The history of the trombone.

Subject  > Art Essays  > Music History & Studies

The Trombone The trombone is certainly the most recognizable wind instrument, being the only one with a true slide section. The trombone has been in existence for centuries under various forms and names, but has remained relatively unchanged for a majority of that time. In the 15th century, when trombones developed from the Renaissance slide trumpet, they were called trombone in Italian and Posaune in German, just as they are today. In English, however, they were known as sackbuts. The slide trumpet was unique because its mouthpiece could telescope into the adjacent lead pipe, thereby shortening the instrument and changing the pitch. The sackbut kept the sliding idea, but separated the sliding area from the bell; that way the bell always remained the ...

... of E flat, or sometimes F. The alto, by its name, is the highest pitched trombone. There is also a higher soprano trombone, which in reality is a slide trumpet. These are rarely seen and if ever used are typically played by a trumpet player due to the size of the mouthpiece. The tenor is the middle pitched trombone. Its range is often extended lower by an attachment of extra tubing which is used by activating some type of valve. These attachments usually pitch the trombone in the key of F. They are often referred to as an F trigger attachment, or just F-attachment. The bass trombone is the low instrument of the family. It

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