Articles for Student Brass PlayersSymphonic Play-Along Practicing for TrombonistsJerry Fallenberg 
Listening to an orchestral recording while following one's part is an important method for learning orchestral style. You can take this a step further by playing along with the recording. “Imitation was, is and always will be the best method of teaching that we have.” I first became aware of the value of playing along with recordings in the 1980s when I observed an orchestral trumpeter playing his part along with an LP. Since then, I have made extensive use of the technique and consider it to be an essential aid in staying competitive professionally. Play-along practicing can be especially helpful to the trombonist who has limited available practice time or who is not able to play regularly in high-quality ensembles. These are some of the benefits you can expect from diligent use of play-along practicing:
Recommended CDs
General Guidelines
The Legacy of Emory Remington CDFor an example of a properly blended unison sound to strive for during play-along practicing, listen to track 2, Bach's Fugue in G minor. Each of the four parts is played by eight trombonists who expertly match pitch, articulation and tone quality. Play along with a variety of the Remington warm-ups demonstrated by Ralph Sauer. Written versions of these exercises can be found in The Remington Warm-Up Studies published by Accura music. For variety, play the exercises at different intervals above or below Mr. Sauer. For example, when playing along with Track 22 (E-flat major scale), play an octave below Mr. Sauer; also a fifth above and below. Bass trombonists should play the Remington exercises in unison with Mr. Sauer and also an octave below him. Ralph Sauer and Jay Friedman Orchestral Excerpts CDsTune up with the B-flat arpeggio at the beginning of the Mozart Requiem solo. After learning to accurately play in unison with Mr. Friedman and Mr. Sauer, play the second and third trombone parts along with their lead part. Doing so will improve your intonation and ability to follow a section leader. Bass trombonists can improve their range by playing the Bordogni/Rochut vocalises in unison with Mr. Friedman and an octave below him. Improve your ability to play lyrically by using this technique: Listen to Mr. Friedman play a phrase or two from a Bordogni/Rochut etude, then put the CD player on pause. Play that same phrase on your horn, keeping the recorded version vividly in mind. You may need to play the phrase a few times to get it up to a level of artistry that you are satisfied with. Then repeat this process with the next phrase. Work your way through the entire etude that way. This works best on music that you are already able to play competently. MutesUsing a variety of mutes during play-along practicing will improve your musicianship by helping you to learn to adjust to the intonation idiosyncrasies of each mute. Additionally, blowing against the resistance of mutes will improve breath control. I frequently use a Yamaha Silent Brass mute during play-along practicing (just the mute – no wires or sound mixer). IntonationBecause of the important role of intonation in orchestral success, any trombonist with professional orchestral ambitions would be well advised to invest in a good-quality CD-based intonation program. Two of the leading programs currently available are Stephen Colley's TuneUp System and Thomas Kociela's Intonation Repair Tool. The Pezel Sarabande tracks in David Schwartz's Breakfast – Intonation Practice for Trombonists are very helpful for learning pure harmony. If you are having difficulty accurately playing along with a recorded passage, do not continue to repeat the passage inaccurately. Doing so will result in reinforcing the habit of how to play the music incorrectly. Instead, practice the troublesome passage at a slower tempo, buzz the mouthpiece along with the recording, or work on music closer to your current ability level. Play-along practicing is no magic cure-all for one's musical deficiencies. For best results, complement its use with other proven practice techniques such as long tones, scales, using a metronome, mouthpiece buzzing, and recording yourself. Q & A“I have not purchased any of the CDs you mention, but I have tried to play along with Christian Lindberg on occasion and have trouble tuning to my CDs.” Start with easier CDs and gradually work your way up to Christian Lindberg. One of the best CDs to start with is The Legacy of Emory Remington. If your CD player is altering pitch, it may need to be recalibrated or replaced. “Should the player already have worked on the passage and be able to play it accurately alone?” Yes. Repeating a passage inaccurately along with a recording reinforces the habit of how to play the music incorrectly. Instead, as stated above, “practice the troublesome passage at a slower tempo, buzz the mouthpiece along with the recording, or work on music closer to your current ability level.” Play-along practicing can be used as an assessment tool to help identify which passages need additional practicing away from the recording. “What is the intent of recommending Four Of A Kind?” I consider that CD to be helpful for developing orchestral skills because playing along with a quartet of professional trombonists of that caliber is similar to playing in an orchestra low brass section in which everyone is expertly matching pitch, articulation and style. Challenge yourself to match the standards they set; first on individual notes and phrases, and then on complete tracks. “What is the proper place for play-along within an overall practice strategy?” It is up to each musician to experiment and decide on the practice methods that work best for him or her, taking into account such factors as: upcoming playing commitments, your specific goals for improvement, and what has worked for you in the past. Whenever I can obtain a recording of a piece of music scheduled for performance, my practice sessions include playing and buzzing my part along with the recording. That applies to wind ensemble, brass quintet, and solos, in addition to orchestral music. Here is an additional example of a useful type of play-along practicing to include in your practice sessions:
“Has anyone else done any research on this subject, and where has it been published?” Play-along research was conducted in developing the CD intonation programs mentioned above and in David SchwartzÒ series of play-along CDs. Two 1990s articles from The Instrumentalist briefly refer to playing along with orchestral recordings: Joseph Alessi, “Of Slides, Sinatra, and Trombone Technique,” February 1993, p. 15.
Ellen Rose, “Auditioning With Finesse,” January 1991, p. 14.
_________________ Related Web SitesOnline Trombone Journal: Orchestral Excerpts for the Tenor Trombonist Jerry Fallenberg has been publishing articles on play-along practicing since 1995. He has performed as trombonist with the Monterey Bay Symphony, Carmel Bach Festival and Lexington Philharmonic. |
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