Best
Trombone Cleaning Kit
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Overall: Every Trombone player.
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Best Feature: Polishing cloth, slide lubricant, two brushes.
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TedScore™: 7/10
Best
Slide Lubricant
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Overall: Using regularly to keep the slide in good working order.
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Best Feature: Tried and tested oil for moving the slide quickly and smoothly.
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TedScore™: 8/10
Best
Tuner
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Overall: Finding the exact position.
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Best Feature: Simple display with all of the information you need.
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TedScore™: 9/10
What does the Trombone slide do? At first, the slide seems exciting and confusing! This article explains all the slide positions for trombone, how it works, and how we use it.
How Does the Slide Work on the Trombone?
The Trombone slide moves in and out to adjust the pitch. There are seven positions. As the trombone uses the harmonic series, we use the slide combined with our lips and the changing airspeed to adjust the pitch.
Where are and What Do the 7 Slide Positions on the Trombone Do?
Try using a trombone slide position chart like ours below. Looking at the trombone slide position chart, you will see which notes you can play in each position and if there are alternate positions that might help.
1st Position – All the Way In
1st position is our home position.
2nd Position – Between 2.5″ & 3″ Out
This is played with a short movement from first position and moves the pitch down a semitone.
3rd Position – Brace Just Before the Bell
We are now two semitones lower than 1st. You should be able to touch the bell.
4th Position – Just Past the Bell
Three semitones lower than first. The outer slide is a little past the bell.
5th Position – Mid Way Between the Bell and Stocking
A tricky slide position to find. Play a high note in fourth position and whilst moving out to fifth, listen close up for the interval of a semitone.
6th Position – Just Before the Stockings
The stockings are where the inner-slide becomes thicker. You can see a faint ring. This slide position moves the sound pitch down 5 semitones.
7th Position – Past the Stockings Just Before It Falls Off
The slide positions is fully extended. Young trombonists may not be able to reach this position yet.
Tips for Taking Care of Your Trombone slide
It is important to look after your slide. Dents can stop it from working. Follow these steps to keep your Trombone working like new:
Step 1
Unscrew your slide from the bell and put the bell on the floor. Take off the outer-slide. Use a cloth to wipe off any lubricant on the inner-slide.
Step 2
Put a drop of lubricant from the small bottle of Slide-O-Mix on the bottom of each side of the inner-slide. Focusing on the bottom of the slide, move the outer-slide to spread the lubricant out. You can do this one side at a time and twist the slide to move the lubricant around.
Step 3
Using the larger bottle, put a drop of lubricant at the top of each side of the slide and spread this around the tubing.
Step 4
Screw your slide back onto your bell, and you are done!
Use Recommended Accessories For Trombone Maintenance
Cleaning kit
DESIGNED FOR: Every Trombone player
FEATURES: Polishing cloth, slide lubricant, two brushes
OTHER INFO: Ideal for when your slide starts feeling sticky
Stagg Trombone Cleaning Kit
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Everything you need to care for your trombones.
- The oil included is not the best.
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Slide Lubricant
DESIGNED FOR: Using regularly to keep the slide in good working order.
FEATURES: Tried and tested oil for moving the slide quickly and smoothly.
OTHER INFO: Follow the instructions in this article to learn how to use this.
Slide-O-Mix Trombone Lubricant
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Well priced.
- Enough lubricant to last.
- None!
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Tuner
DESIGNED FOR: Finding the exact position.
FEATURES: Simple display with all of the information you need.
OTHER INFO: Check if the sound of your pitch is flat, sharp or in tune.
Korg CA- 2 Guitar/
Instrument Chromatic Tuner
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- No distractions from phone apps.
- Only useful when practicing alone.
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Slide Positions For Trombone
Summary
Hopefully, you’ve not only discovered that our slide position chart is super helpful but also that the trombone is a super cool brass instrument to play!
Now go and get those lips vibrating, practice hard, and enjoy learning from our slide position chart!
really loving the detailed breakdown of slide positions and what they do. as someone who’s just getting into jazz trombone, this is like gold. knowing exactly how to manipulate the slide for those smooth transitions is key. got any tips for getting better at fast slide movements?
Excellent outline on taking care of the trombone slide. I’m a firm believer that proper maintenance can significantly extend an instrument’s lifespan and performance quality. One thing I’d add, however, is that while slide lubricants are crucial, the technique of applying them is equally important. Too much can attract dirt, and too little will not provide enough slide action. Perhaps a follow-up on that?
Not sure if these maintenance tips are really gonna make a difference. My slide still sticks despite using the fancy lubricant you recommended. Maybe it’s just my trombone’s age, but kinda feels like wasted effort.
I found the section on slide positions particularly enlightening. As a music teacher trying to break down the fundamentals of playing trombone to my students, your detailed explanation of each position and its impact on pitch is invaluable. I appreciate the visual aids included; they’re going to be a great resource in class. Could you possibly add more about troubleshooting common mistakes beginners make with slide positioning?
hey, MelodyHarp, do you have any tips for remembering the slide positions? sometimes I forget them mid-practice.
glad you found it useful! i remember struggling with slide positions when i started. definitely support adding common mistakes, that’d be super helpful for newcomers.