The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-07-31
PLAYING A TROMBONE
A Rather Easy Matter, the Musi-
clan Seemed to Think.
SUCH A SIMPLE INSTRUMENT

I But Somehow or Another the Elk.
PLANTATION Only MuddIed the Man
Who Wanted to Learn and Who De-
eided to Tackle an Accordion.
The band was playing loudly In the
ITrinkfestbiergarten 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 owe to his table and ordered two
glasses Of schoenesbraue.
my name is Biggs," said the man
whose hair was absent. Zone of nv
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 known" asked
the musician.
"Just a 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.
"The slide is divided into seven shifts,
q positions. about three inches apart.
Starting with the lowest note in the
nrst position-the slide closed-you get
B hat. Push out the tubes and you hit
Excessively A. A fat, G, r 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 a make, figuring up
ward. B fat. f. B fiat, ID, f, B nat and
G. In the second you obtain A, z, A,
O sharp, e. G and A. The third gives
you A dat, r fiat, A nat, G. r nat and
A nat. 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 q good player has
. compass Of more than three octaves."
Biggs looked troubled.
LET me see." he said. "You start In
the arst position with b nat"
YES" replied the other-"that is,
provided You are playing in the bass
clef. In the treble clef the frst posi-
ton Is G."
"What" exclaimed Biggs. "Its one
note n time and another another7"
"1n the treble clef." explained the
musician. "the trombone Is a B nat
horn. In the bass clef It is 4 @ horn"
Biggs mopped his brow. "
"say that again, WIN your" be ap-
pealed.
Don't you sect" came the answer
"When the first position IL @ it's .
B 1at horn. When the same SHIFT u
b nat it's a G horn"
Biggs unbuttoned his coat
you may call this thing simple" hs
said. "but If it is I'll give myself up AZ
the nearest asylum. You are talkina
antonyms."
The musician grinned.
well take one thing at a time" he
said. ''1n getting at what a B faat
horn is let's consider a cornet"
Lets. II it's simpler" said Biggs
hopefully.
TITS because It's always a B Dat
horn" replied the other. Then he add
Cd, Except when it's an A horn"
Btggs gave a 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 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 BigRs.
"1n an orchestra. for instance, when
the first violins are playing ii @ nat
ural. the cornetist's score Is two SENT.
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 II things
kept on this way the cornetist would
soon be lost in a confusion Of sharps
n 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
S0S SOAASlASS ID OAOWlu& ulOUX luc easy
path Of c natural"
'Look here" said Biggs. ri 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 az you go along" said the mu-
stefan. The system looks queer at
hrst. but it's logical. Its purpose 70 10
bring the same music within the nat
ural compass Of all the instruments Of
Q 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 clef."
Then what have you been taking
about 1t for and mixing me up7'
shouted Biggs. jumping up.
"What are you getting mad about1s
asked the trombonist.
I'm not mad" replied Biggs. I'm
only going to make my VIII and buy
On Observation-Disclosures Post.
Ne Longer Q Secret.
80 that great inventor is dead ans
h0a -onAo,e,V n..-aA .