There are a couple of approaches to moving the slide, broadly speaking. with one approach, we snap the slide precisely into position for each note. With the other, we allow the natural gliding motion of the slide to happen, and articulate the notes at just the right points so that the correct pitches sound. There are musically-appropriate situations for both approaches.
In the following notes, I use the terms “snappy” and “slidey” to denote these two approaches scientifically.
In the videos linked on the Trombone Posture page, the trombonists demonstrate a way of holding the slide that naturally positions the wrist such that the palm of the hand is facing the musician and the back of the hand is facing the audience. They don’t belabor this point in their videos, but I think it’s important.
Many players hold the slide in a way that causes the palm of the hand to face the floor. Hold your arm and wrist that way for a moment and try moving just the wrist and not the elbow as if you were operating your slide. It’s not very comfortable, is it?
Now turn your wrist so the palm is facing you and try the same motion. It feels much more natural and fluid, doesn’t it?
Some players think they must move the slide in a way that approximates valves. They try to move the slide from position to position instantaneously, and sort of “snap” it into each position. There are times when the music calls for very precise changes in slide position, and a “snappy” slide techic is appropriate. There are other times when the “slidey” character of the trombone is wanted.
One such piece is Malcolm Arnold’s “Tam O’Shanter.” It’s a musical interpretation of the Robert Burns poem of the same name, depicting a drunken man who thinks he sees witches pursuing him in the night.
Here’s a demonstration of one of the solo passages from that piece by trombonist Matthew Gee.
Matthew Gee - trombone solo from “Tam O’Shanter”
Not to criticize - he’s a fine trombonist - but I wanted to share this particular example to illustrate using the “snappy” slide technique in music that calls for the “slidey” technique.
For contrast, consider this performance of John Paynter’s transcription for concert band. Unfortunately, we can’t see the trombonist during the solos, but we can hear that he’s playing the music in a more “slidey” way than the first example.
U.S. Navy Band - “Tam O’Shanter”
Key moments:
The U.S. Navy Band’s interpretation is a little more in character for the piece, in my opinion. To my taste, the following performance by the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg is even more expressive of the intent of the music.
The soloist is on camera during the first solo, and we see that he lets the slide glide and also takes some liberties with tempo, which enhances the “drunken” effect.
Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg - “Tam O’Shanter”
Key moments:
The well-known trombone solo in Maurice Ravel’s “Bolero” is another case for letting the slide slide, rather than snapping it into position for each note.
In this video, S.J. Park demonstrates the solo:
In my opinion, this interpretation does not express the composer’s intent. It’s very clipped and the articulations are too pointed for the style of the music. This solo has to be very loose and slippery, in my opinion.
Here’s a demonstration by New York Philharmonic principal Joseph Alessi.
This version is a lot freer and more fluid than the first example. But even this may be a little more “straight” than Ravel originally intended.
In the video, Alessi states that it’s important to play the glissandi that Ravel wrote in the part, but not to add any extra portamento beyond that. Bear in mind he’s showing us how to pass an audition. That’s not a situation where we want to take too many liberties with interpretation.
Most people play this solo just as Alessi recommends, but there’s a lot of room for interpretation.
Here’s Matthew Gee imitating the style of Jacob Raichman’s 1947 performance with the Boston Symphony and Serge Koussevitzky. It’s quite the opposite of “slidey.” I would not play it this way in an audition. (Between you and me, I’m not a fan of this approach.)
Matthew Gee channelling Jacob Rachman - “Bolero”
This is Milosz Leniec with the Neue Philharmonie München in 2023:
Leniec does not add portamentos beyond what is written, but his slide technique is very fluid and relaxed. In my opinion this is in keeping with Ravel’s intent, insofar as I understand his intent.
Here’s another good example. This is Alexey Lobikov with the Marlinsky Orchestra:
Notice his level of comfort and control in the high register.
Although I haven’t found any examples or reports about this online, when I was young I heard stories from older musicians who said Johannes Rochut used to play this solo with a great deal of liberty. Joe Alessi might not have approved of the extra sliding around Rochut is said to have used. For purposes of this page, the point is that Rochut - or anyone else - would be unable to play the trombone in a “slidey” way with their palms facing downward.
The following is a demonstration video to help trombonists prepare audition material. Christian Jones demonstrates the same passages I use as a sight-reading example on this site.
In these demonstrations the players aren’t using the slide positions I mention in the sight-reading example because they’re playing the original orchestral version in E minor, not the band transcription in F minor. You can still see they choose slide positions that minimize changes of direction and distance.
Christian Jones - “William Tell”
While he doesn’t flex his wrist, his slide technique is “slidey” rather than “snappy.” The slide moves smoothly and fluidly. He articulates the notes at the right moments, but doesn’t try to “snap” the slide into each position.
Here’s another demonstration. Davis Guo plays the same excerpt.
The “slidey” slide technique is even clearer in this demonstration than in Jones’. Guo also doesn’t flex his wrist, but he very obviously is not “snapping” the slide into position for each individual note. Yet, the correct notes speak clearly.
Playing against the grain means to ascend while pushing the slide out or to descend while pulling the slide in. Embouchure-building and range-extending exercises exploit this characteristic of the trombone. It isn’t something we can do on a valved instrument.
In jazz music, trombonists often play slurred passages this way rather than using articulation to slur notes. This is a 1951 video of Jack Teagarden playing a solo in “That’s a Plenty” with his band. He uses that technique as well as glissandi throughout the solo, which begins at time offset 0:34.
Jack Teagarden - “That’s a Plenty”
Here’s a more recent example - Dave Steinmeyer with the U.S. Air Force’s Airmen of Note playing Chick Corea’s “Spain.” The music starts at about offset 1:38.
Vibrato on the trombone can be done using diaphram or jaw vibrato, just as on the euphonium. But the slide offers another way to do vibrato. Slide vibrato is generally used in jazz music but not in classical or “legit” music.
In this video, Carol Jarvis plays the jazz ballad, “I Think of You.” She combines various slide techniques judiciously, including slide vibrato.