Bass Trombone

Okay, so, I've recently taken up the Bass Trombone. Cool. Cool. It's intense. I likes da low notes.

I did a bit of looking around and I found a slide position chart, so I can figure out all the notes and stuff.

The only thing is:

THE BASS TROMBONE IS SO HEAVY, AND IT KILLS MY WRIST TO JUST HOLD IT.

Let alone to reach the D valve with my thumb.

So, is there a way to not kill myself playing trombone, or am I better off learning the tuba?

ERGO BONE!!!!

It sounds stupid, but I know it's a very useful accessory...especially for a big horn.

Oh please! Learn like the rest of us and get used to it! Stop complaining about the weight. If you want to play low notes, that's the trade-off.

Just remember, you always could have played piccolo.

cat. You know how much a string bass weighs? Like 30 pounds.

Try getting *that* under your chin and bowing in first position.

;)

At least you won't get the jokes (i play the viola) :toothygrin:

Oh please! Learn like the rest of us and get used to it! Stop complaining about the weight. If you want to play low notes, that's the trade-off.

Just remember, you always could have played piccolo.

Don't wonder why you piss me off so much.

I only asked for a little help, to maybe see if I wasn't holding the instrument right. I posted the thread for a bit of help, not for a bunch of pricks to tell me to stop complaining.

(at least Robin helped.)

Why don't you show us a pic of you holding the trombone then? And we can tell you if your holding it right.

Do you have a teacher? All instruments have a proper way to hold them and an improper way and its not easy to explain how to do it correctly in email without seeing what you are doing. For instance, though I am a bass trombonist, I took some violin lessons and about 90% of the lessons were focused on the various ergonomic problems - my neck, my wrist, my elbo, etc. etc. I don't think the teacher could have guided me through text, she had to see what I'm doing and fix each subtle problem and point out to me when I got lax and resumed the problem. Yes, the bass trombone doesn't have as many ergonomic issues to resolve, but it is a heavy instrument and if you are holding it correctly, then you have some muscles to build up. Why don't you invest in the book "The Art of Trombone Playing" by Ed Kleinhammer - see page 14 "Holding the Trombone". It is quite a bit heavier than the tenor instrument if thats where you are coming from (when I first picked up the tenor I almost dropped it because it was so much lighter than I expected compared to the bass) so its more important your ergonomics are correct. IMPORTANT: the wrist must be straight or it will tire quickly. The left index finger rests on the shank near the mouthpiece to balance the instrument.

I don't have a teacher.

But after reading that my left index finger has to be by the mouthpiece, I realized that I was holding it painfully wrong.

I held the tenor so weird because I just took it and learned it without any instruction.

tsk tsk. No wonder your wrist hurts.

It goes like this: Thumb around the bell brace and/or on the thumb valve. Index around the mouthpeice shank. The other 3 around the inner slide brace.

I held the tenor so weird because I just took it and learned it without any instruction.

You lead to your own demise then.

The tenor didn't hurt.

This is how you should hold ANY trombone. If you hold it like that, it shouldn't hurt.

The tenor didn't hurt.

That's because it isn't heavy. Duh...

Exactly, and I didn't realize I was doing it wrong until I switched to bass. That's why I made this thread.

Try playing a marching euphonium. I tried once and I couldn't hold it up for more than a few minutes...

Try playing a marching euphonium. I tried once and I couldn't hold it up for more than a few minutes...

did that for a season as a freshman - built up some great muscles - however, it alot of ways, trombone is harder to march with because of the slide...