Learn about the Trombone with Joseph Alessi

Joseph Alessi, Principal Trombone, New York Philharmonic

[@chiphouston5262]

"Everybody has to be encouraged..." that quote is a keeper.

[@crollinsphoto]

Exactly. If my University instructor did that to me I would have stuck with it: instead he cut you down all the time so I got fed up and joined the Navy and played in one of their enlistment bands.- haha, a lot better than being under him.

[@gaetondavis3741]

0:47 dat lefty trombone

[@nathantieche9573]

YES I SEE THAT AND IT MAKES ME SO MAD FOR SOME REASON UGHH

[@crollinsphoto]

I wish I had an instructor like him when I was in high school and freshman in college, I would have stuck with it. Now I'm 61 and regret leaving Dr. John Mead's teaching but man he was tough. It could have been my tooth structure or something but no one could fix my embouchure problem (sigh)

[@TheListerbo]

What a beautiful speaking voice too.

[@dahalofreeek]

I thought is was pronounced "suck butt." In my music class, a kid asked: "is that like a rusty trombone?"

[@ashhorton5683]

To think, we nearly lost this incredible musician and player to the trumpet!

[@tromboneman4517]

m h, I almost thought you said we lost him. Lol.

[@georgeschaut2178]

He's too soft-spoken, humble, & gentle to be a trumpet player (Full disclosure: I play trombone).

[@jkgou1]

For the first time I take a close look at this instrument through your instruction

[@CrewsTheWildDawg]

He is an amazing trombonist. No wonder he won for the brass division in that competition.

[@CashlessCaptures]

Its funny to come back to this video after the most intense year of trombone playing I've ever had and have such different perspectives. When I watched this at first, I saw the knowing your pitches segment and blew it off as an Oh well I don't have perfect pitch thing, but coming back I realize that I'm starting to remember pitches sometimes... Only in the tamber of trombone however, so if someone was to sing a note I still have no clue but I seem to have spent enough time on the horn that its starting to stick. Particularly F's and Bb's which makes sense considering the tuning of the instrument. So if anyone has strong aspirations of music out there but is being tripped up mentally by things like this, stick with it I guess because you never know what can evolve in time...

[@JacobAuthier]

Happens all the time when I listen to music played by younger people. I used to be so awed at them, now it's just like.. Ehhh xD But with the stuff like this, it's more of a lesson for me.

[@245L6GwM]

A few years into my brass playing career I realized that when I was holding "my" instrument, I just KNEW what a B flat sounded like. Otherwise, I could only guess within a minor 3rd. Put an F horn in my hands and I'm even worse off. I believe that short-term pitch memory, well-refined muscle memory and a good sense of intervals are what get a lot of us through. In short, study and practice.

[@TheJonahly]

CashlessProductions Sight-singing is great for you...buy a piano and sing with it too. In my experience, in knowing the Bb...I know all the notes!

[@willfulliam]

If you sing in your mind it happens better on the instrument.

[@jasoncostello1535]

Just went through the same thing but with Euphonium

[@AlaskanTrain21]

when the microphone is not ready for the brass 3:40

[@montagne8820]

iPhone 4

[@Braglemaster123]

Wonderful

[@peculiarproductivity7311]

He's gotten a LOT better at giving interviews lol

[@georgeschaut2178]

Remember...trombonists tend to be introverts.

[@iliannachesters6080]

does anyone else notice that the 3-d image of the trombone is a mirror image

[@iliannachesters6080]

+Nick Barker I was gonna say... I know left handed people who don't even play their trombone with the slide on that side of the bell.

[@iliannachesters6080]

+Nick Barker We had an opposite day for Spirit Week and the entire trombone section did that. It was great.

[@braydennorwood6267]

Matthew Allen Saaaaasmmmmee

[@spoilerzado]

Nick Barker hahaha

[@245L6GwM]

The photo: trombonist who still strives to master trumpet high register. Meanwhile, since some lucky high school players get exposed to many different styles at such an early age it would be helpful to indicate WHY glissando (or vibrato) is admissible in some contexts but not in others. I'm 68, been playing for 59 years now, and I still don't quite get it. But at age 11 I bought an LP featuring Urbie Green and decided I wanted to sound like that. Btw, how come opera singers can get away with glissandi (code-named portamenti) like murder? Is it a special clause in their Artistic License? (I admit soloists' rules are justifiably different from choristers'.)

[@abidjan63]

SACQUE-BOUTE from the french words SACQUER (= pull) and BOUTER (= push). The name refers to the very movements use to play.

[@mustafa1name]

And trombone - from the Italian for "big trumpet"

[@paulkolodner2445]

When I was a kid, I wanted to start playing the trumpet in the school band. So did everybody else. The teacher said, "Some of you guys better come back tomorrow and switch to the trombone." The next day, most of the kids wanted trombones. So he said, "Some of you guys better come back tomorrow and switch to the French horn." The next day, 3 of us got horns. I think this is the way most low brass players get their start.

