TROMBONE
Performance Notes for 2015-16 All-State Band Auditions
by
DR. BRADLEY EDWARDS
Professor of Trombone
University of South Carolina
www.bonezone.org
Tips for the 2015-2016 SCBDA Junior Band Audition Solo (Solo 1A)
Tip #1: Variety!!
There’s a reason people don’t buy black and white TV’s anymore. Color is
better to look at.
Get different “colors” in your playing…
• Slurred notes vs. Separated notes.
Do they sound different?
• Loud notes vs. Soft notes.
Do they sound different?
Tip #2: Know the Words
What does “cantabile” mean? How about “con brio”
Are you really doing it?
• Play it two times, once cantabile, once not. What did you change?
• Play it two times, once con brio, once not. What did you change?
Tip #3: Slow down the tricky stuff
Yes, slow it down. I’m talking to you. Yes, you.
• Can you play it at exactly half speed? ( e = 112 or q = 66)
Betcha can’t!
Tip #4: Steady, Steady, Steady
Keep exactly the same speed all the time. Use a metronome or find a drum
loop (more fun, believe me). If you tap your foot, do it so softly that
nobody can hear (maybe just your toe).
Tip #5: Watch out for the Sneaky Smear!
Especially when you’re playing legato (smooth), move your slide exactly at
the right moment (not early, not late) so you don’t get little glissandi
between notes.
Measure by Measure…
• mm. 4-5 – Make sure they can hear that dynamic hairpin
• mm. 9-10 – make the staccato note sound very different from the
slurred notes.
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mm. 11-12 – It isn’t one long slur. Make a little break so the D is a
pick-up note
m. 17 – Most people won’t play this rhythm accurately. See the
practice exercises..
m. 18 – Try doing this as a lip slur
m. 23 – That F tends to be sharp. Listen closely to your pitch.
m. 27 – put some extra zing in your attacks here!
The AuditionSolos.com website does include some specialized practice exercises
along with piano accompaniments and duet parts for this solo. It also has
SmartMusic® files.
Tips for the 2015-2016 SCBDA Clinic Band Audition Solo (Solo 2A)
Tip #1: Details, details
Most players focus on the notes and the rhythms but not the rest. Look at
the slurs. Where do they start? Where do they end? Some notes have
staccato, some tenuto. Do they actually sound different?
Tip #2: A short note is still a note
Avoid “tat” on short notes (stopping the note with the tongue). “Tah”
usually produces that tiny extra ringing sound at the end of the note (long
or short) that makes it more pleasant. The term con grazia (with grace, or
gracefully) over the staccatos is meant to be a reminder of that.
Tip #3: Where is your tuner?
Many of us have those little electronic tuners (or tuning apps). They are
nice but your real tuner is in your mind. Before looking at the display of
an electronic tuner, listen to the note. Is it a little sharp? Is it a little flat?
Try moving it around just a bit. Can you hear the pitch change. to the
note. Is it a little sharp? Is it a little flat? Try moving it around just a bit.
Can you hear the pitch change.
Your tuner is inside you. The electronic device can calibrate your internal
one but shouldn’t replace it.
Tip #4: How’s the clock?
Suppose someone walks very steadily while they are on a moving walkway
that is speeding up. To them, they’re steady. To an observer, they’re not.
A lot of time we play steady rhythms but our internal pulse isn’t steady.
This is especially true during longer notes and rests.
This is especially true during longer notes and rests.
(Yes, I repeated that on purpose. Go back and read that again….out loud).
When there’s not much to do, the clock usually speeds up. Don’t let it.
Measure by Measure…
• mm. 3-4: if you can avoid breathing on the barline, you can make a
nice crescendo from the D to the E-flat
• mm. 6-7: make the accents jump out a little. Don’t overdo it.
• m. 12: Dynamics are about contrast. This thing sound louder than
this thing. Finish the legato line gently so the accented mezzo forte
can jump out.
• m. 17: I’m willing to bet that 90% of people will play this E-flat
sharp and it will sound correct to them because they’ve retrained
their ears to hear it wrong.
• m. 20: finish with a full sound so you can make a nice contrast to
the following mezzo forte.
• mm. 25-30: don’t play so short that the notes sound ugly.
