Some general thoughts on tone production and development on the bass trombone. Brian Hecht plays the S.E. Shires "Lone Star" Bass Trombone with Greg Black 0G .312 #2 mouthpiece
*Concept:* - The concept is the most important part of the process - Listen as much as possible! Purchase (and listen to!) CD's, watch youtube, go to concerts/recitals - Be able to describe your sound with as many adjectives as possible - Make it the most beautiful sound you've ever heard. Hear the sound in your mind and turn it up as loud as you can *Execution* - Start with fundamentals, long tones specifically - For example, start on a low Bb. Hear it and then play it. Your goal is to make it the most beautiful sound possible - Spend time on every note to get your air smooth and consistent - Take your sound and carry it to the entire range of the instrument by glissing scales starting from where you sound best - Maximize resonance for a bigger sound- your lips are the instrument and your equipment is the amplifier - Keep your lips as free from your teeth as possible with your teeth away from the "pillow" of your lips so that your lips can vibrate as freely as possible "It doesn't matter what you can do if you're not working with gold. Your sound is the material with which you craft your product. If you're not working with the finest material, then you can't hope to have the finest of products." "Define your sound concept, execute it in your fundamentals, use it in everything you play, and just go for that sound that's made of pure gold in everything you do."
Thank you for posting these. My first time coming across this and for the first time, a trombonist has spoken to my literary, theoretical mind in a way I too, conceive of playing the trombone. But I never was aware therefore never in conscious application of the concept of always pursuing the golden sound. The one developed in your head: your sound. Then the fundamentals. I am newly returned to the Bass trombone and music after many years and have not heard of the importance of maintaining the teeth in such a position so as to not choke off the tone. Here is a fundamental -- provided with drawings! -- to put the concept to picture in one's mind. The picture that goes into producing the sound, odd but true considering perhpas the way our minds conceive and store in pictures. Thank you so much for posting Mr Hecht and David Lengel for summarizing those points for me. I see it oh so clear.
Thanks a million your tutorial advice Gave me lots of confidence now I can continue self teaching myself much more. I also play other brass and woodwinds instruments. But the trombone is my favorite.
Some very important points makes it worthwhile to watch this video. Such an amazing sound that Brian has - and consistent quality throughout the range. I've found that it is often difficult for an amazing player to precisely articulate what he / she does to produce the desired tone and sound. A few good points to emulate in this video - mainly the thought to keep the teeth apart, and open up the oral cavity more. I would be curious to understand how Brian views the difference in airflow when playing in the various ranges - what changes and how those changes contribute to producing the consistency of tone quality.
Wow, a Texas native and UT graduate yet! Brian , you do what you say and it comes out beautifully! Thanks for the great playing and the video. Hook ‘Em keep up the great work.
Hey Arthur, currently I don't have a solo CD released but have plans for one in the near future. All of my recordings so far are on my CZcams channel and the STS channel. I'm also on the Atlanta Symphony's CD recording of Vaughan Williams' 4th Symphony. Thanks for tuning in! More to come this summer :)
Another thought...I'll be performing several pieces on the daily recitals at the 2018 Festival of Trombones held at Coppell High School in Dallas, TX. You should come check it out if you're nearby. Registration for the festival is here---> www.coppellband.com/festival-of-trombones and our Facebook page is here----> facebook.com/FestivalOfTrombones/ Hope to see you there!
I like the adjectives as they can prevent our analytical brain from over-thinking anything (and thus leading to all sorts of tension and psychological playing issues). You have a great sound...I wonder what you would sound like on tenor or even small bore!
He sounds incredible! A massive, colorful, powerful sound. He's actually now Utility Trombonist of the Dallas Symphony, so he's doing a lot of tenor playing now!
Great video Brian. The point about keeping the teeth apart is a new one to me and it's something I'll be taking into my practice regime. Could you do a video about pedal volume development, and your views on embouchure changes to accommodate this? I find the Ab, G, Gb and F in 6th hard to get really loud.
