The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1908-08-12
PLAYING A TROMBONE
A Rather Easy Matter, the Musi-
clan Seemed to Think.
SUCH A SIMPLE INSTRUMENT

SUCH A SIMPLE INSTRUMENT
But Somehow or Another the Ex-
planaticn Only MuddIed the Man
Who Wanted to Learn and Who De-
cided to Tackle an Accordion.
The band was playing loudly in the
Irinkfestbiergarten and the little bald
headed man had his eyes fastened inter
estedly on the trombone player. When
the players stopped to recuperate he
beckoned the man who works the loose
horn over to his table and ordered two
glasses of schoenesbraue.
MY name is Biggs," said the man
whose hair was absent. Zone Of my
lungs is trying to quit work, and the
doctor advises me to break up its shift
less habits by blowing brass. The
careless way you yank that pump horn
looks good, and I want you to put me
on"
What do you want to know" asked
the musician.
"Just a hint about bow you handle
that wind machine so nonchalantly."
The trombone is very simple" re-
piled the musiker, wiping his lips,
which curled in thick, red volutese.
1.-The slide is divided into seven shifts,
or positions, about three inches apart.
Starting with the lowest note in the
first position-the slide closed-you get
B fat Push out the tubes and you hit
successively A, A fat, G, F sharp, F
and E.'
That's only seven notes." objected
Biggs.
Eyes. Getting the rest depends on
how you pucker your lips. In the first
position you can make, figuring up
ward. B fat. F, B fat D, F, B fat and
c. In the second you obtain 4, E, a,
c sharp, E, G and 4. The third gives
you A fat, E fat, a fat, C, E fat and
A fiat. It works out the same all the
way down.
There are higher notes that I didn't
mention, but you won't want to mon
key with them. But good player has
a compass Of more than three octaves." :"
Biggs looked troubled.
'sLet me see," he said. ssYou start in
the first position with B fat"
"Yes," replied the other-"that is,
provided you are playing in the bass
clef. In the treble clef the first posi-
ton is c."
"Whatw exclaimed Biggs. "It's one
note one time and another another?"
"1n the treble clef," explained the
musician, "the trombone is B fat
horn. In the bass cief it IS a G horn"
Biggs nopped his brow.
"say that again, viii you?" he ap-
pealed.
Don't you sees came the answer.
'When the first position is c it's a
B fat horn When the same shift IS
B fat it's a c horn"
Biggs unbuttoned his coat.
''You may call this thing simple" he
said, "but if it is I'll give myself up at
the nearest asylum. You are talking
antonyms."
The musician grinned.
"We'li take one thing at time" ne
said. I'm getting at what a B fat
horn is let's consider q cornet."
"Let's, If it's simpler" said Biggs
hopefully.
"It's because it's always a B fat
horn," replied the other. Then he add
ed, Except when it's an A horn"
Biggs gave q sickly smile.
"The lowest note on cornet when
open-when no keys are pressed down
lis really B fat" said the bandman.
"But it IS called c."
'9That doesn't make it c." said Biggs.
"For all practical purposes it does" }"
was the reply. 'There is reason for
doing this, but it's complicated and at
present I'm keeping to simple facts"
Eyes, indeed" murmured Biggs.
"In an orchestra, for instance, when
the first yiolins are playing in c nat.
ural the cornetist's score is two semi,
tones higher and is thus written in D
or two sharps. When the violins are
playing in D the cornet player IS toot'
ing in E or four sharps. But If things
kept on this way the cornetist would
soon be lost in a confusion Of sharps
and double sharps. so be slips an a
crook on his instrument. That raises
the signature three semitones. When
the fddles play in A or three sharps
the cornetist is blowing along the easy
path of G natural
"Look here" said Biggs, "if my
wife is playing Under the Pink Lilac
Bush on the piano, couldn't play
with her from the song score"
.'Not unless you can mentally trans
pose as you so along" said the mu
sician. "The system looks queer al
first. but it's logical. It's purpose is te
bring the same music within the nat
ural compass Of all the instruments OF
a band or an orchestra y But If yor
are going to play the trombone yor
won't have to bother your head about
any of this, as trombone music is now
adays always written in the bass clef.'
"Then what have you been talking
about it for and mixing me up?
shouted Biggs, jumping up.
"What are you getting mad about!
asked the from bonist.
I'm not mad" replied Biggs. I'm
only going to make my will and buy
an Observation-Disclosures Post.
No Longer a Secret.
uco +ho+ ooraot inuontor iS dead anC