Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-07-27
PLAYING 4 TROMBONE ]
A Rather Easy Matter, the Musi-
 elan Seemed to Think.
SUCH A SIMPLE INSTRUMENT
But Somehow or Another the Ex- pIanaticn Only Muddled the Man Who Wanted to Learn and Who De- eided to Tackle an Accordion.

cioeo 70 ackie 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 "One of my lungs is trying to quit work. and the doctor advises me to break up its shift i 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 knowT 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. "The slide is divided into seven shifts. or positions. about three inches apart.
 Starting with the lowest note in the first posltion-the slide closed-you get B fiat. Push out the tubes and you hit successively A. A fiat, G. F sharp, F and E."
 That's only seven notes." objected Riggs. .-
 Yes. Getting the rest depends on how you pucker your lips In the first position you can make. figuring up- ward. B fiat. F. B fat. D. F. B flat and c. In the second you obtain A. E. A. c sharp. E. c and A. The third gives you A fiat. E fiat. A fat. C. F fiat and A fat. It 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 a 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- tion is C."
 "Whatw exclaimed Biggs. "Its one note one time and another another?"
 Tn the treble clef." explained the musician. ''the trombone is a B fat horn. In the bass clef 1t is a c horn"
 Blggs mopped his brow.
 Say that again, will you?" he ap- pealed.
 Don't you see?" came the answer. "When the first position is c it's a R fiat horn. When the same shift is B fat it's a c horn"
 Riggs unbuttoned his coat.
 You may call this thing simple" he said. but if 1t is I'll give myself up at the nearest asylum. You are talking antonyms."
 The musician grinned.
 'We'll take one thing at q time." he said. Tn getting at what a B fiat horn is let's consider cornet."
 Let's. if It's simpler" said Riggs hopefully.
 "It's because it's always a B flat 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 fiat" said the bandman. 'But it is called C."
 That doesn't make 1t 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"
 "Yes, indeed" murmured Riggs.
 'Tn an orchestra. for instance, when the first viollns 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 tho 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 he 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 c natural"
 Look here" said Riggs. If my wife Is playing Under the Pink Lilac I Bush on the piano. couldn't I play | with her from the song scoref"
 Not unless you can mentally trans pose as you go along" said the mu- sician. The system looks queer at I first. but It's logical. Its purpose is to 1 bring the same music within the nat l ural compass of all the instruments of . . band or an orchestra. But if you are going 10 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 lt for and mixing me upT' shouted BiggS. jumping up.
 What are you getting mad aboutY' asked the tromboniSt.
 -I'm not mad" replied Biggs I'm 1hly going to make my VIII and buy zn accordion. Post.