I've been listening every Saturday for a long time, but without comment. I've picked up the horn again after years of abstinence. Like riding a bicycle - sort of ! This was incredibly helpful. Great pedagogy! Thanks.
I have been looking at "The Blue Bells of Scottland for about 2 years now." And I feel like I have a grasp on the music enough to say that I love the style you play with on the 4th variation. It is splendid through each partial your exquisite controll of each note with tuning so easily sounding. Thank you for putting this video out, I enjoyed this.
I really appreciate you sharing. And I did watch to the end. I have been following your videos for a long time. I am a trombonist but haven't played in years but at least I still have my horn.
I Just got to play this with you today at WIBC, I was one of the group that got a picture with you on the stairs, and the girl randomly hugged you. I loved the suit!
I really enjoy watching your process. It's reassuring that you are a week out a performance and not at tempo, because the slow practice where I stay for so long and sometimes I feel like I'm pushing it, but I never regret it. I hope to meet you one day!
@Christopher Bill.... You are a wonderful Trombonist and I have learned from this video that lip slurs is very essential in order to play anything ESPECIALLY the GREAT Blue Bells of Scotland...This is a great teaching tool I can use in the Future in how I practice
I did this once in concert and it was the first and only time I did it from start to finish without stopping. By the end of the piece my tongue was so tired I was really having trouble keeping up with the last section even though I was totally fine playing it in practice and rehearsals. Be sure to play this all the way through if you plan on performing it so you know what it’s really going to be like. Gotta strengthen the double tonging more than you might think.
I am getting ready to perform this with our community orchestra the 1st of November. The last time I played and practiced this much was when I did my senior recital almost 40 years ago! Can a 61 year old play this???? I think I'll have it down. Thank you for this video. It helps me re assess how I should go about practicing this piece. BTW, thank you for what you do. I would love to get sheet music for some of the pieces you do. I teach band and I show videos of you. Most of my trombone players know who you are. Keep up the good work.
When Joseph Alessi played, not saying you have just a stylistic interpretation, but he tongued all of the c double octave(6:20) starting slower and ramping up really fast.
Justin McCarn, cut him some slack. He's clearly a great trombonist judging by many of the videos he has posted. Oh, and by the way, he's not shooting for mediocrity.
My band is playing this for my senior year in high school, and since Im our principle trombone, my band director just had me play the solo and moved the other two up a part, and I remembered that you had a practice video on it, and your advice really helped, so thank you!
Thanks for this, cool idea and instructional. It takes some stones to share all the warts and struggles, but at least we know you are in fact, a mortal! Good luck with the performance be sure to post!
Hello Christopher Bill, I was wondering if you could maybe do a small series like this where you play these pieces to show the progress made from these methods?
Watched it all. I’m getting lots of this direction and hearing it from you and Bob Reynolds is good reinforcement. Smaller sections is better. Thanks, Christopher. Maybe I’m the only one who thinks that most pros are at a level where the technique is great enough to sight read most, if not all of the music they encounter. Makes me know I have to do that same work with new music, too.
Love the fact that he uses Bluebells of Scotland as a little practice piece meanwhile I’m trying to learn it as fast as possible because it’s a fun thing to do
Great stuff! I was never that dedicated in high school, but these techniques would have helped if I would have been more dedicated. I think you work in helping players develop is important, so keep it up, especially if it is helpful to you!!
hey dude, I'm a high school trombonist, i do jazz and marching and i just wanted to say damn you are awesome. You are a very respectable player and i hope to play like you one day. Anyways can you PLEASE play "The Eagle and the Hawk" by John Denver. It would make my universe; thank you
Even though I don´t play the trombone at all, I think these videos helped me a lot! I actually play the bassoon (which is absolutely diffrent, I know because my brother play trombone and anyway, it is obvious) and I really need to practice more than I do now... But well, that is when you are still a student and a-levels are taking place soon. Anyways, excellent videos and keep going!
when I have looked up the third movement of this piece, a lot of people talk about about double tounging it for speed. Is that what you're doing? If so, can you explain how you do that? If not, can you go over how you toungue that section at speed?
Hey, great video, seeing this kind of thing always boosts my love for trombone playing! When you say partial, what do you mean? Is it the same as a harmonic?
What Brand do you use?😂 you are so good! Because of you, I was able to play Londonderry Air with ease using your Range and Endurance Exercises👌 You're the BEST
I'm a freshmen in high school and considering taking Blue Bells as my solo piece for the year. Last year I played Concerto by Rimski-Korsikov (8th grade) and the year before that I played Andante et Allegro by Ropartz (7th grade). I am wondering if I am ready to play this yet. I have about 5 months until contest when the piece would have to be ready and I usually practice about 2 1/2 hours a day (not all at one time). Any advice?
What mouthpiece are you using in this video? Btw, I have been watching you for for a while and you are the one who got me to be serious about trombone playing. I am a freshmen in high school at first chair in the top band. I tell my section they should watch your videos and it always inspires all of us.
