Valve Trombone vs. Slide Trombone

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This is a very old question that comes up frequently and it has a very confusing answer.

The length of a tenor trombone is 9 feet and the fundamental note (your pedal note) is Bb (concert pitch).

There are two schools of playing trombone (slide or valve): bass clef written in concert pitch or treble clef written as transposing.  The latter is becoming much more rare, but it would be worthwhile at some point to learn to read these parts.

The Superbone is even more confusing since you couple 3 valves with a slide that is approximately 6 positions long.  Personally, I'd recommend you start with either a valve or slide trombone and go to the Superbone when you have some facility.  Otherwise, you are really going to confuse yourself.

So, to sum up, most trombone music (valve or slide) is normally written in bass clef and concert pitch (not transposed).  If you see a treble clef, it is most likely transposed and what you see as a C plays in 1st position as concert Bb.

This subject does come up often and can be confusing, but it's really very simple. All standard tenor trombones, valve and slide, are pitched in B-flat...just like the B-flat tuba. They all play exactly the same notes in the same positions/valve combinations (fingerings). (There are C versions of both, but those are so rare as to not warrant comment.)

The pitch of the horn is an entirely different proposition from how music for them is written. keep the two concepts separate - pitch of the horn and how music is written. Bass clef trombone music is written in concert pitch - the note you read is the note you think and the note you play. Treble clef music is written a ninth higher than concert pitch, i.e. you read a middle C, think middle C, and what the horn produces is a B-flat a ninth lower. The same is true for treble clef baritone music. It is just a convention and makes no sense. it is also identical to trumpet music.

I don't read treble cleff trombone or baritone parts. I started on piano and read everything at concert pitch. I find this much easier because I can read a piano lead sheet and play in the same key as the piano - without having to transpose.

As for which horn, I say go with the valve trombone first and read bass clef trombone music. You will transition quicker since you already know the notes and fingerings. Then learn the slide if you want to. It has much to commend it, but you can achieve greater facility quicker with the valve trombone.

J Walker:
All the valve trombones I have seen have been small bore.  All of the tubing for the valves further constricts air flow.  You get a very different feel and sound on these valve trombones than the large bore tenor trombones that are popular now days. 

I've never been able to figure out why most valve bones are small bore for that very reason. The ones I've played that are larger have a much more pleasant tone. I was just about to have a large bore valve trombone made when I got my Conn 90G (.547 bore). I does exactly what I wanted - provides a much fuller sound. The other valve horn that I really like is the Olds Marching Trombone (.520 bore). Oddly, most of the marching trombones around are also small bore....and marching baritones and euphoniums just aren't trombony enough for me.


I think if they're big bore they tend to be "tubby" and don't cut well. If they're small they tend to be "stuffy." I agree that the Olds marching trombone is one of the best of the bunch. I think it splits the difference between the two. Most people who hear the 90G when I play it think of it more as a baritone than a trombone. It's a nice tone, but verging on tubby. 


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