Koordinations Training for Trombone Playing: Trombone Book

Van Lier's approach bridges classical and jazz idioms within a single methodology, refusing to compartmentalize technique. The exercises target real obstacles trombonists face across all genres: slide precision, tone quality at extremes of the range, and the coordination required to execute both lyrical passages and fast scalar material without sacrificing intonation or control.

Dense and purposeful. Each exercise targets a specific technical challenge rather than offering generalized warm-up material, creating a focused practice environment where improvement in sound production, flexibility, and range extension feels tangible across sessions.

Trombonists of intermediate to advanced level who play across multiple genres and want to strengthen the physical and mental coordination that underpins all advanced playing. This manual serves classical orchestral players, jazz soloists, and commercial/studio musicians equally well.

• Work through the exercises systematically rather than jumping ahead; the progression builds foundational coordination that subsequent exercises depend on.
• Record yourself regularly to assess endurance improvements and identify where tone consistency breaks down across extended passages.
• Apply the flexibility and range work to repertoire you're actively playing, transferring the isolated technical gains to actual musical contexts.

Assign sections selectively based on individual student needs rather than as a full curriculum; a jazz student refining improvisation might concentrate on flexibility and range work, while an orchestral player benefits from the sound and endurance exercises supporting demanding audition repertoire.

• Slide position accuracy and intonation across all registers
• Embouchure flexibility for extended range and rapid register changes
• Breath support and physical endurance for extended technical passages
• Tone consistency and quality across dynamics and tessiture
• Coordination between articulation, slide movement, and breath control in both jazz and classical contexts