Geez...that's like the Justice League... friggin' bass trombone super heroes. Verhelst gets to write for everybody that's anybody! The Lone Star horn is dynamite. My grandson is a (Texas) All-state bass up in Fort Worth. Entering senior (HS) year. Biggest difference between yours and the (standard?) custom bass?
Thank you for this video! Definitely helped out with my switch from tenor to bass. Though I have a quick question, what is your recommendation for clean articulation in the low register?
Thanks Mr. Hecht! How do you work on keeping a great, alive sound in the soft dynamics? Which to me it's easier to play with a better sound when I play at a high dynamic.
Seth Ward, it's all about keeping the air speed constant and metered in dims and cresc. A great way to practice this: pick a note, start pppp and crescendo to fff over 8 counts. Take a breath, start the same note at fff and decrescendo back to pppp over 8 counts. Focus on only changing the air speed and nothing else! Aperture determines pitch, not dynamic, so maintain aperture control and just slow the air to soften and speed it up to grow. The better you get at this, the easier it will be to play soft and have the sound you want.
A little background: played professionally from 1973-2010. Played a Reynolds Contempora and King 6B (Duo Gravis). Used a Bach 1.5G when all bass trombone and a Bach 4G when I had to consistently cover the entire range. Haven't touched the trombone since the last weekend of June of 2010. So, with the teeth far apart throughout the range, how long can you stay in the range above Bb of the middle space of the tenor clef? I can't imagine you could do it for a 4-hour gig. I played in bands where I was hired to play lead and did it on the 6B and the 4G mouthpiece. How did I do it? I used the shift and pivot system. No way in hell could I have done it with your teeth apart method.
Depends which part you are playing really and what style of music. This video is aimed towards orchestral bass trombone playing. In a 4 hour opera, I may only have to play about 30 minutes of music so I aim for the best possible sound rather than endurance. If I had to play lead on a 4 hour pops gig I would certainly come at it with a different approach.
@@MacQ1955 Not only coming at it with a different approach, but with the proper equipment. Endurance is a real concern playing "lead" on a bass trombone with a 4G, but the sound will not be correct either. There's a reason why just about any "lead" player plays a smaller horn and smaller mouthpiece.
@@davidpaul286 Agreed, David. With the few gigs I played totally lead (and knew about it in advance...mind you, I got to a few gigs and found out I was to play lead???) I brought and played an Olds recording with a 7G Bach mouthpiece. But the time I toured with a well-known artist, and was called upon to play "everything" I did it with the King Duo Gravis (6B) and a 4G mouthpiece. As for your assertion of the sound not being "correct," I did land several gigs because of that very sound.
I'm having trouble memorizing the sounds that I want to sound like. Does this just mean that I should be listening more often or is there anything else I should be doing to develop my sound concept?
Jameson Garner I would start by listening more often and also make a list of adjectives that describe your ideal sound. Try to describe this sound in as much detail as possible. Tape this list to your practice stand or music folder so you see it and read it every day.
There's really no "right" answer for this one. A lot of great players achieve great sounds on a wide variety of mouthpieces. Ultimately you have to choose what works best for you to achieve the best orchestral sound you and your section mates desire. Me personally, I prefer Greg Black's 0G. Other bass trombonists I've spoken with play mouthpieces as big as the 0G and as small as the 1 1/4 G.
A lot can be accomplished by maintaining your sound concept and continuing to work on your tone through long tones. But if you feel you have made as much progress as possible and still falling short of where you want to be, look at maybe changing your equipment to give you new options for your sound.
I’ve found that it applies to all brass instruments. The closer your teeth are the more pinched your sound will be, the further apart you can comfortably have them, the bigger your sound will be. With that said, the amount of comfortable separation ultimately depends on the size of mouthpiece you are working with. This concept has more of an effect on trombone and tuba players because of how much room we have in the mouthpiece to implement said change. The adjustment for trumpets and horns will be much smaller and possibly less noticeable for some.
ckeilah I prefer the Shires Lone Star model over the Bach because of how easy it is to play the Shires. It naturally gets a beautiful, colorful, warm sound in every register where I find it is much more work to get the same sound on the Bach. By UT do you mean Texas or Tennessee?
Brian Hecht thanks! Alas, I got a deal, so bought a Bach. Oh well... University of Texas. I was thinking of putting up a card on the music dept. bulletin board for a Masters student to get me going. I’ve been playing my daughter’s bBone since Christmas, and am in a band, but I know that I really need a teacher. :-)
*Concept:*
- The concept is the most important part of the process
- Listen as much as possible! Purchase (and listen to!) CD's, watch youtube, go to concerts/recitals
- Be able to describe your sound with as many adjectives as possible
- Make it the most beautiful sound you've ever heard. Hear the sound in your mind and turn it up as loud as you can
*Execution*
- Start with fundamentals, long tones specifically
- For example, start on a low Bb. Hear it and then play it. Your goal is to make it the most beautiful sound possible
- Spend time on every note to get your air smooth and consistent
- Take your sound and carry it to the entire range of the instrument by glissing scales starting from where you sound best
- Maximize resonance for a bigger sound- your lips are the instrument and your equipment is the amplifier
- Keep your lips as free from your teeth as possible with your teeth away from the "pillow" of your lips so that your lips can vibrate as freely as possible
"It doesn't matter what you can do if you're not working with gold. Your sound is the material with which you craft your product. If you're not working with the finest material, then you can't hope to have the finest of products."
"Define your sound concept, execute it in your fundamentals, use it in everything you play, and just go for that sound that's made of pure gold in everything you do."
Thank you for posting these. My first time coming across this and for the first time, a trombonist has spoken to my literary, theoretical mind in a way I too, conceive of playing the trombone. But I never was aware therefore never in conscious application of the concept of always pursuing the golden sound. The one developed in your head: your sound. Then the fundamentals. I am newly returned to the Bass trombone and music after many years and have not heard of the importance of maintaining the teeth in such a position so as to not choke off the tone. Here is a fundamental -- provided with drawings! -- to put the concept to picture in one's mind. The picture that goes into producing the sound, odd but true considering perhpas the way our minds conceive and store in pictures. Thank you so much for posting Mr Hecht and David Lengel for summarizing those points for me. I see it oh so clear.
Thank you for this video, and your sound is definitely a role model to mine along with many others.
Thanks a million your tutorial advice
Gave me lots of confidence now I can continue self teaching myself much more. I also play other brass and woodwinds instruments. But the trombone is my favorite.
Some very important points makes it worthwhile to watch this video. Such an amazing sound that Brian has - and consistent quality throughout the range. I've found that it is often difficult for an amazing player to precisely articulate what he / she does to produce the desired tone and sound. A few good points to emulate in this video - mainly the thought to keep the teeth apart, and open up the oral cavity more. I would be curious to understand how Brian views the difference in airflow when playing in the various ranges - what changes and how those changes contribute to producing the consistency of tone quality.
え、待って、いい音すぎませんか。今まで聞いた中で1番すきです
Wow, a Texas native and UT graduate yet! Brian , you do what you say and it comes out beautifully! Thanks for the great playing and the video. Hook ‘Em keep up the great work.
Thanks Arthur!
Brian, since my wife and I live in Central Texas, and Atlanta is a lllloooonnnnggg trip, do you have recordings that are commercially available???
Hey Arthur, currently I don't have a solo CD released but have plans for one in the near future. All of my recordings so far are on my CZcams channel and the STS channel. I'm also on the Atlanta Symphony's CD recording of Vaughan Williams' 4th Symphony. Thanks for tuning in! More to come this summer :)
Another thought...I'll be performing several pieces on the daily recitals at the 2018 Festival of Trombones held at Coppell High School in Dallas, TX. You should come check it out if you're nearby. Registration for the festival is here---> www.coppellband.com/festival-of-trombones and our Facebook page is here----> facebook.com/FestivalOfTrombones/
Hope to see you there!
