Air Sounds on the Trombone! a playing and composing guide

so what are air sounds on trombone? here's a primer on what they are, how to play them, and how you might run into them as both a composer and performer.

[@yesme_hymn4094]

Thank you for the amazing video!!

[@carlakihlstedt1194]

Thanks for this... and hi! totally what I was looking for today.

[@WilliamLang]

Hi Carla! Glad it helped

[@zianghan2551]

thx it's so good to see this..

[@WilliamLang]

thanks for watching!

[@MerrillClark]

👍👍👍 TY!!!

[@lilithnovak4012]

Hi William. Thank you for the extremely helpful video! I am wondering if it is effective to use the changes of different vocals (like from [i] to [u] etc.) within the technique of air tones and if the reversed mouthpiece somehow affects the this changes. Thank you! Best, Lilly

[@WilliamLang]

Hi Lilith! Vowel forments can definitely effect air sounds in interesting ways. It does also work with the reversed mouthpiece, but I find that the effect is slightly lessened.

[@ronniereshef]

Thanks for the great video. I am curious what exactly is happening 10 seconds into the video (at 0:10). What is the tongue like and how would you notate it? Thanks!

[@WilliamLang]

hi there! that sound is double tonguing without buzzing and minimal air-flow (this part is key! we usually blow through our tonguing sounds, but try double tonguing with no air behind it at all), and letting the horn amplify the sound

[@altezzashaw2024]

Hey! Thanks for your video, it is really helpful. And i am wondering that is it possible to make a linear change from the pitch to pitched air to air? I 'm curious about that.:)

[@WilliamLang]

it definitely is!

[@slugger1114]

Hey there! This video is so helpful :) How would you notate the sounds at the start of the video? The tongue sounds at 0 - 18 seconds and then the wooshy sound directly after. 18 sec - 35. Thanks so much! :)

[@WilliamLang]

hi! the first sound from 0-18 is just air with a swell - some people use X noteheads and a lot in the part for clarification. the second sound is the same with the mouthpiece reversed and different dynamic envelopes

[@slugger1114]

@@WilliamLang thank you so much!!

[@carlakihlstedt1194]

I've seen square noteheads used to indicate nonpitched air sounds for flute... I imagine it's all fair game as long as you include it in your notation key at the top.

[@WilliamLang]

that's definitely true! a glossary is key above all

[@mingwu4331]

Hi William, thank you for your demonstration for composers! I see you mentioned using "x" note head and percussion staff to notate air sound. I'm curious... does trombonist usually skip fingering and pitch when it comes to air sound? If I ask a trombonist to play an air sound on a lower pitch (the "pitch" is still notated on five-line staff), will the resultant airy noise sounds lower too? Thanks.

[@WilliamLang]

Hi Ming Wu! air sounds on trombone have a much lower pitch content than other instruments, so we have to use the trombone as kind of an amplifier for sounds we create with our mouths. for example, if you ask for a "hoo" air sound it will generally sound lower than a "hee" sound. so feel free to ask for low and high air sounds! we just don't accomplish that through the slide

[@mingwu4331]

@@WilliamLang Thank you for your explanation! I didn't know that changing embouchure to alter pitch also works on trombone! I saw some flutist playing glissando by changing embouchure from "hoo" to "hee". Looks like it is also feasible on trombone. That's very interesting.

[@NilEoe]

How would you notate it ?

[@WilliamLang]

for basic air sounds i would use an X notehead. i also enjoy seeing a switch to percussion clef with traditional notation, but that's a slightly different and more time-intensive approach sometimes