Jazz Trombone Techniques

Compiled from the methods of Remmington, Baker, Kitzman, Watrous, and others
by Dr. David WIlken
Adams State College
dmwilken@adams.edu or dave@trombone.org
http://faculty.adams.edu/~dmwilken
Group 1, Long Tones
Practice these exercises with your attention on good breathing, sound, and attack.
Exercise 1

,
b

Exercise 2

? b

b b , b

(6)

b b ,

Uw

(6)

bUw

Exercise 3

,
? b

(6)

U
bw

b b b b b b
b b , b b b , b b , b b

Exercise 4

? b

,
? b

b
b

U
w

Group 2, Lip Flexibility

Practice these exercises with your attention on smooth transition between notes and even rhythm
Play each exercise from 1st position to 7th position.
Exercise 5

? b b b b b w,

Exercise 6

? b
b
bw ,

b b U

b
b
bw
b b U
b
b
bw

38

2001 by David Wilken

2
Exercise 7

? b b b b b w,

b b U
b
b
bw

b b b U
bw

Exercise 8

?
J

Group 3, Advanced Jazz Flexibility

Once you are comfortable with Group 2, try some of the following jazz trombone flexibility exercises.
Exercise 9
Tongue each accented note, but allow the "against the grain" technique to produce a smooth and even transition between
the other notes, without the tongue.

,
b> b b > > > b >w
?
> b 5 b > 5 > > 5 b >w ,
b
?
6

> 4 > 4 > 4 > 4 >w,

56 5 6 5 6 56
> > > >

,
b b >w

6 76
7>6 > 7 6 > 7 6
6
>
>

w
?
#

Exercise 10
Tongue only the first note, allow the "against the grain" technique to produce a smooth and even transition between the
other notes, without the tongue.
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

bw
? b
3
3
3
3
#

3
3
3

w
? #
3

Group 4, Upper Register

Exercise 11, play with your attention on breathing and sound. Make the top notes sound as rich and full as the lower
notes.

U
#

?
71

U
b
b

? b
77

U
b
? b
83

? b

U,
.
b b
b b
U,
b b .
b b
b
U,
b b .
b
b
U,
b .

U
#

U,
.
U,
.
U,
.

89

Group 4, Doodle Tonguing

Exercise 12, practice scales in this pattern using the syllables "dah-dle," "duh-dle," or "doo-dle," whichever works
most comfortably. Practice in different forms (i.e., minor, dorian, myxolydian, major, etc.) and in every key to increase
your facility. Use a metronome to assist your time-keeping. Practice slowly at first and increase the speed as you
develop more facility.

?
dah-dle dah-dle dah dah-dle dah-dle dah

etc.

b
U
?
Exercise 13, practice in the same manner as Exercise 12

b b b b

bU
? b
Exercise 14, practice in the same manner as Exercise 12

Uw