Do you use traditional German style tenor trombone to play jazz music?
- Tubaaiyue
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Jan 27, 2024
Do you use traditional German style tenor trombone to play jazz music? For example, using a medium caliber German style tenor trombone
- Kevbach33
- Posts: 295
- Joined: May 29, 2018
I wouldn't; it's not the right sound profile. There's a reason why jazz tenors have around a .500" (perhaps smaller for lead, larger for 3rd) bore and 8" (often smaller) bell diameter combination (think Conn 6H). This allows the player to be heard with the high trumpets.
Then again, I don't own a German style trombone — my Holton 168 with its 9" bell and .547" slide could be seen as a hybrid of American and German styles of sorts — but if I did, I'd keep it only for the legit settings where its sound will work.
Then again, I don't own a German style trombone — my Holton 168 with its 9" bell and .547" slide could be seen as a hybrid of American and German styles of sorts — but if I did, I'd keep it only for the legit settings where its sound will work.
- Windmill
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Feb 14, 2021
I played a German small bore for a couple of years in jazz projects, and was plenty happy about it.
- Tubaaiyue
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Jan 27, 2024
[quote="Windmill"]I played a German small bore for a couple of years in jazz projects, and was plenty happy about it.[/quote]
Hi，Windmill
Which model are you using
Hi，Windmill
Which model are you using
- LeTromboniste
- Posts: 1634
- Joined: Apr 11, 2018
There are German jazz trombones, and they've been around since the start big band era - they're not like the traditional German trombones, they're small-belled, narrow-bored and very cylindrical.
- Windmill
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Feb 14, 2021
Mine is called "max Enders" from Mainz... I think made late 40s... Small bell, 2B diameter but tighter throat.
- fredrikis
- Posts: 1
- Joined: May 06, 2025
Very interesting for me that this question was posted here almost on the same day that I got a Kuehnl & Hoyer Bart van Lier .500 small bore trombone delivered to me (in Sweden) from Germany.
I have been playing 1st and 2nd in big bands for 35 years, and I have done it with a 90s King 3B. When trying out the BVL horn, I cannot help but finding it very “closed” and tight. Advice on the Internet tells me that this is because the King 3B is among the most open horns available, and after 30 years with it, I am probably blowing too much air into the BVL. I do also hear about “the European tonal ideal”, that is supposed to differ from the American tonal ideal. Being an amateur, I am not capable to notice a difference, and, being an amateur, I probably will not be able to tell if it is the BVL horn or if it is just me playing it wrong before I must either decide to keep it or to return it to the dealer.
If this makes the thread diverge too much from the subject, feel free to ignore me, but I would be happy to read about experiences from playing German trombones in jazz orchestras.
Regards,
Fredrik
I have been playing 1st and 2nd in big bands for 35 years, and I have done it with a 90s King 3B. When trying out the BVL horn, I cannot help but finding it very “closed” and tight. Advice on the Internet tells me that this is because the King 3B is among the most open horns available, and after 30 years with it, I am probably blowing too much air into the BVL. I do also hear about “the European tonal ideal”, that is supposed to differ from the American tonal ideal. Being an amateur, I am not capable to notice a difference, and, being an amateur, I probably will not be able to tell if it is the BVL horn or if it is just me playing it wrong before I must either decide to keep it or to return it to the dealer.
If this makes the thread diverge too much from the subject, feel free to ignore me, but I would be happy to read about experiences from playing German trombones in jazz orchestras.
Regards,
Fredrik