I like the adjectives as they can prevent our analytical brain from over-thinking anything (and thus leading to all sorts of tension and psychological playing issues). You have a great sound...I wonder what you would sound like on tenor or even small bore!
He sounds incredible! A massive, colorful, powerful sound. He's actually now Utility Trombonist of the Dallas Symphony, so he's doing a lot of tenor playing now!
That picture helps for a reference.
We will try to attend. Thanks.
Great video Brian. The point about keeping the teeth apart is a new one to me and it's something I'll be taking into my practice regime. Could you do a video about pedal volume development, and your views on embouchure changes to accommodate this? I find the Ab, G, Gb and F in 6th hard to get really loud.
Paul Warder, hello and thanks for watching! That’s a great topic. I’ll add it to my list of upcoming videos to make. Take care!
excellent
Really good video! Thanks for sharing!!!
Hi Brian, So nice all your concepts, I have many of many like yours, so. I love your sound. I hope we can meet soon in person. Greetings from Spain.
amazing video, thank you
Good shit
Hi Brian, thank you very much for sharing! What were you playing at the beginning of the video?
Cameron Rahmani- It's a new piece by Verhelst written for Jim Markey, George Curran, Paul Pollard, Jeff Dee, Zach Bond and myself.
bassbonebrian can't wait to hear it!
Brian Hecht are there any recordings of the piece?
Geez...that's like the Justice League... friggin' bass trombone super heroes. Verhelst gets to write for everybody that's anybody! The Lone Star horn is dynamite. My grandson is a (Texas) All-state bass up in Fort Worth. Entering senior (HS) year. Biggest difference between yours and the (standard?) custom bass?
Amen!
Thank you for this video! Definitely helped out with my switch from tenor to bass. Though I have a quick question, what is your recommendation for clean articulation in the low register?
I find that if I articulate on the back of my top lip for anything below the staff, I’m able to get a crisp, clean front to each note.
Thanks Mr. Hecht! How do you work on keeping a great, alive sound in the soft dynamics? Which to me it's easier to play with a better sound when I play at a high dynamic.
Seth Ward, it's all about keeping the air speed constant and metered in dims and cresc. A great way to practice this: pick a note, start pppp and crescendo to fff over 8 counts. Take a breath, start the same note at fff and decrescendo back to pppp over 8 counts. Focus on only changing the air speed and nothing else! Aperture determines pitch, not dynamic, so maintain aperture control and just slow the air to soften and speed it up to grow.
The better you get at this, the easier it will be to play soft and have the sound you want.
Thanks!!!!
A little background: played professionally from 1973-2010. Played a Reynolds Contempora and King 6B (Duo Gravis). Used a Bach 1.5G when all bass trombone and a Bach 4G when I had to consistently cover the entire range. Haven't touched the trombone since the last weekend of June of 2010. So, with the teeth far apart throughout the range, how long can you stay in the range above Bb of the middle space of the tenor clef? I can't imagine you could do it for a 4-hour gig. I played in bands where I was hired to play lead and did it on the 6B and the 4G mouthpiece. How did I do it? I used the shift and pivot system. No way in hell could I have done it with your teeth apart method.
Depends which part you are playing really and what style of music. This video is aimed towards orchestral bass trombone playing. In a 4 hour opera, I may only have to play about 30 minutes of music so I aim for the best possible sound rather than endurance. If I had to play lead on a 4 hour pops gig I would certainly come at it with a different approach.
Makes sense. My playing had me doing quite a variety (symphony, musicals, big band, show bands).
@@MacQ1955 Not only coming at it with a different approach, but with the proper equipment. Endurance is a real concern playing "lead" on a bass trombone with a 4G, but the sound will not be correct either. There's a reason why just about any "lead" player plays a smaller horn and smaller mouthpiece.
