TromboneChat

To those who double on contra:
What and how do you practice?

After having played contra quite a lot during my studies, including playing a concerto in my diploma, but not really having touched one for almost 15 years, I got a nice instrument in 2024.

My goals are to a) generally develop and maintain a good level of contra playing (basically having at ready for all those frequent contrabass trombone gigs that come flying in ), b) preparing for specific playing opportunities, such as a trombone ensemble project in June and October and c) to a degree also just extending my capabilities and challenging myself.

Overall I practice trombone somewhere between 30 and 90-120 minutes most days, doubling between alto, small/large tenor, bass and contra (plus very rarely euphonium or bass trumpet).

My current approach to contra practice:
- Appr. 15-30 minutes 3 or 4 times a week, so about every 2nd day
- Rather basic stuff like long tones, scales or Bordognis, sometimes mixing in some excerpts, obviously not all of it in each session
- Range-wise mostly between F above the staff to double contra Bb
- Focusing mostly on consistency, response, tone and intonation

In my opinion I am in some aspects of it better than "in my best days", but in other aspects there is still a good way to go.

How do you organize your contra practice? What are you aiming for? What do you find most challenging?

I tend to focus on the specifics of whatever comes up for performance. I have enough familiarity with the instrument to know my way around it, so I concentrate on the toughest passages to ensure I have them secured. If I happen to have a particular performance, in which I am only on contra, I will devote some extra practice time to it, but generally I don't have enough time to dedicate as much as 2 hours a day, so I have to be selective.

Do you typically practice contra also if you do not have a performance coming up soon? (Assuming you do not have a performance with contra every week...)

The simple answer to that is no. A lack of available time is the biggest problem. I recently returned to the euphonium after acquiring my own instrument towards the end of last year. Having not touched it in about 35 years, I have been devoting time to improving valve technique. I also have a tenor trombone student, so that forces me to practise the tenor trombone as well (being mostly a bass trombonist). It all helps pay the bills, I guess.

That's also a lot of doubling that you do and obviously takes time and attention.

For me it's more or less:
- Small tenor and bass on almost daily basis, at least for a few minutes. Most playing opportunities
- Alto, large tenor and contra ideally a few times a week
- Euphonium and bass trumpet only every now and then, whenever I feel like it or if there is a performance coming up. Actually I prefer bass trumpet over euphonium, just for the fun of it

Mine comes out once or twice a month. I find that my progress on other horns means contra always feels better anyway.

I usually play some basics, then hit a Blazhevich etude or two- harder than anything that will happen on the instrument otherwise.

Currently I am putting much more time in on tuba than the doubles like contra, which also helps the contra playing in the end.

Burgerbob wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 9:44 am Mine comes out once or twice a month. I find that my progress on other horns means contra always feels better anyway.

I usually play some basics, then hit a Blazhevich etude or two- harder than anything that will happen on the instrument otherwise.

Currently I am putting much more time in on tuba than the doubles like contra, which also helps the contra playing in the end.

I have started practicing the Lebedev Konzertantes Allegro for the same reasons. It covers the whole range and demands more of everything than all orchestral contra parts. The John Williams tuba concerto would also be a nice candidate!

For me personally I feel that not touching the contra (same as alto) for more than 1-2 weeks then requires one or two practice sessions to get back into it, so that I cannot make any progress. So I try playing it at least every few days.

Any idea for a nice solo piece that's suitable for contra? Could also be originally for tuba or bass trombone of course.

MStarke wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 10:01 am

For me personally I feel that not touching the contra (same as alto) for more than 1-2 weeks then requires one or two practice sessions to get back into it, so that I cannot make any progress. So I try playing it at least every few days.

For me, making a good sound gets better without doing it on the instrument- it's only fine tuning positions that takes more time. And since I'm not playing it anywhere...

MStarke wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 10:01 am Any idea for a nice solo piece that's suitable for contra? Could also be originally for tuba or bass trombone of course.

Catozzi "Beelzebub". A theme and variation solo from 100 years ago, originally written for Eb tuba. I believe you can find it on www.BandMusicPDF.org

BGuttman wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 4:30 pm

MStarke wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 10:01 am Any idea for a nice solo piece that's suitable for contra? Could also be originally for tuba or bass trombone of course.

Catozzi "Beelzebub". A theme and variation solo from 100 years ago, originally written for Eb tuba. I believe you can find it on www.BandMusicPDF.org

Thanks for the suggestion!
I think I have not been clear. I am kind of looking for a nice solo = unaccompanied piece that's suitable for contra.
I am sort of putting together a (very) small program of unaccompanied pieces that could be used in different occasions.
Shouldn't be tooooo progressive, but also not too simple and should be a nice display of the contra's capabilities.

One piece that I found interesting is https://www.grothmusic.com/p-134956-low ... anied.aspx

A piece I like to perform in master classes I’ve recently done.

https://www.adjectivenewmusic.com/store ... on%29.html