Trombone Method Books

[Janise Knollman]

Method books are books that feature exercises designed to help you improve a specific part of your playing such as legato playing, fast slide technique, range, articulation, etc. I have not included any of my own books here because they can be located easily throughout trombonetools and in the resources section. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are some of my favorites, divided by topic:

This very thick book is perhaps the most famous method among all the brass instruments. Originally a trumpet book, it has been transposed for all brass instruments and the trombone version linked here has been annotated by Joe Alessi.

Learning to play jazz trombone requires a lot of skill both as a trombonist and as a musician. Jazz performance uses different techniques for sound production, tonguing, articulation, and phrasing than classical trombone playing. Despite the plethora of trombone method books, the differences between jazz and classical trombone techniques are rarely considered in great detail. The purpose of this book, then, is to describe many of these differences and to provide strategies for conquering jazz trombone!

qPress is dedicated to making quality music for trumpet available as pdf downloads. We work with the best publishers in the world to bring classic literature to your computer, and nurture relationships with composers to help them bring new trumpet repertoire to market.

Essential Elements for Band offers beginning students sound pedagogy and engaging music, all carefully paced to successfully start young players on their musical journey. EE features both familiar songs and specially designed exercises, created and arranged for the classroom in a unison-learning environment, as well as instrument-specific exercises to focus each student on the unique characteristics of their own instrument. EE provides both teachers and students with a wealth of materials to develop total musicianship, even at the beginning stages.

Essential Elements now includes Essential Elements Interactive (EEi), the ultimate online music education resource. EEi introduces the first-ever, easy set of technology tools for online teaching, learning, assessment, and communication... ideal for teaching today's beginning band and string students, both in the classroom and at home. For more information, visit Hal Leonard Online - Essential Elements Interactive.

The Power of the Winds Beginning Band Method Books are organized in a way that all band directors will love. Each musical concept is covered as a "chapter" which allows the students and the teacher to focus on one thing at a time.

Each of the three books includes the following features:

• The songs are chosen to be playable and enjoyable for beginning band students.
• Books are available for the following instruments: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba, Snare/Bs, Keyboard/Percussion.
• "Sound before sign" is used to introduce every rhythmic concept making the teacher the model for sounding out rhythms to the student.
• There are reviews at the end of every chapter and a final review section that covers every concept in the book.
• There is a specialized page at the end of every book. Brass have lip slurs, woodwinds have fingering patterns and percussion have sticking patterns.
• The fingering chart is numbered to relate to concert pitch. Note #18 is a B flat concert pitch in every book.

The Standard of Excellence Comprehensive Band Method Books 1 & 2 combine a strong performance-centered approach with music theory, music history, ear training, listening, composition, improvisation, and interdisciplinary and multicultural studies. The result is the most complete band method available anywhere.

Features include:

• Full color drawings and color-coding of important text and music motivate and inform.
• Three starting systems help ensure positive results in any beginning situation.
• FOR ... ONLY exercises (i.e. FOR FLUTES ONLY) offer idiomatic solutions to the unique challenges of each instrument.
• Excellorators (advanced supplemental exercises) reinforce and enrich performance basics.
• A nine page FOR OBOES ONLY starting system gives beginners a solid foundation for learning in the full band setting.
• Expanded French Horn and Percussion books, including a separate book for Timpani & Auxiliary Percussion, address the unique needs of beginners on these instruments.
• A comprehensive, totally-correlated Electric Bass book offers expanded opportunities for student involvement.
• Music from over 20 countries, with correlated enrichments, encourages multicultural study.
• Achievement Lines and GO FOR EXCELLENCE! test lines ensure objective assessment of students' accomplishments.
• A built-in reward system motivates students and encourages musical growth.
• Expanded 48 page part books (instead of the usual 32 pages) provide added reinforcement of musical skills.
• 600-plus page full Conductor Scores contain Objectives for every line of music, Director tips, extended reference articles, duplicable worksheets and quizzes, and theory, listening, composing, improvisation, geography, foreign language, history, and other interdisciplinary Activities for Excellence.

Compact and versatile dual-headed light with 2 flexible goosenecks and with one durable LED on each head. The 2 LEDs can be switched on individually and are rated for 100,000 hours. The practical and extra-wide clip (up to 25 mm) attaches to music desks, table tops etc. It can also be used as a standing light. The goosenecks are easy and compact to fold. Includes 3 batteries (1.5 V AAA) with a battery life of up to 20 hours.

In a world short on attention, progressing trombone students need a method book that is focused, concise, enjoyable, and challenging. I wrote this book to meet that need. It presents a carefully curated sequence of material. Concepts are introduced progressively, developed, and reviewed regularly. The repertoire in this book creates a series of teachable moments that you can engage with in lessons, as you help your students improve their technique, range, endurance, reading ability, and musical sophistication.

Norman Bolter
Trombonist Boston Symphony Orchestra and Principal Trombone of the Boston Pops 1975-2007 (retired), Professor at New England Conservatory and Boston Conservatory at Berklee

The world of trombone performance practices based specifically on the nationality of the composition is one that has not been thoroughly explored, especially in regards to methodological studies. The basis of this thesis is to provide a progressive method book detailing appropriate performance practices through the inclusion of various solos and arrangements alongside annotations and performance notes. This aids trombonists in becoming aware of what it means to appropriately play music based on its national background, and elevates trombonists to a new level of playing and musicianship. Upon exploration into this method book, trombonists are guided through the cultural centers of music composition in the Western classical style, including stylistic performance practices pertaining to Russian, French, German, and Italian compositions. To provide a foundation for describing national performance practices, this thesis explores the compositional techniques of various prominent composers from the aforementioned "cultural centers of music composition." In addition to compositional study, comprehensive research into current performance practices (based on notable recordings from prominent and well-respected symphony orchestras and trombonists), as well as first-hand knowledge compiled from interviews from professional trombonists and other professional musicians will be presented. Through the combination of this knowledge and research, a solid and reputable foundation for performance practices dependent on culture and nationality of the composition is discovered. This method book will allow trombonists to play music more authentically, be able to sight-read at a more efficient level, develop an in-depth understanding behind the musical notation, and become better musicians.

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Questions of choice and appropriateness of alternate positions have always been problematic for trombonists. Students hear conflicting opinions from teachers, and many of the method books seem quite arbitrary in their suggestions.