Beginner trombone tips

Learning to play the trombone as a beginner trombone player can be intimidating. Here are answers to some common questions for beginner trombone players:

How much should I practice trombone?

A beginner trombonist, for example one starting in elementary school or in 6th grade beginning band, should practice 20-30 minutes a day, five days a week. Serious, advanced middle schoolers should be practicing about 45 minutes a day, five days a week, and serious high school students should be practicing an hour or more on most days of the week.

How do you form an embouchure on the trombone?

Start by thinking saying the letter “M”. You’ll notice that the corners of your lips will firm up, and your chin points downward. Now, blow through this embouchure with a “hooo” syllable, or act like you’re holding and blowing through a straw. This structure helps you support all of the air flow and vibration that you need to make a great sound on trombone.

How do I learn slide positions on trombone?

Here are tips to learn slide positions for beginner trombone players. With a little practice, these pointers can help you memorize where your slide positions are.
The short video below also demonstrates exactly where each position is!

1st position: All the way in
3rd position: Fingers lined up with the bell
4th position: Edge of slide at the bell
6th position: Arm comfortably extended
7th position: All the way out, shoulder is likely brought forward to reach out

Remember, as always, that whether or not you’re in tune ultimately dictates whether or not your slide is in the right place. Many trombones have slightly different slide positions from one another.