@@davidpaul286 Agreed, David. With the few gigs I played totally lead (and knew about it in advance...mind you, I got to a few gigs and found out I was to play lead???) I brought and played an Olds recording with a 7G Bach mouthpiece. But the time I toured with a well-known artist, and was called upon to play "everything" I did it with the King Duo Gravis (6B) and a 4G mouthpiece. As for your assertion of the sound not being "correct," I did land several gigs because of that very sound.
Hello can you talk about attack in the low register
I'm having trouble memorizing the sounds that I want to sound like. Does this just mean that I should be listening more often or is there anything else I should be doing to develop my sound concept?
Jameson Garner I would start by listening more often and also make a list of adjectives that describe your ideal sound. Try to describe this sound in as much detail as possible. Tape this list to your practice stand or music folder so you see it and read it every day.
@@bassbonebrian Thank you!
Is there a mouthpiece size you would suggest for a beginner bass trombonist?
Try the Greg Black 1 1/2 G regular weight. That would be a great mpc to start on.
Hey Brian! What's that rubber thing on your Gb valve lever called? Would love to get it. Thanks
sherlockholmes2 its a wooden piece made to fit the Gb Valve. Feels great!
What mouthpiece would you consider playing in a symphony?
There's really no "right" answer for this one. A lot of great players achieve great sounds on a wide variety of mouthpieces. Ultimately you have to choose what works best for you to achieve the best orchestral sound you and your section mates desire.
Me personally, I prefer Greg Black's 0G. Other bass trombonists I've spoken with play mouthpieces as big as the 0G and as small as the 1 1/4 G.
The next Blabla
My sound is very close to yours, I just don't seem to be ae to get it that sound, how else can I achieve this sound
A lot can be accomplished by maintaining your sound concept and continuing to work on your tone through long tones. But if you feel you have made as much progress as possible and still falling short of where you want to be, look at maybe changing your equipment to give you new options for your sound.
@@bassbonebrian what do u mean by change equipment
@@Stonebone-nu8dk look at different bells or mouthpieces or valves, etc
@@bassbonebrian ok, I gotcha, thank you
I want ur sound
I'm curious, is the keeping your teeth apart from one another a concept you have found with tenor players as well?
I’ve found that it applies to all brass instruments. The closer your teeth are the more pinched your sound will be, the further apart you can comfortably have them, the bigger your sound will be. With that said, the amount of comfortable separation ultimately depends on the size of mouthpiece you are working with. This concept has more of an effect on trombone and tuba players because of how much room we have in the mouthpiece to implement said change. The adjustment for trumpets and horns will be much smaller and possibly less noticeable for some.
Do you have a video clip "on your own now" that you played.?
What’s the piece in the beginning?
By saying pillow do you mean the red part of the lips?
I'm mainly referring to the inside, smooth part of the lips
there was 69 comments on this video before i commented
What mouthpiece do you play in?
Greg Black- 0G .312 #2 for solo and 0G for orchestra
Te jamoneo
You can stop making me look bad now.
Brian: “..... never....”
How would you compare the “Lone Star” to a Bach 50B3?
Also, how can an adult learn to play a 50B3 near UT?
ckeilah I prefer the Shires Lone Star model over the Bach because of how easy it is to play the Shires. It naturally gets a beautiful, colorful, warm sound in every register where I find it is much more work to get the same sound on the Bach.
By UT do you mean Texas or Tennessee?
Brian Hecht thanks! Alas, I got a deal, so bought a Bach. Oh well...
University of Texas. I was thinking of putting up a card on the music dept. bulletin board for a Masters student to get me going. I’ve been playing my daughter’s bBone since Christmas, and am in a band, but I know that I really need a teacher. :-)
ckeilah try sending an email to Dr. Brickens, the trombone professor at UT. He can connect you with one of his grad students
Brian Hecht Thanks! :-)
Is there a way to get the piece you played at the start?
Monogangamer yeah, it can be purchased on Steven Verhelst’s website. It’s call On Your Own Now.
Brian Hecht Thank you
What type of mouthpiece do you use?
Henry Le, I play on a Greg Black 0G-lightweight mouthpiece