The trombone’s versatility has led to its use in orchestras, smaller musical ensembles, and choirs made up entirely of trombones. In chamber music, the trombone is frequently used, and small trombone ensembles such as trombone trios and trombone quartets are frequently formed. The trombone has been used in popular music, jazz, swing, and salsa, and trombone music can be found in a variety of orchestral pieces. The trombone is a popular instrument in brass bands and concert bands, but it is perhaps best known for its role in marching bands, which perform military, patriotic, religious, and popular music in festivals and processions.
The trombone is a brass instrument with the most well-known feature of using a slide to change the length of the tube and thus the pitch of the sound produced. The trombone’s slide gives it its distinctive shape and distinguishes it as a distinct member of an orchestra, ensemble, or brass band. The trombone’s slide allows it to produce a glissando effect when the slide is moved slowly in and out while the trombonist continues to provide airflow into the instrument. Different types of mutes can be used to change the timbre of the sound emitted by the instrument, resulting in a variety of musical effects. Due to the instrument’s use of the slide rather than valves, producing a trill effect is a little more difficult.
The trombone was used sparingly by Baroque composers, but with the works of Leopold Mozart and Johann Albrechtsberger, it became more prominent in classical music. The trombone was used in some operas and sacred music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Following Ludwig van Beethoven’s use of the trombone in some of his symphonies, many Romantic composers used the instrument in orchestral works in the nineteenth century. The trombone was widely used by orchestral composers in the twentieth century, as well as in wind bands, marching bands, and concert bands. Trombone choirs, ensembles made up entirely of trombones, perform adaptations of classical and popular works to showcase the instrument’s range and versatility.
Because of their prominent use of the instrument, some popular music, such as compositions by the American jazz-rock band Blood, Sweat, and Tears and the rock band Chicago, qualify as trombone music. Trombone music can also be heard in swing, salsa, and jazz performances, as well as in brass band music from New Orleans. New Orleans brass has incorporated musical genres such as hip hop and funk into their repertoire, and the trombone is versatile enough to be used in these arrangements.