Practical Studies for Trombone, Book I: Trombone Book

Bordner's collection moves beyond the mechanical repetition of early method books by embedding chord awareness directly into melodically engaging studies. Students encounter the harmonic logic underlying their instrument while building essential articulation and rhythmic flexibility, making technical work feel purposeful rather than disconnected.

The studies maintain a natural musicality that keeps young players engaged while systematic harmonic grounding builds confidence in reading and intonation. Each piece feels like something worth playing, not merely an exercise.

Beginning trombonists who have completed the foundations of a standard method book and are ready to deepen their understanding of pitch relationships and tonguing control. This collection works equally well as a concurrent supplement to ongoing method study or as a bridge toward more sophisticated repertoire.

• Work through each study slowly enough to hear the harmonic movement clearly; resist the urge to push tempo until your intonation settles on sustained tones and chord changes.
• Mark your articulation patterns in pencil before the first run-through, then isolate those passages at half speed to build consistency between detached and legato sections.
• Use a tuner or drone app on longer tones to develop awareness of how chord function affects your pitch placement within each harmonic context.

Integrate these studies into your rehearsal warm-up rotation, rotating through different pages each week to reinforce chord consciousness across your section. The melodic quality of the material also makes individual studies suitable as informal solo literature during student practice time.

• Chord consciousness and harmonic awareness in melodic context
• Rhythmic accuracy in fundamental note values and patterns
• Reading in multiple key signatures with fluency
• Articulation control (legato, detached, and mixed tonguing)
• Pitch accuracy and intonation development through sustained tones