The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1908-09-02
PLAYING A TROMBONE
"A Rather Easy Matter, the Musi-
clan Seemed to Think.
SUCH A SIMPLE INSTRUMENT

But Somehow or Another the Eek
PLANTATION Only Muddied tho Man
Who Wanted to Learn and Who De-
eided to Tackle an Accordion.
The band was playing loudly In the
Trinkfestbiergarten and the little bald
headed man had his eyes fastened inter
hstedly on the trombone player. When
The players stopped to recuperate he
iheckoned 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
aoctor advises me to break up Its shift
less habits by blowing a brass. The
careless way you yank that pump horn
looks good, and I want you to put me
en-"
What do you want to known asked
the musician.
"Just hint about how you handle
ahat wind machine SO noncha1antly."
'"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
Mrst position-the slide closed-you get
B fiat. Push out the tubes and you hit
successfully A, A dat, G, r sharp, It
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 fiat and
g. In the second you obtain A, e, A,
q sharp, e, G and A. The third gives
you A fat, fat, A fat, G., Il fiat and
Ia fat. 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
o. compass Of more than three octayes"
Biggs looked troubled.
"Let me see," he said. "You start In
the first position with b fiat"
yes" replied the other-''that Ia,
provided you are playing In the bass
clef. In the treble clef the first POSI-
tion is CO.
what" exclaimed Biggs. TITS one
note one time and another another?"
"1n the treble clef," explained the
musician, "the trombone Is q B fat
horn. In the bass clef 1t is @ horn"
Biggs mopped his brow.
"say that again, will you?" he ap-
pealed
{. Don't you see?" came the answer.
when the first position is G it's a
B fiat 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
4he nearest asylum. You are talking
antonyms."
The musician grlnned
'We'll take one thing at time" he
said. 'In getting at what a B fat
horn is let's consider a cornet"
Lets, If it's simpler" said Biggs
hopefully.
"It's because it's always q 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
lis really B fat" said the bandman.
'But 1t is called c."
'"That doesn't make it c." said Biggs.
"For all practical purposes 1t does"
was the reply. "There Is a reason for
doing this but it's complicated and at
present I'm keeping to simple facts"
Eyes, 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
che f1ddles play in A or three sharps
the cornetist is blowing along the easy
path of G natural"
"Look here" said Riggs, 'If my
wife is playing Under the Pink Lilac
Bush on the piano. couldn't I play
with her from the song scorer"
mot unless you can mentally trans
pose as you go along" said the mu-
stefan. 1.-THE system looks queer at
first, but it's logical. It's purpose is to
bring the same music within the nat
aral compass of all the instruments of
band or an orchestra. But II 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 clef."
"Then what have you been talking
about 1T for and mixing me upr'
shouted Biggs, jumping up.
"What are you getting mad aboutr'