SUPPLIES, ACCESSORIES & ERGONOMIC AIDS
re MOUTHPIECES, see:
LUBRICANTS
There are more than few slide lubricants; they all have die-hard fan clubs. Most work fine but results vary with different slides and different players. Some tend to leave a deposit on the outer slide that can harden and be very tough to remove. I’m not going to call any out by name, but I’ve never had any trouble with any of the following:
On my Greenhoe, I use Ultra-Pure – Alessi Formula with a fine misting of VERY dilute Hetman Hydro-Slide (4-5 drops of the concentrate in the bottle). Your results may vary – experiment. Again, different slides like different goop – experiment. NOTE: when you experiment, clean the slide between – different goops may not play nice together.
I use Pro Elite Valve Oil inside my rotor valves. I have a small hole drilled in the bearing plate to allow a needle oiler to put just a couple drops inside, preventing the oil from running down into the handslide and gumming up the works. Do NOT drill this yourself, pay a tech!
For the linkages, miniballs, and hinges, I use either Spacefiller Ultimate I Valve Oil or Spacefiller TS tuning slide grease (blue & green bottles). These will not stain clothing – they wash right out! For really clanky linkages, Bach 2942 Tuning Slide Grease (the red stuff) works pretty well, but it stains. If none of these quiet and smooth things out, it may be time for new linkages.
Bach 2942 works for tuning slides; so do Hetman and Ultra-Pure products. I’ve been told lanolin tuning slide grease can work it’s way into the rotors and gum them up; be advised.
Speaking of lanolin, Instrument Clinic 100% Lanolin Cork Grease works great on squeaky mute corks. Some synthetic cork greases work TOO well for mute corks – the mutes fall out.
- Ultra-Pure Trombone Slide Lube – Alessi Formula
- Yamaha Trombone Slide Lubricant
- Berp BioLube
- SuperSlick
- Trombotine
- Hetman Hydro-Slide™
On my Greenhoe, I use Ultra-Pure – Alessi Formula with a fine misting of VERY dilute Hetman Hydro-Slide (4-5 drops of the concentrate in the bottle). Your results may vary – experiment. Again, different slides like different goop – experiment. NOTE: when you experiment, clean the slide between – different goops may not play nice together.
I use Pro Elite Valve Oil inside my rotor valves. I have a small hole drilled in the bearing plate to allow a needle oiler to put just a couple drops inside, preventing the oil from running down into the handslide and gumming up the works. Do NOT drill this yourself, pay a tech!
For the linkages, miniballs, and hinges, I use either Spacefiller Ultimate I Valve Oil or Spacefiller TS tuning slide grease (blue & green bottles). These will not stain clothing – they wash right out! For really clanky linkages, Bach 2942 Tuning Slide Grease (the red stuff) works pretty well, but it stains. If none of these quiet and smooth things out, it may be time for new linkages.
Bach 2942 works for tuning slides; so do Hetman and Ultra-Pure products. I’ve been told lanolin tuning slide grease can work it’s way into the rotors and gum them up; be advised.
Speaking of lanolin, Instrument Clinic 100% Lanolin Cork Grease works great on squeaky mute corks. Some synthetic cork greases work TOO well for mute corks – the mutes fall out.
CLEANING GEAR
The Slide-O-Mix Cleaning Set works great for cleaning handslides. It consists of a "cleaning rod, [washable] towelling sheath and a short flexible brush." The red sheath is for small to medium bore trombones and the blue for large bore tenors up to bass trombones. I use the blue sheath on a shotgun cleaning rod for bass and contrabass slides – be careful it's not too tight!
NEVER use a cleaning rod in your inner slide – it can RUIN the lead pipe – use a flexible "SNAKE" – the "flexible brush" attachment with the Slide-O-Mix set is fine.
These instructions are good (I use the "towelling sheath" instead of the cheesecloth).
NEVER use a cleaning rod in your inner slide – it can RUIN the lead pipe – use a flexible "SNAKE" – the "flexible brush" attachment with the Slide-O-Mix set is fine.
These instructions are good (I use the "towelling sheath" instead of the cheesecloth).
MUTES
I play bass trombone, so I’ll only recommend bass trombone mutes. These are my favorites; some can be hard to find.
Hopkins Straight Mute (I prefer the aluminum bottom – available by request.)
Yupon Fiber Straight Mute
Denis Wick Wood Straight Mute
Morningstar Bass Trombone Straight Mute This is excellent, particularly down low. There are six variations; I have the all plastic model, and it's great. YMMV
Yupon Cup Mute
A Morningstar Cup Mute is on the way. It should be excellent. We shall see.
Trapani Harmon Mute
Rejano Practice Mute
7” Plunger (This is a little bigger than most – good for bass trombone. Carefully cut a hole where the handle screwed in.)
Bucket Mute . . . hmm . . . they can be heavy, awkward and noisy to put on – and LOUD hitting the floor. I had good luck with this in live performance; however, if recording, it can sometimes be heard when added. I love the Mike McClean bucket – sounds great, is quiet to put on, and is physically robust. Peter Gane makes a similar mute that has been well received.
THIS JUST IN: apparent this mute can be dialed in to sound like a bucket. My friend Alex Iles has said, "My eyes don't believe my ears! With a little experimenting with the numerous thicknesses of felt and cork, I have dialed in a warm bucket sound from such a tiny package!
Hopkins Straight Mute (I prefer the aluminum bottom – available by request.)
Yupon Fiber Straight Mute
Denis Wick Wood Straight Mute
Morningstar Bass Trombone Straight Mute This is excellent, particularly down low. There are six variations; I have the all plastic model, and it's great. YMMV
Yupon Cup Mute
A Morningstar Cup Mute is on the way. It should be excellent. We shall see.
Trapani Harmon Mute
Rejano Practice Mute
7” Plunger (This is a little bigger than most – good for bass trombone. Carefully cut a hole where the handle screwed in.)
Bucket Mute . . . hmm . . . they can be heavy, awkward and noisy to put on – and LOUD hitting the floor. I had good luck with this in live performance; however, if recording, it can sometimes be heard when added. I love the Mike McClean bucket – sounds great, is quiet to put on, and is physically robust. Peter Gane makes a similar mute that has been well received.
THIS JUST IN: apparent this mute can be dialed in to sound like a bucket. My friend Alex Iles has said, "My eyes don't believe my ears! With a little experimenting with the numerous thicknesses of felt and cork, I have dialed in a warm bucket sound from such a tiny package!
ERGONOMIC AIDS
Playing trombone can take its toll on the body over the years. Bass trombone (worse, contra) is the heaviest unsupported instrument in the orchestra. Hand, wrist, shoulder, back . . . can all be affected. Repetitive strain injuries can be crippling. Alexander Technique can go a long way toward injury prevention.
There are a number of devices that can help. I use the Hagmann; various colleagues have had good luck with all the below. Some are expensive; some not so much. Do yourself a favor, use something!
There are a number of devices that can help. I use the Hagmann; various colleagues have had good luck with all the below. Some are expensive; some not so much. Do yourself a favor, use something!