A trombone is a brass wind instrument with a long U-shaped tube and a flared bell, played by buzzing the lips into a mouthpiece and changing pitch using a telescoping slide. It produces a bold, resonant sound used in orchestras, jazz bands, brass ensembles, and marching bands.
The trombone originated in the mid-15th century as a development of the trumpet. Its earliest form was called the sackbut, from the French saqueboute (to pull out), a reference to its defining feature, the movable slide that changes pitch by lengthening or shortening the tubing. Unlike the trumpet, which relied on natural harmonics, the trombone's slide allowed for chromatic flexibility, making it invaluable in both sacred and secular music. By the Renaissance, trombones were used in church choirs to double vocal lines. By the Baroque period, composers like Monteverdi and Bach used them for their solemn, majestic effects.
During the Classical Era (18th century), the trombone gained prominence in orchestras, with Mozart and Beethoven writing significant parts for it. In the Romantic Era (19th century), composers like Berlioz, Wagner, and Mahler expanded the role of the trombone, exploiting its powerful dynamic range. From the 20th century onward, the trombone became central in jazz, swing, and big band music, with virtuosos like J.J. Johnson pioneering its use as a solo instrument.
The trombone is made of brass tubing bent into an elongated "S" shape. Key components include the mouthpiece. (cup-shaped, where lip vibration produces sound), the slide (two parallel tubes that move to adjust pitch), and the bell (flared end that projects sound). Some modern trombones include an F-attachment (trigger trombone), adding extra tubing for extended low notes.
Popular types of trombones include the tenor trombone (the most common type, versatile in orchestras, bands, and jazz), the bass trombone (larger bore and wider bell, designed for lower registers), the alto trombone (smaller, higher-pitched, often used in Baroque and Classical works), the valve trombone (uses valves instead of a slide, popular in some jazz and marching bands), and the contrabass trombone (extremely large, used in modern orchestral and film scores for deep resonance).
There are several playing techniques for the trombone, including the glissando (unique to the trombone, it is a smooth slide between notes), legato and tonguing (controlled airflow and articulartion for smooth or sharp attacks), mutes (devices, such as the straight, cup, and plunger, inserted into the bell to alter the tone), multiphonics (producing more than one pitch by humming while playing), and jazz techniques (growls, falls, and scoops to add expressive flair).
The trombone is one of the few instruments that has remained visually similar for over five hundred years. In German, the trombone is known as the Posaune (trumpet), reflecting its close kinship. Its tone is often described as noble, solemn, and heroic, making it a favorite for ceremonial and dramatic music.
The distinctive voice, technical versatility, and historical significance of the trombone ensure its place as one of the most enduring and expressive musical instruments.
E-commerce (retail) sites selling trombones can be found in the Musical Instruments category in our Shopping & eCommerce section.
Recommended Resources
Founded in 1985, the British Trombone Society promotes the trombone and its repertoire across all musican styles, commissioning new works and organizing concerts, recitals, workshops, lectures, seminars, and an annual festival with massed trombone choir sessions. Featured is a schedule of upcoming events, including concerts, orchestral performances, regular regional and local events, and full-day festivals that offer education and performance opportunities. Membership information is included.
https://www.britishtrombonesociety.org/
International Trombone Association
Formed in 1972 to promote the trombone and trombone-related activities for players at all levels, the ITA is the world's largest community of trombonists. It hosts the "International Trombone Festival," the largest annual trombone event in the world, and publishes the "ITA Journal," a full-color, 80-page quarterly magazine for trombone professionals and enthusiasts. Membership information, special offers, and a calendar of events, seminars, festivals, and competitions are featured on the site.
https://trombone.net/
International Trombone Festival
Produced and hosted by the International Trombone Association, the ITF was formed in 1972, and the association has held an annual gathering and festival since its founding. The festival typically features artist recitals and masterclasses, presenter recitals, lectures, clinics, ITA solo and ensemble competitions, student ensemble performances, an exhibitor hall with instrument makers and vendors, and special concerts. Schedules and an online store are featured.
https://www.internationaltrombonefestival.com/
The long-running web publication for trombonists publishes articles and reviews on a wide range of topics centered on trombone performance and teaching, including peer-reviewed articles. Submission guidelines are stated. There is also a section for those who have just decided to play the trombone, which provides articles on playing the trombone for beginners, along with resources like handy scale sheets to help you stay motivated and in top shape. A classified section is included.
https://www.trombone.org/
Powered by phpBB forum software, Trombone Chat is an online discussion forum with several preconfigured sub-forums, such as TTF Archives, hardware (instruments, mouthpieces, maintenance, modification/repair, accessories, technology), gigs and events, music business, performance, composition, musicians, teaching, media, tangents, and the history of the trombone. The forum is read-only for non-members, with participation requiring a (free) membership and a login.
https://trombonechat.com/
Created by Seth T. Vatt in 2008, Trombone Excerpts has come to be a well-known online resource that collects orchestral, chamber, and solo trombone excerpts commonly requested in auditions. It typically offers downloadable parts or PDFs organized by composer, work, and movement, along with related audition information such as articulation, tempo markings, and recommended editions. Included are composer pages, audition links, a download area, and other resources.
http://www.tromboneexcerpts.org/
The trombone-focused website offers guides, reviews, maintenance tips, product listings, and blog articles for players of all levels. Included are articles on slide technique, lubrication, alternate positions, and other playing and maintenance topics, along with gear reviews, buying guides, and a store offering trombones, mutes, cleaning kits, apparel, and accessories. However, the store uses an affiliate model in which the site earns a commission from product links.
https://trombonegeek.com/
Created by Alex Knutrud, trombonist, composer, and pedagogue, the website is a free educational platform for the trombone community. It includes downloadable exercises, routines, articles, videos, and pedagogical materials organized by difficulty level. It features downloadable PDFs of routines and technical exercises for trombonists at all levels, including video instruction, a catalog of the creator's music, and information about joining the site's community.
https://www.tromboneguide.com/
Created and maintained by René Laanen, the website features portraits and biographies of prominent trombonists, plus a store and related trombone resources. The site features large portrait images and linked artist biographies, navigation links to other bios, sorted alphabetically, along with manufacturers, ensembles, MP3s, jazz festivals, jazz clubs, CD releases, testimonials, information about supporting the site, and contact details. Featured artists are on the index page.
https://www.trombone-usa.com/
The Trombone Shorty Foundation supports music education in New Orleans, aiming to inspire the next generation through instruction, mentorship, and performance rooted in local musical traditions. Its approach includes "playing it forward," using experienced teachers, tutors, and mentors to teach performance, music literacy, business skills, and social and academic skills. Professional instructors provide lessons and mentoring focused on New Orleans traditions.
https://www.tromboneshortyfoundation.org/
A guide and interactive database of solo repertoire for trombone, Trombone Solos features a searchable master list of works and links to purchase scores and recordings. Although a site was indexed by the Internet Archive (Wayback Machine) as early as 2007, this appears to be a new site at that domain that appears in the archive in 2023. Users can search and browse entries with pagination, and each entry includes a level rating and purchase/listen options where available.
https://trombonesolos.com/
