Student Instrumental Course: Trombone Student, Level I: Trombone Book

This book gives you a complete, systematic foundation for beginning trombone students without overwhelming them. The correlated structure across the series means your trombone section learns alongside the rest of your beginning band, building ensemble awareness from day one.

Opening this book, you'll find clear, achievable progressions that move from first positions into the slide, paired with melodies that feel rewarding to play rather than purely technical. Students encounter real musical phrases early, building confidence and engagement alongside fundamental skills.

This book serves beginning trombone students in both private lessons and group instruction settings. It works equally well for a teacher guiding one student or a band director teaching a section of beginning brass players.

• Spend time on long tones at the start of each lesson to establish consistent embouchure control and tone quality across all positions.
• Isolate problem passages by working through them at slower tempos before moving the piece to performance speed.
• Use a tuner when introducing new positions to ensure intonation accuracy becomes a habit, not an afterthought.
• Encourage students to sing melodic phrases aloud before playing them, reinforcing musical intention over mechanical slide movement.

Use this as your primary trombone resource during the first year of instrumental study, pairing it with your beginning band repertoire to reinforce rhythmic and melodic concepts in ensemble contexts. The 44-page length makes it manageable across a full school year while providing enough material to prevent students from outpacing their understanding.

• Basic slide positions and technique
• Reading treble clef notation in elementary ranges
• Long tone production and breath control
• Articulation and tonguing fundamentals
• Simple rhythmic notation (quarter notes, half notes, whole notes, and rests)
• Playing with steady tempo and counting accuracy