Iles, Alex. (2003). Three (quick) steps to better articulation. Online Trombone Journal.

This article starts with a description of a situation common to high school and middle school trombonists everywhere – while playing in an ensemble, something fast comes up, and the student is not immediately up to it. What should they do? In this instance, the author recalls needing to play Henry Fillmore’s Rolling Thunder, and so the article is specifically about working to be able to play fast, though fairly adjacent, passages. Basically, it lays out a three-step process to improving in this area, quickly.

First, "concentrate on blowing/buzzing the right notes." This is crucial because is one cannot hear, sing, or buzz the correct pitches, one will never be able to make a consistent, centered tone and pitch on the instrument (in this case, a trombone). Second, "concentrate on moving the slide." As obvious as it seems, this is very important. If the slide is not moved quickly yet smoothly from note to note, there is way too much slop in-between, and it sounds bad. Lastly, "concentrate on adding enough tongue." This is the glue that holds the first two together. Once the player can buzz the correct pitches and the slide is moving quickly enough to be able to nearly connect all these notes without tongue (though obviously impossible on a given partial), the tongue separates the notes. It is just a "little ‘tip’ to a constant moving slide and airstream."

As a trombone player myself, this article makes tons of sense. I can not even begin to count how many times in private lessons, over the past several years, I have been told to do this very thing – separate the three parts and then put them together once they’re solidified. I have even had some of my students do this method. I have found it to be very, very effective, especially because of the way it strengthens the airstream.

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