Jason Sato I started last year and I'm already playing this peice. It just takes dedication. (I played sax 6-8th) I started on trombone my freshman year and I'm just ending my sophomore year. I'll be playing blue bells for my junior year. 🤷🏼 And I took first chair (top band) for my sophomore year. I also played morceau (I can't spell) symphonique for my sophomore year. My freshman year I played a class C solo (I belive topaz from the gem book)
Hey Chris, this is some great insight on how to work on a challenging piece. Just a quick question, your hat says Purchase College. Is that the Purchase in New York or somewhere else entirely?
may i reccommwnd a practicing "strategy?"- im goimg to any way lol. so when im doing double tongueing and find im missing partials i dont slow down. i keep it in performance speed but play one note at a time and then chain one by one all the other notes. i found it especially helpful for this piece.
+Colin Stubbs those are the two (and only two) ways of practicing! Slow it down or break it down (or both.) I usually start slow, speed up, and then break it down once I get to a tempo I like to make sure it's all there.
I like this series quite a bit, but I can't hear anything you say right after you finish playing. The automatic volume adjustment doesn't react quickly enough.
I disagree with going to first for the C on the A, F, D, C (triplet) A, F, D and then C I think playing that in sixth is a whole lot easier. And it's continuous motion of the slide from 2-1-4-6 so in then all the way out. It just makes it clearer plus you don't have to go through a partial so that triplet is just slighty easier. Maybe it's just my personal preference when I play it but that's the best way in my opinion
The way that I increased my range is either working up a scale to the highest not I can play well and long toning it and moving *slowly* up. Another way that helped was to start on low F the glissing up, the go back out to 6th position for the higher F and moving up, then to the A, ect, until I hit the highest note I can then long toneing it until is sounds good. It's also important to make sure you are warmed up before this, unless you want to accomplish nothing.
+Yan Yat Cheng that's how most people do it, but I find it nearly impossible to have note accuracy and it ends up just being a big messy cluster of notes, some of which are not supposed to be there. In practice, I'm looking for accuracy of notes and rhythm above "effect"... In performance it might be weighed differently!
Do you impress girls by flexing your perfect pitch? (I'm baiting, but it's really unnecessary to flaunt the fact that you can discern pitches on CB's videos.)
I've been listening every Saturday for a long time, but without comment. I've picked up the horn again after years of abstinence. Like riding a bicycle - sort of ! This was incredibly helpful. Great pedagogy! Thanks.
+James Hodge Welcome back!!!
I have been looking at "The Blue Bells of Scottland for about 2 years now." And I feel like I have a grasp on the music enough to say that I love the style you play with on the 4th variation. It is splendid through each partial your exquisite controll of each note with tuning so easily sounding. Thank you for putting this video out, I enjoyed this.
I really appreciate you sharing. And I did watch to the end. I have been following your videos for a long time. I am a trombonist but haven't played in years but at least I still have my horn.
I Just got to play this with you today at WIBC, I was one of the group that got a picture with you on the stairs, and the girl randomly hugged you. I loved the suit!
I'd love to see more of these videos I think they're just as amazing as the regular vids and even really helpful
Can we get you playing this piece this Saturday 😭 That would heal corona virus!
I really enjoy watching your process. It's reassuring that you are a week out a performance and not at tempo, because the slow practice where I stay for so long and sometimes I feel like I'm pushing it, but I never regret it. I hope to meet you one day!
@Christopher Bill.... You are a wonderful Trombonist and I have learned from this video that lip slurs is very essential in order to play anything ESPECIALLY the GREAT Blue Bells of Scotland...This is a great teaching tool I can use in the Future in how I practice
I did this once in concert and it was the first and only time I did it from start to finish without stopping. By the end of the piece my tongue was so tired I was really having trouble keeping up with the last section even though I was totally fine playing it in practice and rehearsals. Be sure to play this all the way through if you plan on performing it so you know what it’s really going to be like. Gotta strengthen the double tonging more than you might think.
Wow that was great seeing how someone practices not just telling us how they practice.
I am getting ready to perform this with our community orchestra the 1st of November. The last time I played and practiced this much was when I did my senior recital almost 40 years ago! Can a 61 year old play this???? I think I'll have it down. Thank you for this video. It helps me re assess how I should go about practicing this piece.
BTW, thank you for what you do. I would love to get sheet music for some of the pieces you do. I teach band and I show videos of you. Most of my trombone players know who you are. Keep up the good work.
I am 81 and just performed this recently. Age should not enter your thoughts. Carole Trombonist in Toronto
Watching you practice was incredibly entertaining, actually. Please do more!
When Joseph Alessi played, not saying you have just a stylistic interpretation, but he tongued all of the c double octave(6:20) starting slower and ramping up really fast.
just trying to be helpful, you can do what you want, you're much better than I am, so...
