way by practicing short phrases that you can play without looking att the sheet music and then transpose them to cover the problem.
To train the low register with false tones, I construct short exercises based on bass figures I have encountered in the repertoire. These are usually two to three measures long and include figures involving B and/or C. I then play B and C as “false tones”, "fake tones", "factitious tones" or "falsets" if you prefer. These tones have many names at this forum.
I practice each exercise in at least four keys, so that the lowest notes cover Db, C, B, and Bb. After that, I vary the exercises rhythmically and in different tempi, and I add different articulations such as legato and staccato. My goal is to make the false tones sound the same as the surrounding notes. The better my false tones gets the better my normal tones gets. I know some do not see the point with false tones, and of course you do not need to master them when you have two valves. For me they are usable and also something I use to improve the low register. I started with false tones in the early 80-ies and for years they did not work that well. It is important you do not do special "trix" to get them. When they become usable it's the same emboushure as on the other notes. If you have to do some special adjustments to get them they will never be usable in real music.
I use a trombone with one valve for this, tenor or bass.
I found a set of excerpts I made and worked on a few years ago. They’re good examples of short patterns to practice. I transpose them through at least four keys, lowering the excerpt until I’ve covered the false tones C and B. The keys are usually D♭, C, B, and B♭. These are only suggestions. The point is to make your own!
(For me today) I do not write them down nowadays, and I make new ones constantly.
The excerpts should be practiced first, as indicated, four times for each phrase. On this page, most of my phrases are one-bar phrases. This means you play the bar four times in D♭, then four times in C, B, and B♭. Once you can do this by heart, you should instead play each row four times and transpose down to cover all four keys.
/Tom
), although the one shown from RB-Shooting has the advantage of being a single unit, so less time-consuming to get on and off than using three or four standard collars.
Hakan is such a likeable and funny guy! I once had a lesson with him which also touched this subject and was helpful in many aspects. And a really clear low B!