[@Travisbassbone0]

The Sakbut was also established in the renaissance.

[@MrTrackman100]

Very, very interesting. As a very amateur trumpet player still struggling with high notes (and tone), I'm not wondering if I, like Mr. Alessi, should give the trombone a try? I love all brass so I'll love the trombone if I can also achieve a better sound. (But using the slide instead of values might be too daunting!)

[@testing582]

I had the same problem, I gave trombone a shot and it ended up being 100x better for me

[@junito1957]

TROMBONE RULES

[@logodaedalist]

No orchestra in the world does Mahler justice like the Philharmonie Berlin

[@ghxstgamerrr2504]

what scale was that? I had never heard of that pattern before 5:03

[@Erdbeerschorsch2011]

+Edward Quibal That is a harmonic Bb Minor Scale. The seventh step is raised by a semitone making it a leading tone like in major scale. As a consequence, there is a one-and-a-half note step between the 6th and 7th note.

[@ghxstgamerrr2504]

+Erdbeerschorsch2011 but wait isn't it a concert D that he started on?

[@Erdbeerschorsch2011]

+Edward Quibal Yes, you are right!

[@meddown6859]

ENIV Cool! I could recognize the scale pattern, but much else. I'm not good at ear training

[@devinsalazar7568]

D harmonic minor

[@ec-hi1br]

What brand is this trombone?

[@jakubpirowski4536]

It's a Edwards T-396A Joseph Alessi model

[@chrishernandez113]

What tenor trombone does he have

[@Aaarkin]

Chris Shires

[@stevstomatoe6456]

0:52 ITS BACKWARDS

[@nikomitrione]

STEVE LEVELEVE something looked way off to me...

[@germtdevries3034]

Please Maestro Alessi, can we share eachothers brain! and can you fix mine?

[@Tbaribone1115]

3:42 Wipe your lips! My lesson teacher doesn't wipe his either and it's very distracting! Lol!

[@lukemilt]

lips buzz better when they're wet. Should listen to what he's saying, not a little spit on his lip.

[@macree01]

According some embouchure methods like the Reinhardt System, playing WITHOUT wet lips is actually considered improper technique. Reinhardt's system in particular is based off of the idea of pivots to more easily access certain ranges. It was in Reinhardt's opinion that these pivots were at their most natural when the lips are wet and allow the mouthpiece to more easily adjust to the pivots.

[@sceu25]

Did you just try to tell Joseph Alessi what to do?

[@andrecarvalho5622]

He forgot the piccolo trombone

[@masayukifujita7000]

Piccolo trombone is almost a novelty gadget, and it's almost never used in an orchestra (soprano isn't used much as well, but piccolo, almost never).

[@ilovenycsomuch]

is he saying trombone players should have 'perfect pitch' ....isn't that like a rare gift few people have..?

[@tristanhmusic]

I don't think he's saying brass players need perfect pitch, but rather, a well-trained ear. Ear training is an extremely helpful tool for musicians. Especially in an ensemble such as an orchestra, wind ensemble, or big band, where the slightest change in tuning and balance can make a big difference. And yes, perfect pitch is a rare skill, but there are probably more people that have it than you would think.

[@ilovenycsomuch]

Tristan H Music thanks for the explanation!

[@niecomartinez2148]

Angela Wilson ikr

[@SammyBoe]

You forgot about about the picallo trombone when naming the types of trombone.

[@betukoperez1476]

fuera el exito q hable español

[@arise1668]

I read Joseph Stalin....

[@MrTrackman100]

NOW--not NOt!

[@hanj31]

Does this guy have perfect pitch like me and others?

[@PimpedKoalas]

> like me > Joe Alessi Are you trying put yourself above one of the best musicians in the world?

[@mauriciofunk2972]

Joshua Han I don't think you're as good as him he's the best ever

[@hanj31]

I am not a trombone player I am a saxophone player

[@crollinsphoto]

@@mauriciofunk2972 I don't know about that. Dr John Mead (passed away 2/8/14) in NH was about as perfect as I know - head trombonist in 5 symphony orchestras in his time.

[@willtemp9065]

He’s so quiet...

[@juanbeltran1967]

Uhhh and.. and... and

[@leahk9382]

sorry 4 bein offenciv

[@groscul1548]

The leftover spit on his top lips is quite irritating

[@owenwu7995]

Why was his time so edgy and loud... I thought this was supposed to be Joseph alessi

[@cpg2198]

The camera sound equipment isn't properly setup for brass playing, he more than likely played louder than it was tuned to pick up.

[@igarinblessyou7927]

I tired to hear about the bazzing...per hours..for the perfection. And all this tips for 'the pitch'with lips muscles isn't worth. As the New World in this performance. The secret hided in the other place)) The lier!