TMEA All-state tenor trombone étude: Belcke

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A march, awesome! Really, we couldn't have an étude where the musical path is any clearer for our performance goals.

Let's first talk about march style. Rigid time, not too long, and not too heavy. Does that last aspect surprise you! I think this is one of the biggest mistakes people make in their interpretation of march style. Loud, yes. Heavy? Well, you just killed all the forward momentum in your performance. "Puffs of air" is a great concept I like to think when playing a piece like this, along with "light tongue" and "bounce".

Next, let's look at tempo. I strongly suggest you base your opening tempo on your ability to play the continuous 16ths beginning at m.33 cleanly and in tune. I find that the lower end of the tempo range works great. Yes, it's slower than true march tempo, but it's your solo and you have the option!

I opted out of the low D and low C octaves. I wasn't happy with how it sounded, so I didn't record it that way. I have work to do in that register! I suggest that you do what makes you sound your best. The low stuff doesn't add much to the music, but if you can do it well, then it is impressive.

Finally, on the continuous 16th runs, I am going for correct intonation via excellent slide placement at all costs. RECORDING YOURSELF is a necessity! Practice slow, and ingrain the pitches in your mind. Speed it up slowly, you have plenty of time. Don't panic! Most people will practice slowly just a little bit, then jump to full speed and simply not spend the time getting it in tune that they need to. Resist the temptation to play it too fast too soon!

Marches can be a very fun and exciting musical experience. With attention to detail, this étude will separate you from the people who don't practice thoroughly and carefully.

Practice hard,

Virtual Trombonist

TMEA All-State tenor trombone: Vobaron etude

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I have to say, when I saw the music selections for all-state auditions this year, I was really excited that Deborah Scott picked this etude.  I think it's a really neat little piece, and it has some really classic rhythmic problems to decipher that are difficult for most players to deal with.

First off, I like the beginning of this étude to sound very full and strong. In doing so, be sure to keep the time moving! Strong sound with forward momentum driving to the A in measure 8 is what I'm going for, initially. This really sets the rest of the piece up and allows the legeremente section to really contrast with the beginning. Speaking of light, how do we do that? How do we make something light? Leave a slight space between notes, tongue softer, and use a softer volume. That will make the overall character lighter.

When you get to the wide leaps beginning in measure 33, go for a round and full sound on the low notes. Take pains to not slap or blat those low notes out! Sound quality is key! Also, this piece has a lot of articulation markings. I would make sure to honor all the slurs that are printed. I added a slur in measure 12 between the B and C, as it seems likely there should be one there...

Now, on to the rhythm. Switching from duple to triple subdivisions can be a very difficult concept to master. I want to hear accurate subdivisions of eighth notes and triplets, perfectly in time. This takes LOTS of practice. I suggest using a metronome, and record yourself as always. When you listen back to the recording, listen for a tempo that remains constant, accurate triplet rhythms that don't drag within their given beat, and smooth transitions between the duple and triple rhythms. Lots of practice, recording, and metronome use is likely what this étude will require.

I think this étude is very straightforward with different moods to keep it exciting. Alternate between strong sections and light playing where indicated. Be very accurate with the time and the alternating triple and duple figures. Finally, keep it moving forward and play aggressively to help keep it exciting.

If you have questions, please ask in the comment section below! Have fun, and happy practicing!

Virtual Trombonist

TMEA All-State tenor trombone etude: Dieppo

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Strive for a comfortable, beautiful sound. I often find it necessary to somewhat ignore the piano marking at the beginning, it shouldn't be loud, but it should sound comfortable, confident, and really sing! Play it like you are the world's greatest soloist!  Also, imagine you are playing in a large auditorium and filling up the space with beautiful sound (or better yet, find a large room to practice in!)

I prefer to play the turns, or grupettos in a very unhurried way. Using the rhythm of an eighth and four sixteenth notes will accomplish this. Listen to the recording to hear what I mean...

Likewise, the cadenza sounds best to me when played in a relaxed way. This isn't a piece to show off blazing technique. It IS a place to show off smoothness and elegance! Again, listen to the recording!

Have fun with this beautiful little piece. It is truly a joy to work on, and a nice break from marching band parts you may be working on this time of year.

Texas ATSSB Trombone Etudes: Gatti

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/54004997" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /] So, in this second post, we're gonna tackle this little vigoroso treat that Mr. Gatti has in store for us.

First of all, let's discuss the proverbial elephant in the room... What the heck do I do about breathing in this piece???!!!  Well, I hate to tell you, but this is one of those pieces where you're "damned if you do, damned if you don't!"  What I mean is, you have to get your priorities straight. Ask yourself what is most important, playing every single note super fast or playing as clean and musically as you can, while picking and choosing smart places to breathe?

Now, I'm not here to say one way is right.  However, I do think there is a best solution.  In any audition, I prefer to hear someone come in and play a musically sound performance, while showing off their technical ability and skills without sacrificing their musical goals.  I think you can make this piece sound plenty vigorous while playing at the low end of the tempo scale, single tonguing, and breathing in strategically placed spots while leaving notes out to do so.

"WHAAAATTTT???? Did you just say to LEAVE NOTES OUT???!!!" Yep, I sure did. It is done all the time in ensemble/section settings in the interest of keeping the time consistent above all else and in facilitating staggered breathing within a trombone section. "But this is a solo piece!", you say. Yes it is. I think it is more important that you make this "strategic breathing" thing a part of your tool bag now, and this is a great place to learn it.

It IS possible to triple tongue this whole etude.  In my opinion, the time it would take me to be able to do that would be much better spent developing a faster, clearer single tongue, practicing long tones, cleaning my slide, and doing lots of other things in my life!  In my professional experience, with the exception of some Pryor solos, or playing cornet solos, there is much more use for fast single tonguing and even double tonguing before spending so much time developing this kind of triple tonguing.  I'm not saying it's not needed, but not before the other articulation skills are mastered.

My plan when I recorded this was to play all the phrases on one breath until I got to the passage beginning in measure 22.  I marked my music to breathe first in m. 26, on the last 16th of beat 1.  You can hear in the recording where I took my breaths.  I did my best to try to make my breaths short and quick, and get right back in on the next beat.  By breathing mid-phrase, I'm better able to play the dynamics printed which give this somewhat repetitive etude much more musical contrast. I tried playing faster and softer, but I could not make the phrase in the last four lines no matter what I tried!  And that was playing faster and very soft without really doing any of the printed dynamics.  Circular breathing is possible, but again, I just don't feel it adds much to the musical goal of the piece.  Finally, anticipate the fact that most mortal humans will be nervous in an audition, and planning for phrases that stretch your air capacity to the max in a comfortable practice session are probably not a good idea in an audition setting.

So, how to practice?  SLOW.  Slow it down.  Take one phrase (or measure, or beat) at a time.  Strive to make all the 16ths equal, unless they are marked with an accent.  Record yourself and listen for equal sound and even time.

Speaking of time, I'm thinking 8th note subdivisions, except for the measures where we have accents/hemiola, such as measure four. Keep the eighth note pulse rolling in your head constantly, and combine that with metronome practice at all speeds. You will have to live with the practice of the time concept for some time to really ingrain it! Don't give up! Keep at it and if things start to fall apart, revert to a slower speed. Practice SLOW FIRST! Have I been clear enough ?! :)

Good luck. Get to work, and keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming series on How to Prepare For and Take An Audition.