The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-11-27
PLAYING 4 TROMBONE
A Rather Easy Matter, the Must
clan Seemed to Think.
SUCH A SIMPLE INSTRUMENT
But Somehow Or Another the Ex.
PLANTATION Only Muddisd the Man
Who Wanted TO Learn and Who Dc.
eidsd to Tackle an Accordion.

PLANTATION Only MuddIsd the Man
Who Wanted TO Learn and Who Do.
eidsd to Tackle an Accordion.
The band was playing loudly in the
Trinkfestbiergarten 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 want you to put me
on"
what do you want to knows" asked
the musician.
"Just hint about how 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
successfully A. A fiat, G. r sharp. F
and E."
That's only seven notes." objected
Biggs.
"Yes. Getting the rest depends. on
how YOU pucSer your lips. In the first
position you can make. figuring up
ward. B fiat. F. B fiat. D. F. B fat and
c. In the second you obtain A. E. A.
G sharp. f. G and A. The third gives
you A fat. Z fiat. A fat, c, E fat and
A fiat. 1t works out the same all the
way down.
There are higher notes that didn't
mention. but you won't want to mon
key with them. But good player has
compass of more than three octaves."
Biggs looked troubled.
Let me see." he said. "You start in
the first position with B fiat"
Yes" replied the other-'that is.
provided you are playing in the bass
clef. In the treble clef the first posi-
ton is c."
What" exclaimed Biggs. "Its one
note one time and another another?"
"In the treble clef," explained the
musician. 1.-The trombone is B fat
horn. In the bass clef it is G horn"
Biggs mopped his brow.
"Say that again, will your" he ap-
pealed
Don't you see" came the answer.
when the first position is c it's a
fat horn. When the same shift is
B fat it's G 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'll take one thing at t1me," he
said. "1n getting at what a B fat
horn is let's consider cornet."
Lets. If it's simpler" said Biggs
hopefully.
Its because it's always a B fat
horn" replied the other. Then he add
ed. Except when it's an A horn"
Biggs gave sickly SMILE
''The lowest note on a cornet when
open-when no keys are pressed down
is really B fat said the bandman.
"But 1t is called c."
''That doesn't make it c." said Biggs.
"For all practical purposes it does"
was the reply. "There is a reason for
doing this, but it's complicated and at
present I'm keeping to simple facts"
Yes. indeed" murmured Biggs.
I'm an orchestra. for instance, when
the first violins are playing in G 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 confusion of sharps
and double sharps. so he slips an A
crook on his instrument That raises
the signature three semitones. When
the fiddles play in A or three sharps
the cornetist is blowing along the easy
path Of c natural"
look here" said Biggs, "if my
wife is playing Under the Pink Lilac
Bush on the piano. couldn't l play
with her from the song scorer
Not unless you can mentally trans
pose as you so along" said the mu-
sician. 'The system looks queer at
first. but it's logical. It's purpose is to
bring the same music within the nat
nral compass Of all the instruments of
band or an orchestra. But If you
are going to play the trombone you
won't have to bother your head about
any Of this, as trombone music is now
adays always written in the bass cleft"
"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 trombonist
I'm not mad" replied Biggs. I'm
only going to make my VIII and buy