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The Trombone Glissando Explained For Arrangers and Composers

By John DeVries

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 07Jan2012 Word count: 1001 Viewed: 180 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

(For the examples used in this article, pitches are defined as middle C = C4.)

Back To Basics

One of the trombone's fundamental features is the trombone "slide" from note to note, also known as the "glissando," (or "gliss" for short) a continuous slide between two notes. A true glissando is rare in the world of instruments—the violin (and other non- fretted string instruments, including the fretless bass), along with slide whistle, Theremin, and human voice come to mind as being able to produce a true glissando.

The trombone's glissando is featured in orchestra and band music for a variety of reasons and effects, from comical to threatening. Many a community band has had to endure the stock arrangements of the songs featuring the trombone section showing off their glissando slides.

In jazz music, and particular, Dixieland jazz, the glissando is standard fare. Who hasn't heard the "slide" trombone playing all those gliss solos while the other Dixieland instruments fill in?

What Notes Are Possible For a Gliss?

To figure out how to write a gliss for the trombone, we need to know how the slide works in coordination with the notes involved.

Here is the basic chart, the key to how to write the gliss for the trombone:

EXAMPLE 1 Slide Position 1: B-flat2, position 2: A2, position 3: A-flat, 2 position 4: G2, position 5: G-flat2, position 6: F2, position 7: E2

As you see in the example above, the first note, B-flat, is first position. This means that the slide is all the way in—not extended at all. The second note, A, is second position, where the slide is extended out about 3 ½ inches. For each position after, the slide moves an additional 3 ½ inches (approx.), with the further positions becoming slightly longer. At the 7th position, the slide is extended almost completely. Each position is determined ultimately by ear, tuning the note to the correct pitch.

The first example above shows the notes possible for the gliss from the first position B-flat to the lowest note E. Note that in each set of notes above and following, there are 7 positions, thus 7 notes, and the interval between the top and bottom note is a tritone.

The main thing to remember about these examples is that you can never do a gliss UP from a first position note, in this case the "B-flat" as shown. There is simply nowhere to go, since the slide is all the way in. Also the reverse is true. You can't do a gliss down from the lowest note, in this case the low "E." This low E is as far as the slide goes; there are no more positions beyond, or lower, than the 7th position.

What you CAN do is perform a gliss between ANY of the notes above, between B-flat and E. It could be a ½ step gliss between any of the given notes, all the way to a full tritone gliss up or down between B-flat and E.

The positions are shown for information only. It's not necessary to notate the positions when writing a gliss.

Use the same principles to figure out the glisses possible for the following examples:

EXAMPLE 2 Slide Position 1: F3, position 2: E3, position 3: E-flat3, position 4: D3, position 5: D-flat3, position 6: C3, position 7: B2

EXAMPLE 3 Slide Position 1: B-flat3, position 2: A3, position 3: A-flat3, position 4: G3, position 5: G-flat3, position 6: F3, position 7: E3

Note that example 3 is one octave higher than example 1. As the notes get higher, there are additional possible ways to play the gliss between various notes. For example, in example 3, the gliss from third line E, up to F is played in 7th to 6th position. This is well possible, but a trombonist seeing a gliss between these two notes will almost certainly play the example 1 version, using 2nd position up to 1st position. As long as the gliss is possible, the arranger or composer needn't be concerned with which positions the player uses.

EXAMPLE 4 Slide Positions 1: D4, position 2: D-flat4, position 3: C4, position 4: B3, position 5: B-flat3, position 6: A3, position 7: A-flat3

EXAMPLE 5 Slide Positions 1: F4, position 2: E4, position 3: E-flat4, position 4: D4, position 5: D-flat4, position 6: C4, position 7: B3

Note that example 5 is one octave higher than example 2. Here again you see that the player has a choice to play glisses between D and B using 4th position down to 7th, or using example 4, D in 1st position down to B in 7th position.

EXAMPLE 6 Slide Positions 1: not usable position sharp 2: G4, position sharp 3: G-flat4, position sharp 4: F4, position sharp 5: E4, position sharp 6: E-flat4, position sharp 7: D4

The above example shows that the high Ab is unusable because it's very flat in 1st position. The notes after that are adjusted, beginning with the G played in a sharp 2nd position—the positions after are likewise shortened to put the notes in tune.

EXAMPLE 7 Slide Position 1: B-flat4, position 2: A4, position 3: A-flat 4, position 4: G4, position 5: G-flat4, position 6: F4, position 7: E4

Note that example 7 is two octaves higher than example 1.

EXAMPLE 8 Slide Position: 1: C5, position 2: B4, position 3: B-flat4, position 4: A4, position 5: A-flat4, position 6: G4, position 7: G-flat4

EXAMPLE 9 Slide Position 1: D5, position 2: D-flat5, position 3: C5, position 4: B4, position 5: B-flat4, position 6: A4, position 7: A-flat4

The next possible set of notes starts with the high F above. (See example 5 and think 8va.) Notes above this are possible, but should be written only if you know the player and have permission in writing—in triplicate).

To Sum Up the Gliss For Bones:

Any gliss is possible in the above examples within each note set. A gliss can be from a ½ step between notes, all the way to the full tritone interval, (1st position to 7th position) or any interval in between.

For trombones with a trigger, there are a few other variations—see my article "The Gliss for the Trigger Trombone."

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