I got the most awesome phone call today...

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

A buddy of mine leads a Big Band in Myrtle Beach, and he's got this recording session booked end of next month with some singing group (he calls them a whole chior of Bobby McFarrins)...

Anyway - he's scheduled to have Oral Surgery, and doesn't know if he'll be healed enough to play the gig, and he wants me to play the Solo Chair if he cant!!!
Anyway - I'll have to join the Union, and I'll get paid "Scale" for the session which is like $150 an hour (I'll be listed as a "Leader" since I'm taking his chair)...

He says the music is all 40's revival type stuff, and all the playing is Dorsey style high register lyrical type stuff, and he's already told me I can do all the "Cheezy slide vibrato" I want :D He says all the tunes are arranged "around" the solo trombone sorta like Tommy Dorsey's stuff, and I'll have PLENTY of play time.

Only thing that worries me, is that I'll only have a few hours w/ the music before tape starts rolling, and he says the range is up to a high F, so for the next month or so I'm gonna have a Trombone plastered to my face a LOT!

Anyway - wish me luck - i'll let you know if I get to do it, but he sounded like I would because he has to have a bunch of teeth pulled and a bridge put in, and doubts VERY seriously if he'll be up to it in time.

[Silent_Killer]

YAY! w00t! GO MAX! see good things happen to patient people.

[eNdOfBeGinNinG]

holy crap, thats sweet man.. hope all goes well for ya!

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

that's awesome man! have fun!!!!!!

[LA_MERC_eX1|eS' ch1|d]

That's awsome Jayson!

I don't know crap about Bobby McFarrins, 40's revival type stuff, Dorsey style high register lyrical type stuff, Tommy Dorsey's stuff, or high F. But it's sounded like you get to be on a record and make some pretty good l00t too. w00t!

[LA_MERC_goose]

:stu

Good luck!

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

w00tzors!!! Congrats Jayson!!! Knock 'em dead!

[LA_MERC_M@lACHi]

You go Bro! /sniffles/

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

MM,

I read this right before I went to bed. The very first dream I had was someone wanting me to play trombone in front of a lot of people. I was like, "I've never played a trombone before!" Aaaaah! Talk abouta nightmare!

LT

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

LMAO Tech! Well, since you played Trumpet and Horn, Trombone wouldn't really be that bad once you learned the Slide/Valve comparisons...

ooo = first position
oxo = second
xoo = third
xxo = foruth
oxx = fifth
xox = sixth
xxx = seventh

Just a random fact of the day :)

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

So...bflat concert scale is (in positions) 1, 6, 4, 3, 1, 4, 3, 1? Probably not (unless I got real lucky). Actually, that would be based off the trumpet. The french horn is just completely different.

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

And, as M@l will back me up on this - even though the trombone has 7 official slide positions, there are litterally thousands of positions...this is why in the right hands, the Trombone is the only wind instrument that can play perfectly in tune all through it's scale - and in the wrong hands, can play perfectly out of tune all through the scale :)

But I started on Valves too - played Trumpet, and moved to Euphonium and Tuba before switching to Trombone in 8th grade. My band director at the time (who sadly passed away this summer) hand wrote out a little chart similar to what I did above and sent me home with a beater school horn...the next day, I was a Trombonist, and I've never really looked back. I still play Trumpet occasionally, but I HATE Trumpet - my embouchure wasn't cut out for it. I have to practice constantly to keep it up. I'm teaching my little cousin Euphonium now, and it's fun to get back into that again after a long time. I'm thinking if getting a Euph from my old college and taking her to a TubaChristmas this year.

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

So...bflat concert scale is (in positions) 1, 6, 4, 3, 1, 4, 3, 1? Probably not (unless I got real lucky). Actually, that would be based off the trumpet. The french horn is just completely different.

Close! 1,6,4,3,1,4,2,1 - you had a Ab instead of an A leading back to tonic - or in Bb Treble Clef (Trumpet terms) a Bb instead of a B leading back into C.

The Chromatic is fun!
7,6,5,4,3,2,1,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,5,4,3,2,1,4,3,2,1,3,2, 1,-3,-2,1,-3,2,1
And that's just from Low E below the Bass Cleff staf to High Bb an octave above Middle C. There are also Pedal Tones, which are fundamental pitches, and the lowest notes a Trombone can play. Also, there are lower notes attainable by using an F-Attachment if the instrument is equipped, or even a D, Gb, G or Eb attachment if a Bass Trombone. Also, most good trombone players can go at least a Fifth above that Bb to a high F...I HAVE hit a Double High Bb, 2 octaves above Middle C.

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

Horn would only be different if playing the F side - if you played the Bb side, it would be same as Trumpet. But I think Horn players generally would use both sides of the horn playing that scale as some notes are better in tune in the F side, and some better in tune on the Bb side.

That's why I hated Horn - too darn complicated :)

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

And now you know way more about Trombone Pedogogy than you ever wanted to know, but were afraid to ask! :D

[LA_MERC_M@lACHi]

LOL! Bandmaster Jayson!

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

Don't be picking on my Bandmaster Henry :)

BTW, we need to get together and play some duets or something I'm out of shape!

[LA_MERC_M@lACHi]

You're out of shape?

HAHAHAHA.......HA HA......HA!

I have these two gorgeous instruments in my living room as dust collectors.

LOL! Come on over, we'll make the cats in the neighborhood sing too!

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

LOL! I assumed since you had those two gorgeous instruments OUT in your living room you'd been practicing :)

[LA_MERC_M@lACHi]

Well, I HAD good intentions. But never could get into the mood to play em.

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

Yeah, Bb concert scale on a horn started with an F, but anything above a C was on the F side of the horn (with the trigger engaged)...I remember that much...and it does sound better (easier to be in tune). w00t! Thanks!

[LA_MERC_Heater]

Congratz man...hope you get this great chance=_)

[LA_MERC_Drifter]

Good luck with the gig!! Hope everything works out for ya!

[Silent_Killer]

man mm. i rmember my band teacher started to make me play that i was messing everything up and right as i got the hang of it...bam....i got thrown on the tuba.

i remember looking at the chromatic scale on my teachers stand and i was like.........!!!!!!!!!!!!111


lol trombone is not a hard instrument to play but u have to get ur lips right.

[LA_MERC_CS Widow]

I Hope You Get It.......I Hope You Get It!!!
(does little springy jumps and claps hands in excitement)

Widow