Piccolo Trombone Arrangments

P
PiccoloTrombonist1
Posts: 41
Joined: Jun 30, 2023

by PiccoloTrombonist1 »

I recently bought a piccolo trombone and a secondary instrument, and was wondering if there are any solos specifically designed for piccolo trombone? I found it very difficult to find anything about it (especially with how much soprano trombones appear when you search for videos of them) so I was wondering what are some solos I could play. Along with this, in a big band, should I be playing the trumpet sheet music an octave higher (piccolo trombone is in the key of Bb) or should I be playing trombone music 2 octaves higher?
I
imsevimse
Posts: 1765
Joined: Apr 29, 2018

by imsevimse »

[quote="PiccoloTrombonist1"]I recently bought a piccolo trombone and a secondary instrument, and was wondering if there are any solos specifically designed for piccolo trombone? I found it very difficult to find anything about it (especially with how much soprano trombones appear when you search for videos of them) so I was wondering what are some solos I could play. Along with this, in a big band, should I be playing the trumpet sheet music an octave higher (piccolo trombone is in the key of Bb) or should I be playing trombone music 2 octaves higher?[/quote]

I don't think there are any printed repertoare for a piccolo trombone, because there is no real market. I think there are far more talk about the instrument than it is played. Even original music for a Soprano trombone is very hard to find. I think you have to make your own arrangements. You can look out for "The German Brass". Here you can att least hear the instrument be played att a very high lever

<YOUTUBE id="fqjW5_BbodM">https://youtu.be/fqjW5_BbodM</YOUTUBE>

I guess it fits best as the very top part in a trombone ensemble. A very cool instrument if you can play in tune. I really hope to hear more from both good soprano and good piccolo trombonists.

/Tom
H
HanTromboneSolo
Posts: 3
Joined: Jun 01, 2023

by HanTromboneSolo »

Hey, glad to see your post. I also recently bought a piccolo trombone as a secondary instrument. As far as music to play on it, I do some trombone stuff and some piano stuff - I can sight read bass and treble clef, but no other clefs and I'm not in practice transposing in my head so I haven't bothered with trumpet stuff. When I got it I assumed that it would just be for my enjoyment, that I wouldn't ever use it is any sort of an official capacity.

There is one song I've found with not one, but two piccolo trombone parts (as well as 1 soprano trombone part, 1 alto, 1 tenor, 1 bass, and 1 contrabass): El Manisero (The Peanut Vendor) arranged by Ashton Landt. The above video is that tune as performed by the German Brass.
B
BGuttman
Posts: 7368
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by BGuttman »

1. Don't bother bringing a piccolo trombone to Big/Jazz/Stage Band rehearsal unless you want a lot of ribbing. A soprano trombone (slide trumpet) is a novelty. A piccolo trombone is useless.

2. If you insist on playing the thing, learn to read transposing treble clef. It plays a high trumpet part.

3. If you can really get dextrous, try playing piccolo parts. At least they are in the range. But beware: piccolos come in C and Db. The C reads non-transposing treble and the Db is transposed (down a half step).
T
tbdana
Posts: 1928
Joined: Apr 08, 2023

by tbdana »

tenor trombone and piccolo trombone: Dumb and Dumber. :lol: