page_title: Trombone
section_title: Partials and intonation
hierarchical_section_title: Trombone / Technique / Partials and intonation
caption_attribution_description: English: Trombone seventh position harmonic series.
context_page_description: The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate. Unlike most other brass instruments, which have valves that, when pressed, alter the pitch of the instrument, trombones instead have a telescoping slide mechanism that varies the length of the instrument to change the pitch. However, many modern trombone models also use a valve attachment to lower the pitch of the instrument. Variants such as the valve trombone and superbone have three valves similar to those on the trumpet.
  The word "trombone" derives from Italian tromba and -one, so the name means "large trumpet". The trombone has a predominantly cylindrical bore like its valved counterpart, the baritone, in contrast to its conical valved counterparts: the cornet, the euphonium, and the French horn. The most frequently encountered trombones are the tenor trombone and bass trombone. The most common variant, the tenor, is a non-transposing instrument pitched in B♭, an octave below the B♭ trumpet and an octave above the pedal B♭ tuba.
context_section_description: As with all brass instruments, progressive tightening of the lips and increased air pressure allow the player to move to different partial in the harmonic series. In the first position (also called closed position) on a B♭ trombone, the notes in the harmonic series begin with B♭₂ (one octave higher than the pedal B♭₁), F₃ (a perfect fifth higher than the previous partial), B♭₃ (a perfect fourth higher), D₄ (a major third higher), and F₄ (a minor third higher).
  F₄ marks the sixth partial, or the fifth overtone. Notes on the next partial, for example A♭₄ (a minor third higher) in first position, tend to be out of tune in regards to the twelve-tone equal temperament scale. A♭₄ in particular, which is at the seventh partial (sixth overtone) is nearly always 31 cents, or about one third of a semitone, flat of the minor seventh.  On the slide trombone, such deviations from intonation are corrected for by slightly adjusting the slide or by using an alternate position. Although much of Western music has adopted the even-tempered scale, it has been the practice in Germany and Austria to play these notes in position, where they will have just intonation (see harmonic seventh as well for A♭₄).
  The next higher partials—B♭₄ (a major second higher), C₅ (a major second higher), D₅ (a major second higher)—do not require much adjustment for even-tempered intonation, but E♭₅ (a minor second higher) is almost exactly a quarter tone higher than it would be in twelve-tone equal temperament. E♭₅ and F₅ (a major second higher) at the next partial are very high notes; a very skilled player with a highly developed facial musculature and diaphragm can go even higher to G₅, A♭₅, B♭₅ and beyond.
  The higher in the harmonic series any two successive notes are, the closer they tend to be (as evidenced by the progressively smaller intervals noted above).  A byproduct of this is the relatively few motions needed to move between notes in the higher ranges of the trombone. In the lower range, significant movement of the slide is required between positions, which becomes more exaggerated on lower pitched trombones, but for higher notes the player need only use the first four positions of the slide since the partials are closer together, allowing higher notes in alternate positions. As an example, F₄ (at the bottom of the treble clef) may be played in first, fourth or sixth position on a B♭ trombone. The note E₁ (or the lowest E on a standard 88-key piano keyboard) is the lowest attainable note on a 9-foot (2.7 m) B♭ tenor trombone, requiring a full 7 feet 4 inches (2.24 m) of tubing. On trombones without an F attachment, there is a gap between B♭₁ (the fundamental in first position) and E₂ (the first harmonic in seventh position). Skilled players can produce "falset" notes between these, but the sound is relatively weak and not usually used in performance. The addition of an F attachment allows for intermediate notes to be played with more clarity.
caption: Trombone seventh position harmonic series.[16]
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