Bass Trombone Position Chart
Bass trombone with F-attachment · concert pitch (bass clef) · 7 slide positions + trigger valves for the low register
How to play
- Tap a note to see its slide position and hear it. The slide animates out to the right position.
- Position 1 is all the way in; position 7 is fully extended. Each position out lowers the pitch a semitone.
- The F-attachment (thumb trigger) adds tubing to reach the low notes below E2 — E♭2, D2, D♭2, C2 (highlighted). A second valve (double-valve bass trombone) reaches the low B1.
- The trombone has no valves — you choose the note with the slide plus your lips (the harmonic). That’s why open notes like B♭, F and D… all sit in position 1.
- Play note repeats it; Play all runs up the range. Vol sets volume. Keyboard: Tab + Enter/Space.
- Tip — trigger notes are marked F-valve; the diagram shows both the slide position and which valves are engaged.
Explore the valve and slide combinations of an F-attachment bass trombone in this interactive chart. Click on the note grid below with your mouse, or use your computer keyboard if you prefer to play hands free. You can move through the trombone to see exactly where the slide extends for every pitch and hear what that sounds like.
Below is the main interface which is just a grid of buttons for notes starting at low B1 to high Bb4. These buttons displays both the name of the note and the slide number for that note. Pos numbers 1-7 are standard ones and simply marked as standard. Notes that require the F attachment are indicated by a special background color and an “F-valve” label on the button. Note B1 is the lowest note and this means that both valves is engaged. You can click on each button to play it and then animate the slide graphic above to show the right extent of the extension.
How to Use the Interactive Chart
A couple of useful controls are at the top of the widget. The Play all button plays through the full range of notes one after the other showing the slide movement on the instrument. It’s good to hear the change of pitch that occurs with the slide moving. Clicking on the button again toggles back to stop and allows you to halt the sequence at any point.
In the top right corner there is also a volume slider. This allows you to adjust the overall volume of produced sounds. You may wish to play it at a lower volume so that you can read through the chart while studying it. Or, you might want a loud volume so that you can realy listen for the detail of every single pitch. The initial volume is set to a reasonable level that will suit most situations.
The widget offers an option for keyboard players to tab around with the Tab key to move from note to control. When a note has the focus on it, then you can press the Spacebar or enter key to select the note and play it. So you don’t have to use your mouse to move around the chart. You just see the focus ring and know what’s going on at all times.
This allows you to see the physical movement needed to play each note, and it also adds a visual element to the slide animation. Notice that as you choose various pitches, the top graphic displays the slide either retracting or extending. Fully extended is position 7; fully retracted is position 1. The animation makes an abstraction like a musical pitch concrete by associating it with the physical act of moving the slide.
The highlighted notes show where the F attachment valve is used. It extends additional tubing through the instrument making it able to produce lower pitches. The widget marks these clearly. This helps you identify which notes were produced using the valve rather than just an open slide position. To get around the lower register of the bass trombone knowing when to use the valve is vital.
The Play all option is great for an at-a-glance look at the range of the instrument. Simply play each pitch from start to finish; it will display the slide position for each note and let you hear each one. It is a rapid means of getting an idea of the extent of notes that are available. The whole thing could of been paused at any time allowing you to concentrate on a particular part of the scale.
You can turn the help panel on or off whenever you want. It provides extra explanation about what the slides represent in a position and which notes is in a similar position that need different lip tension. It’s this kind of information that helps bridge the gap between the data shown in the chart and how it is applied to actual playing technique. The interface is clean and has an option to show or hide the help panel.
Want to see it in full screen? That’s possible too, which is especially handy if you are studying the chart on a small screen or want to reduce distractions. Simply click the full screen button (it will cover the whole display) and toggle back out of full screen by clicking the button one more time.
That’s possible too. It is especially handy when trying to reduce distractions while viewing the chart or if your phone screen size is small. Simply click the full screen button (it will cover the whole display) and toggle back out of full screen by clicking the button one more time.
Begin by running through the middle register notes that tend to be where students feel most at home. Observe how the slide glides from one note to another. Next attempt some of the lower notes that use the F valve and experience how this alters the pitch. Try some patterns or sequences of notes as you become used to how the slide operates.
Intended as an instant reference point for fans of the instrument and student alike, the widget makes use of both visual aides and audible feedback to cement learning. The interface responds well and is easy to understand whether you want a quick check of a particular note or simply love the sound of the bass trombone. Click on the notes and take some time to explore what this instrument sounds like.
Adjust the volume slider to suit. Keep it low if you’re listening in quiet company so as not to disturb anyone. Set it higher if you wish to pick up the details of this particular synth voice. Within the limits of an online musical instrument, the audio engine delivers what sounds like a convincing portrayal of the trombone.
Note: The chart shows the notes in concert pitch, written in bass clef. What this means is that if you see a note in the chart it matches the one written out on a piece of sheet music. You do not need to transpose anything in your head. It can be used as a companion to your current reading of music.
For example, the F-valve notes are highlighted in the cells where they should be played, providing an easy visual cue for when to use the thumb valve. This happens quickly on the instrument and physically alters the length of the instrument. On the chart, you will notice a clear label and note of where these notes sit. It means you can look at the chart and know instantly what notes needs the extra valve.
Use this chart as many times as required. As you will discover, it is an excellent tool that shows where the slides go and how each note relates in terms of pitch. Hearing them alongside seeing them in motion reinforces your grasp of what the range of the Bass Trombone sounds like.