The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-07-28
PLAYING A TROMBONE
A Rather Easy Matter, the Musi'
clan Seemed to Think.
SUCH A SIMPLE INSTRUMENT
But Somehow or Another the Elk
PLANTATION Only MuddIed the Mar
Who Wanted to Learn and Who De.
cided to Tackle an Accordion.

PLANTATION Only Muddled the Man
Who Wanted to Learn and Who De-
cided to Tackle an Accordion.
The band was playing loudly in the
Trinkfestbiergarte 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 a brass. The
careless way you yank that pump horn
looks good. and want you to put me
on"
"What do you want to knowY' asked
the musician
"Just a hint about how you handle
that wind machine so nonchalantly."
1.-THE trombone is very simple" re
piled the musiker, wiping his lips,
which curled in thick, red volutese.
''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. F sharp. +
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 fiat. r. B fat, D. F, B fiat and
G. In the second you obtain A. E, A
@ sharp, e, G and A. The third gives
you A flat, E fat, A fat. c, e fat and
A fiat. 1t works out the same all the
way down
'"There are higher notes that l didn't
mention, but you won't want to mon
key with them. But good player has
q compass of more than three octayes. '
Biggs looked troubled.
"Let me see," he said. you start ir
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."
"Whatp' exclaimed Biggs. ITS one
note one time and another another?"
"In the treble clef," explained the
musician, ''the trombone is B fla
horn. In the bass cIef it is G horn"
Biggs mopped his brow.
"Say that again, will your" he ap
pealed.
Don't you seer came the answer
''When the first position is G it's q
B fat horn. When the same shift is
B fat it's @ horn"
Biggs unbuttoned his coat.
'You may call this thing simple" be
said, "but if it is I'll give myself up a
the nearest asylum. You are talking
antonyms."
The musician grinned-
"We'll take one thing at a time" he
said "In getting at what B fla
horn is let's consider a cornet."
Lets. If it's simpler" said Bigg'
hopefully.
ITS because it's always B fla
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 wher
open-when no keys are pressed dowI
is really B fat" said the bandman
"But 1t is called G."
'That doesn't make it c." said Biggs
"For all practical purposes it does,
was the reply. "There is a reason TO
doing this. but it's complicated and a
present I'm keeping to simple facts"
Eyes, indeed" murmured Biggs.
'In an orchestra. for instance, whel
the first violins are playing in G nat
ural the cornetist's score is two semi
tones higher and is thus written in I
or two sharps. When the violins are
playing in D the cornet player is foot
ing in E or four sharps. But If thing
kept on this way the cornetist would
soon be lost in confusion of sharp'
and double sharps. so he slips an 4
crook on his instrument. That raises
the signature three semitones. WheI
the fiddles play In A or three sharp'
the cornetist is blowing along the easy
path Of G natural"
''Look here" said Biggs, "if m!
wife is playing Under the Pink Lilac
Bush on the piano. couldn't | pla!
with her from the song scorer"
Not unless you can mentally trans
pose as you go along" said the mu
stefan. 1.-THE system looks queer a
first, but it's logical. It's purpose Is t.
bring the same music within the nat
ural compass of all the instruments o.
a band or an orchestra. But If vol
are going to play the trombone yot
won't have to bother your head abou
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 aboutY
asked the trombonist
I'm not mad" replied Biggs. "I'n
only going to make my will and buy
an accordion. Washington Post.