• m. 31: are you actually getting louder during the dotted quarter
note?
• m. 1, 39, 40, 46: Make sure your slide is actually in 2nd position on
the A. It is easy (but wrong) to place that note in a flat position. Try
playing an A-flat on purpose to hear the difference.
The AuditionSolos.com website does include some specialized practice exercises
along with piano accompaniments and duet parts for this solo. It also has
SmartMusic® files.
Tips for the 2015-2016 SCBDA Senior Band Audition Solo (Solo 3A)
Tip #1: Keep the high, loud notes singing!
Yes, they are marked forte. Yes, they are a bit higher. But the high notes
still need a beautiful tone, not forced or shrill. It is tempting to push the
mouthpiece into your face to help these notes come out but that will hurt
your tone and can injure you!
Tip #2: Patiently build strength for the high range
Maybe you can cram for a test but you can’t cram for high range. It takes
time and patience. Build up a little at a time and always try to go just a bit
further. Today’s squeak is tomorrow’s note.
Much of the support for the high notes comes from your abdomen. As you
ascend, keep those sit-up muscles firm and pulled in. This helps to propel
the air with the right intensity.
Tip #3: Tongue, don’t chew
Look in a mirror as you articulate notes. Many, many students move their
jaw in a chewing motion as they tongue notes. You don’t need to move
that much. Try blowing little bursts of air against your hand. I’m guessing
you can get clean bursts of air without so much motion. Your articulations
in this solo will be cleaner and faster if you move your jaw less.
Tip #4: Rubato?
The meno mosso section doesn’t have a specific metronome marking. It
just goes a little slower. You don’t have to play it strictly in time (but don’t
take too many liberties). Most of your freedom should be in the eighth
notes so the listener can clearly hear the difference between artistic
freedom and bad counting.
Tip #5: Time that slide!
Slide technique is so important. Many young players move the slide a bit
early, causing many notes end with a tiny glissando. Many devices are
now capable of slow-motion video playback. Record yourself and watch
the video. You may be surprised to see that your slide never stops in some
positions, making things sound soupy.
Measure by Measure…
• m. 1: I cannot emphasize enough the importance of many slow
repetition for absolute clarity. Even on audition day, you should
still be doing some half-speed runs. I like to use a natural slur when
moving from the F to the G.
• m. 4: Don’t forget to crescendo on the dotted quarter note. I like to
play this note in 6th position (better tone for most people). Once
you’re out there, you might try staying in 6th as you lead into the
downbeat of m. 5. However, I come into 1st for the high F
• m. 5: It is so easy to play this upper F too sharp. Not only is it a
naturally sharp note but the act of leaping up to it causes many
(myself included) to play it even sharper!
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mm. 5-6: Make this very smooth. Try practicing it without any
tongue. This will strengthen your embouchure accuracy. You’ll also
notice that many of the connections are natural slurs that don’t
require any tongue. Should you use natural slurs in your audition?
Only if they make it sound better. Personally, I use natural slurs as
often as possible.
mm. 9-10: A hint of vibrato on the high A and A-flat can help make
them sing.
m. 12: Play the F and C in 6th position. No tongue needed! Listen
carefully to the pitch on the C!
m. 13: In your practice: play this extremely soft! In the audition,
play it “safe soft.”
m. 14: Move your slide at the exact right moment. It’s very easy to
let little mini-glissandos to slip into the music hear, making you
sound sloppy.
mm 17-18: Slide placement is very important. Turn each note into a
long tone and really listen to your pitch. Even when checking pitch,
include the dynamic hairpin.
mm. 23, 28: If you blow too forcefully, the bottom F will get a harsh
sound. Learn to blow with slower, warm air (like fogging a piece of
glass). You may also need to let the lower jaw/lip project out a bit
(causing the mouthpiece to move down slightly) in order to find the
right setting for an optimal F. Practice a lot of lip slurs from the
middle F to the bottom F.
I like to play this mostly in 6th position, using the F-attachment
valve to play the A in 5th position. This way, I don’t have to leap out
with the slide moving to the final note.
The AuditionSolos.com website does include some specialized practice exercises
along with piano accompaniments and duet parts for this solo. It also has
SmartMusic® files.