Subject: [Dixielandjazz] The trombone..

[Graham Martin]

 Quote:


["`...Of all the musical instruments in use today, the trombone is one of,
 if not THE most difficult of instruments. I know, 'cause I have one...'

  (Dewsnap in "THE TROMBONE", December 10, 2002)

Hell! It only has one moving part...simple to play!!

Warm regards,
Bob Romans,
Cell Block 7 Jazz Band
1617 Lakeshore Dr.
Lodi, Ca. 95242
209-339-4676
www.cellblockseven2002.net
Cell 209-747-1148
Because I play trumpet, I envy no one."]
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

 

Hey Bob, one does not have to look at the signature to know what type of instrumentalist would make that remark! (Wink) But I must admit the Dixieland ensemble would sound kinda strange without one of your kind leading the way.

 

As a rider to the original thought about only one moving part, one would also conclude this fact would make a trombone easy to fix. Not so! For your trombone slide to function a the highest possible level, it must:

 

·        Have all four tubes perfectly straight

·        Have each tube perfectly round

·        Have the top and bottom tubes the same distance from each other at the top and bottom of the slide

·        Have the right hand grip, left hand grip and the crook the same width

·        Have the outer slide tubes parallel (horizontal)

·        Have the inner slide tubes parallel (horizontal)

·        Have a oxidation-free surface on the inside of the outer tubes

·        Have the smoothest possible surface on the inside of the outer tubes

·        Have the smallest possible amount of lubrication to do the job

·        Have the stockings on the inner tubes parallel to the remainder of the tube

 

I have yet to find a repairer in my area who even knows these facts, can evaluate the slide function and correctly check the 'slide setup'; let alone fix any of the problems. Americans are lucky enough to have the Slide Dr. 



http://www.slidedr.com/

 

and a few others but I can tell you we are really struggling in Oz - Matt Walker in Sydney would be one of the few.

 

The real shame is that the teachers do not seem to know either. I have tried the slides of quite a few young trombone players recently and I have found them almost unplayable. No wonder we don't have many young jazz trombonists coming along!



Best 



Grah

 

Graham Martin
Email: grahmartin at bigpond.com
Website: http://tromjazz.netfirms.com
REDLAND BAY
Queensland
AUSTRALIA