Pen TRUMPETS O CORNETS O FLUEGELHORNS C el ak) RUMPETS & CORNETS O MOUTHPIECES ee eee ACen Dr ea Ross SSeS and Standard mouthpieces Cen Seated Cu eae at Cocoa its poem THE SCHILKE CO. Bote ber aed 312-922-0736 LEASE SEND: Instrument Catalog Mouthpiece Catalog Maurice Faulkner, Contributing Editor Teaching Trombone Legato Stewart L. Ross One of the most difficult and frustrating techniques for the trom: bonist to master is the art © gato playing — manipulating a trombone slide often proves more troublesome than pressing the valves of a trumpet. While the trombone is the only wind ins! ment capable of producing 1/4 tones and glissandi, these idiomatic devices, that are so helpful in some situations, do make legato playing more difficult to achieve. The stu dent's problems are further com plicated when he does not receive proper instruction. Legato playing is not a special style to be taught only to advanced musicians who have mastered the fundamentals of good trombone playing. Because a large percent- age of band music contains legato passages for the trombonist, slur- ring is a basic skill even for the beginner. Unnecessary delay in pre- senting legato playing not only de- prives the student of a necessary 1 but also deprives his perform: up of a well-rounded player. Legato playing should be intro- duced when the student has a basic understanding of the seven iso? bso Stewart L. Ross received a master, | ts@*l positions, and can find them, phys- ically and aurally, with relative ease. Instructors should know that the beginning players will ine tably smear notes together. Watch for students who think that they are slurring but are actually using a portamento or a tongued style ‘The following exercises and com: ments may be helpful in teaching legato playing. Exercise | will help the student develop a controlled glissando, Here the more quick the glissand be used oF slur, Exerc student eve which is the first step towards ae initial attack, the slide should be wists nal BP is reached. There should be y a no break in tone or sudden change Dawe in dynamics. When the student be- comes accustomed to the contin- uous connection he is ready to work on Exercise 2. The F BRASS BRASS JAZZ! TYING THE KNOT by Jim Buffington for Brass Quintet (2 Bb Tpts, F Hn, Tbn, Tha) Medium-tempo 40's & 50's style swing infects this derivation of Mendelssohn's Wedding March ‘No, C8 Score & Parts $2.50 SAINTS ALIVE! by John Glasel for Brass Quintet (2 Bb Tpts, F Hn, Thn, Bs Tbn oF Tha) or ‘Brass Sextet (3 Bb Tpts, 2 Tbs, Bs Ton or Tha) With optional Bass and Drum parts ‘Variations on “When the Saints Go Marching In in Spiritual, March, Dini, Swing, Bebop, and Rock styles No. €9 Seote & Parts $7.50 at your dealer or by direct mail (add 50¢for packing & postage) (CHAMBER MUSIC LIBRARY 168 Serpentine Ra, Tenafly, NJ.07670 Subseri ‘Annualyrass Clinic Par Geta ar Exercise 1 (sian Exercise 2 a 7 Here the slide must be moved more quickly than when practicing the glissando, and the tongue must ‘be used only when initiating the slur. Exercise 2 guarantees the student eventual success. Since he wil be ‘playing only “over the break” (alternating from one over- tone series to another), the slur wil start fo lose its glissando qual- = ity and begin ro resemble legato Playing. Now students should begin to learn how to slur notes within the same overtone series (the final goal). Exercise 3, more difficult than Exercise 2, will help to intro- duce the proper feeling; it will also prove helpful in developing the embouchure muscles. Thus far, the tongue has been used only when initiating the slur. In order to perform a clean slur within an overtone series, the tongue must be used as part of the slur itself. In Exercise 4, the tongue should produce a light “du” articu- lation as the slide is moved to the slurred note. Aim at producing the same sound made when slurring notes in Exercises 2 and 3. Larger intervals can be intro- duced as the slurring process is mastered, Care must now be taken to move the slide very quickly while still producing @ smooth sound. Should the student revert back to a “glissando” style of playing have him repeat Exercise 3 and compare it to the sound of Exer- cise 1, Stress the need for a light “du” between the two slurred notes to do away with an otherwise “soupy” sound. All students seem to learn quickly by imitating the correct sound. If you are not able to demonstrate the legato technique yourself, enlist the aid of an ad- vanced student, a clinician, or a quality recording. Be wary of pro- viding lengthy explanations con- cerning tongue and teeth place- ment, embouchure shape, ‘wrist action, etc. — they often cause more new problems to the young trombonist than they alleviate Remember, legato playing is con- siderably more complex for the trombonist than it is for any other instrumentalist. But it is a neces- sary skill that can be learned by simplifying the process and break- ing it up into varying stages of ificulty. Through diligent. prac- tice by the student, and intelligent guidance by the teacher, refined legato playing can become a reality 7 The First International FR ERANSIS) Congress ‘Montreux, Switzerland, June 13-19, 1976 BRASS BULLETIN publication ofthe (TERNATIONAL BRASS CONGRESS 6 dedicated tothe Congress Subscribe for 1976 NOW! Annual subse hosted by ‘THE INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED MUSICAL STUDIES (LH.EM.) in cooperation with INTERNATIONAL HORN SOCIETY (1H-.) INTERNATIONAL TRUMPET GUID (17.6.) INTERNATIONAL TROMBONE ASSOCIATION (1.T.A.) ‘TUBISTS UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD ASSOCIATION (T.U.B.A.) ‘The HEM. is privileged to host the First Intemational Brass Congress. The host cy ig Montoux, Switzerland, located inthe Neart of Europe st te weston ot tac Leman, the enttance 10 the great Rhone Vaiey where the. Swiss, French find Taian Aips meet. The people 6! Mentrevs. then Mayor and OFfice of Tour ism, extend a welcome hand to all wong brass musicians. In Switzerland, (uly fence awaits each participant sho takes advantage cf this “once tn a iene Send to: BRASS BULLETIN (i Giemaill Bor 12 [Chutst0 MOUDON Switzerland For information regarding registration, charter Hights ond housing, wre FIRST INTERNATIONAL BRASS CONGRESS. Case Postale 141 CH. 1820 Montreux, Switzerland sentuaty ire HE NSTRUMENTAUST. 57