1) Dear Dr. Tom,
I am a teacher of some fine young trombonists. Some are in high school, some in college. How do I approach the "finer" points of musicality such as intonation, sound, etc. And how and when should I introduce orchestral excerpts?
2) Dear Dr. Tom,
My teacher says I need a bigger mouthpiece. I am a junior in high school and now play a Bach 6.5AL. I want to audition for music school and hope to be an orchestral trombonist. Do I need a bigger mouthpiece?
3) Dear Dr. Tom,
I am a 45 year old trombone player who played actively in high school but only sporadically over the last 25 years. I am now seriously interested in taking my playing to higher levels. I have a smiling embouchure and use a lot of mouthpiece pressure, which my teacher says I need to change in order to improve my range. I am having fits trying to change my embouchure and can barely play a low B flat after two weeks. Is there hope? Can this old dog learn new tricks? I will spend any amount of time and effort to make this work, I just don't want to end up spoiling my ability to play at all. Thank you.
4) Dear Dr. Tom,
My daughter is in the 8th grade. Her band director has suggested a "step-up" horn for her, because he is concerned that a large-bore professional trombone will take too much air. Do you have any advice for a cash-strapped Dad?
5) Dear Dr. Tom,
I have read your article "Audition Observations" now for the 10th time. I love it. Thanks! I think I've progressed a lot, but in performance I still get way short of breath and suffer dry mouth pretty bad. Can you please, please, please help me. I love the trombone and want to show others how much when I play. Thanks for your help.
6) Dear Dr. Tom,
I have read some of your material on warm ups and daily routines. What, if any, benefit does a practise mute lend in daily routines and general practise?
7) Dear Dr. Tom,
I am taking the liberty to write you after reading your approach to playing the trombone.
I am suffering some problems with my embouchure. I cannot play between fourth line F and 2nd line Bb. I feel my embochoure too open and when I try to attack the note the air coming first and the note doesn't have center.
When I am warming up it is so hard to connect the slur in that register( like your slow slurs ex.)
When I am practicing tonguing and breath between notes I lose focus again and sometimes my embouchure starts to shake.
I have to play in the symphonic band on college but I am so affraid in make mistakes, and, what the conductor or my partners think.