Review

Aaron Misenheimer
How-to-Trombone:

Richfield, NC, United States
Publisher: Gold Branch Music
Date of Publication: 2004

Primary Genre: Study Material - method
Secondary Genre: Study Material - etude

Dedicated to middle school and high school trombonists, and also intended for adult teachers, Mr. Misenheimer adds the guarantee below the title: "If you use these ideas you will become an AWESOME trombonist." Indeed, this is one of the few books about trombone that is indeed written with the young player in mind.

This 96-page manual is written in seven chapters covering a logical sequence for developing trombonists: Basics (instrument assembly, hand position and slide lubrication); Playing Concepts (posture, embouchure, tonguing); Basic Musicianship (staff reading, counting); Practicing (routines and warmups, lip slurs); Intermediate Musicianship (key signatures, scales and slide patterns, ear training, sight-reading); the Trombone (playing problems, cleaning, instrument purchase, tenor versus bass trombone); Miscellaneous (clefs, transpositions, applying to colleges and college auditions); and two Appendices (trombone recordings, trombone history).

Such a book is certainly an important addition to the literature. Most beginning trombonists are trained using beginning band methods where topics such as slide lubrication, legato tongue, proper hand position and warm-up exercises are never addressed or often introduced incorrectly. Indeed, there are many areas covered in this book that I have not seen elsewhere: scales using slide patterns, a long list of popular songs that may be used for ear training, college auditions. The ten-page list of trombone recordings is also welcome. There is a struggle with the book that reminds one of the older, all-inclusive methods by Arban and Mantia: topics written for the beginner, such as hand position and key signatures, are followed by advanced techniques such as the overtone series and exercises encompassing a three-octave range. I would also have preferred to see more space devoted to rhythmic instruction and counting exercises.  Nevertheless, this is a most welcome addition to the small world of literature for young trombonists.

-David Mathie
Boise State University