Band Today, Part 3: Trombone Book

Band Today, Part 3 gives trombone players the specific technical work they need to advance without leaving them stuck in generic scale books. Ployhar's inclusion of contemporary rhythmic studies prepares students for real modern repertoire while maintaining the fundamental strength-building scales and articulation work that cement solid musicianship.

Structured and purposeful, Band Today, Part 3 keeps the focus narrow so each study targets one element of musicianship at a time. The inclusion of contemporary rhythms signals that the work leading up to them matters because it enables students to play real music by real composers.

Trombone players in intermediate-to-advanced concert bands who have completed foundational method work and are ready to strengthen their tone, intonation, and rhythmic flexibility. This book serves students preparing for entrance into more demanding ensemble settings and builds the endurance and precision needed for contemporary band literature.

• Approach the articulation studies with a clear mental image of the exact tongue placement and release needed for each style; revisit a study several times with different articulation patterns to build muscle memory across varied attacks.
• Work the chromatic scales slowly enough to hear the pitch center shift smoothly; rushing these obscures intonation problems that will surface later in contemporary compositions.
• Apply the rhythmic studies to excerpts from your current band repertoire so tricky meters and syncopations feel connected to real performance, not isolated technique.
• Balance technical drill with the musical context by singing the scale studies and technic tunes rather than simply mechanically tonguing through them.

Assign sections of this book as regular daily or weekly technical work during the same season when your band is learning contemporary works, so students experience the direct payoff of their scale and rhythm study. The articulation and chromatic studies pair well with any period of repertoire that demands precision and clarity from the brass section.

• Major and minor scale fluency across multiple keys
• Chromatic scale accuracy and intonation control
• Articulation precision (staccato, legato, accents) in varying contexts
• Contemporary rhythmic patterns and syncopation
• Sight-reading in modern meters and rhythmic figures
• Sustained tone quality and breath control across extended passages
• Technical facility and speed through progressive scale and arpeggio studies