what key is a trombone in

What key is a trombone in?

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Trombone

The trombone (German: posaune, Italian, French: trombone) is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips (embouchure) cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate. Most brass instruments use valves to alter the pitch, but trombones have a telescoping slide mechanism instead. Many modern trombone models also have a valve attachment which lowers the pitch of the instrument. Variants such as the valve trombone and superbone have three valves similar to those on the trumpet.

The word “trombone” derives from Italian tromba (trumpet) and -one (a suffix meaning “large”), so the name means “large trumpet”. The trombone has a predominantly cylindrical bore like the trumpet, in contrast to the more conical brass instruments like the cornet, the euphonium, and the French horn. The most frequently encountered trombones are the tenor trombone and bass trombone.

These are treated as non-transposing instruments and are pitched in B♭, an octave below the B♭ trumpet and an octave above the pedal B♭ tuba. The once common E♭ alto trombone became less widely used as improvements in technique extended the upper range of the tenor, but it is now resurging due to its lighter sonority which is appreciated in many classical and early romantic works. Trombone music is usually written in concert pitch in either bass or tenor clef, although exceptions do occur, notably in British brass-band music where the tenor trombone is presented as a B♭ transposing instrument, written in treble clef; and the alto trombone is written at concert pitch usually in alto clef.

History

Etymology

“Trombone” comes from the Italian word tromba (trumpet) plus the suffix -one (big), meaning “big trumpet”.

During the Renaissance, the equivalent English term was “sackbut”“. The word first appears in court records in 1495 as “shakbusshe” at about the time King Henry VII married a Portuguese princess who brought musicians with her. “Shakbusshe” is similar to “sacabuche“, attested in Spain as early as 1478. The French equivalent “saqueboute” appears in 1466.

The German “Posaune” long predates the invention of the slide and could refer to a natural trumpet as late as the early fifteenth century.

Origin

Both towns and courts sponsored bands of shawms and trombone. The most famous and influential served the Duke of Burgundy. The trombone’s principal role was the contratenor part in a dance band. The sackbut was used extensively across Europe, from its appearance in the 15th century to a decline in most places by the mid-late 17th century. It was using in outdoor events, in concert, and in liturgical settings. With trumpeters, trombonists in German city-states were employing as civil officials. As officials, these trombonists were often relegated to standing watch in the city towers but would also herald the arrival of important people to the city. This is similar to the role of a military bugler and was using as a sign of wealth and strength in 16th century German cities.

What Key Is A Trombone In?

Along with the trumpet and the tuba, the trombone is probably one of the most instantly recognizable of the brass instruments, especially for its long slide whose position changes which sounds are produced.

Due to practical differences between brass instruments, it can be challenging to pin down by ear which key signatures each instrument plays in, so today we’re answering what key the trombone usually plays.

To properly explain at key a trombone plays in, we need to talk about concert pitch and any other deviations to the standard trombone key that players must face when learning this instrument.

The Concert Pitch

The concert pitch was designed as a reference for music bands and ensembles. Where multiple musicians are playing instruments from different families, the concert pitch exists to establish a standard pitch that all pieces of the arrangement can be tuned to, guaranteeing that their sound harmonizes.

Concert pitch is usually used to differentiate the sounds of certain instruments from transposing instruments.

Modern concert pitch tuning is set at 440 Hz for the A above middle C, using this reference to set all the other notes in accordance. This is where our answer comes in, the traditional trombone is written in the C key to keep in line with the concert pitch.

This is uncommon for brass instruments, which are usually transposing instruments written at Bb, and makes the trombone’s notation identical to that of other arrangement instruments like the piano.

It’s also worth adding that historically the trombone was keyed to A, but in the modern-day tenor trombones play in C/Bb.

Key Altering Attachments

Just like the trumpet, the trombone is capable of playing a variety of notes depending on the slide’s position. That said, there are attachments available to tenor trombones that change their key.

The most popular of these is the F attachment which, as you can guess, changes the trombone to play in the F key. It does this through the same principle that changes the sound profile of every brass instrument, by adding to the overall pipe length of the trombone.

The F attachment is popular because many are dissatisfied with the sounds produced by a standard trombone further down the scale. Being able to play in the F key takes this difficulty away, so many people grab an F attachment when they need to play deeper notes.

These attachments aren’t unique to standard tenor trombones either, with bass trombones having the ability to host an F attachment and a Db attachment so that even lower notes are playable.

What Key Is Contrabass Trombone In?

contrabass trombones are usually pitching at 12′ F, a perfect fourth lower than the modern tenor or bass trombones, and have undergone a number of changes in their history.

What Concert Key Is Trombone In?

In “Concert Pitch,” the traditional straight tenor trombone is written in the key of C. As a result, trombones will have the same notes and note names as pianos, unlike many other wind instruments.

What key is a bass trombone?

B♭
The modern bass trombone is pitched in B♭. It has the same length of tubing as the tenor trombone (9 feet (2.7 m)) but has a wider bore and a larger bell, and uses a larger mouthpiece, making it more suited to playing in the low register.

Are trombones in BB?

The main types of Trombones are the standard Tenor in Bb, Tenor Bb/f or Bass Trombone. Also available is the Alto Trombone (which is pitching higher than a Bb Trombone) and is a good way to introduce younger children to playing.

What key is the alto trombone in?

Pitched in the key of Eb, the alto trombone is not as common as tenor or bass but is still used in a variety of musical settings.

Is trombone A BB or C?

The Trombone sounds by blowing into a mouthpiece too. Although it pitches in the key of B-flat, it writes in C and notates in bass clef and tenor clef for the upper register. Its range cover from the E2 to the F5.

What is the difference between an alto trombone and A tenor trombone?

The Alto Trombone is a fourth higher than the tenor trombone, in the key of Eb. It has a smaller bell and bore size, proportional to the reduced tube length.

What key is bassoon?

The bassoon player produce the sound by blowing into the reed. It pitches in the key of C, notates in bass clef, although the tenor clef is using for highest registers.

What Is The Rarest Trombone?

• The HAAG Switzerland Bass Trombone is priced at $11,660.00.
• The Miraphone MI57F Contrabass Trombone is priced at $9,849.00.
• The Contrabass Trombone by Markus Leuchter in F.
• This Minick Contrabass Trombone is a BBb model.
• The Getzen Trombone (3062AFR) is a great trombone…
• With Plugin Valve, you can build a Bach New York 50B.
• Bass trombone from the Conn 62 Series.
• The daCarbo F-Attachment Trombone is made of brass.

What does trombone tune?

Typically, trombone players tune to a B♭ above the staff. As you stare at the tuner, pay attention to what it’s telling you. If the tuner says you’re sharp, then you need to make your trombone longer. To do that, pull out your tuning slide a bit.

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