When starting trombone lessons, the student should have an idea of what to expect. Knowing how the lessons should go can assist the student in determining how well he or she is doing. Beginning trombone lessons, the teacher should demonstrate how to put the trombone together, buzz the mouthpiece, and play a few basic notes. The student should then learn to play simple songs and practice until he or she is able to play complex music with ease. The teacher should also be respectful, courteous, encouraging, and knowledgeable, according to the student.
Trombones are brass instruments with a cup-shaped mouthpiece that completely surrounds the player’s mouth. To make sound, the player must press his or her lips into the mouthpiece and buzz them together. This technique, as well as how to assemble and care for one’s trombone, should be covered in the first lesson. Before helping the student assemble the trombone, the teacher may demonstrate how to buzz the mouthpiece, or the instructor may prefer the student to practice on the mouthpiece after the trombone is assembled.
The first lesson should also include some practice with the trombone slide. Trombones don’t have keys; instead, the notes are determined the position of the U-shaped slide, which can be challenging to learn. The teacher should demonstrate the various positions for basic note scales and practice them a few times with the student so that he or she can practice them independently at home. This section of the lesson could also include instructions on how to tune one’s trombone, which is required for producing pleasing music.
The teacher may show the student a simple piece of music in the first lesson or save it for a later lesson, depending on how quickly the student grasps the concept. “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” “Baa Baa Black Sheep,” and “Three Blind Mice” are popular first song choices. These songs feature note patterns that allow a trombone student to become familiar with a limited range of notes and note lengths. After several trombone lessons, the teacher may require the student to memorize this music.
After three to five trombone lessons and the learning of a few simple songs, most teachers will assign slightly more difficult music to the student. Sharps and flats, shorter notes, and quick note changes could all be part of this new material. The rest of the lessons should proceed in this manner, with the teacher gradually increasing the difficulty of the pieces as the student gains confidence with each new level.
The teacher should treat the student with respect and patience throughout all trombone lessons. Effective instructors should never make fun of their students or treat them with contempt. The teacher should be encouraging but firm, emphasizing to the student that playing well requires hard work while also encouraging him or her to believe that playing well is a possibility.