+Mark Datton that's typically how it's done, but I, at least in practice am trying to do it in tempo. It'd be super impressive if done well!
Christopher Bill never shoot for mediocrity
Justin McCarn, cut him some slack. He's clearly a great trombonist judging by many of the videos he has posted. Oh, and by the way, he's not shooting for mediocrity.
My band is playing this for my senior year in high school, and since Im our principle trombone, my band director just had me play the solo and moved the other two up a part, and I remembered that you had a practice video on it, and your advice really helped, so thank you!
Thanks for this, cool idea and instructional. It takes some stones to share all the warts and struggles, but at least we know you are in fact, a mortal! Good luck with the performance be sure to post!
Really helpful, I'm using this as a guide as to how I practice it for solo and ensemble this year, thank you for the step by step explanation
i was at WIBC and saw you play all the solos. they were awesome, did not expect that loop thing but it was amazing
Gotta keep a little surprise for everybody!
Hello Christopher Bill, I was wondering if you could maybe do a small series like this where you play these pieces to show the progress made from these methods?
Very informative! Made it to the end of the video! 😊
Watched it all. I’m getting lots of this direction and hearing it from you and Bob Reynolds is good reinforcement. Smaller sections is better. Thanks, Christopher. Maybe I’m the only one who thinks that most pros are at a level where the technique is great enough to sight read most, if not all of the music they encounter. Makes me know I have to do that same work with new music, too.
Love the fact that he uses Bluebells of Scotland as a little practice piece meanwhile I’m trying to learn it as fast as possible because it’s a fun thing to do
I loved the video, Chris and truly enjoyed meeting you and watching your performances at WIBC last weekend. Hope you come join our WIBC family again.
Great stuff! I was never that dedicated in high school, but these techniques would have helped if I would have been more dedicated. I think you work in helping players develop is important, so keep it up, especially if it is helpful to you!!
I’m a freshman and bluebells is my solo this year. It’s fun.
Please play the red shield march this. Emphasize on how to polish it
hey dude, I'm a high school trombonist, i do jazz and marching and i just wanted to say damn you are awesome. You are a very respectable player and i hope to play like you one day. Anyways can you PLEASE play "The Eagle and the Hawk" by John Denver. It would make my universe; thank you
Where can I get the sheet music? I've heard Alessi play it, and have always wanted to play it since then. Thanks!
Andreas Denlinger just search on Google. I found a PDF no problem
Thanks!
Even though I don´t play the trombone at all, I think these videos helped me a lot! I actually play the bassoon (which is absolutely diffrent, I know because my brother play trombone and anyway, it is obvious) and I really need to practice more than I do now... But well, that is when you are still a student and a-levels are taking place soon.
Anyways, excellent videos and keep going!
please make more of these. pleaseeeeeeeeeee
Nice approach bro...
i really want you can perform this song in a real video, not just a practice video
+Cody Lam now that I've practiced it to a performance-ready level, I think I might! After the dust settles from holiday stuff I might have to do that.
Christopher Bill Please do it!! That'd be amazing!
Christopher Bill cant wait
Can't wait ! I've been waiting for you to maybe one day to upload videos on you maybe playing Carnival of Venice, or Blue bells of Scotland?
...when?
Really inspiring - thanks!
These were great!
when I have looked up the third movement of this piece, a lot of people talk about about double tounging it for speed. Is that what you're doing? If so, can you explain how you do that? If not, can you go over how you toungue that section at speed?
Hey, great video, seeing this kind of thing always boosts my love for trombone playing! When you say partial, what do you mean? Is it the same as a harmonic?
+Will lev Yep! Same thing!
OK great, thanks!
What Brand do you use?😂 you are so good! Because of you, I was able to play Londonderry Air with ease using your Range and Endurance Exercises👌 You're the BEST
He has a different one now, and this is necro,but it looks like an accent to me
Have you ever used a Griego CS5?
I'm a freshmen in high school and considering taking Blue Bells as my solo piece for the year. Last year I played Concerto by Rimski-Korsikov (8th grade) and the year before that I played Andante et Allegro by Ropartz (7th grade). I am wondering if I am ready to play this yet. I have about 5 months until contest when the piece would have to be ready and I usually practice about 2 1/2 hours a day (not all at one time). Any advice?
Watched the whole thing 👍👍👍
What mouthpiece are you using in this video? Btw, I have been watching you for for a while and you are the one who got me to be serious about trombone playing. I am a freshmen in high school at first chair in the top band. I tell my section they should watch your videos and it always inspires all of us.
a freshman, and first in the top band? jesus
Jason Sato I started last year and I'm already playing this peice. It just takes dedication. (I played sax 6-8th) I started on trombone my freshman year and I'm just ending my sophomore year. I'll be playing blue bells for my junior year. 🤷🏼 And I took first chair (top band) for my sophomore year. I also played morceau (I can't spell) symphonique for my sophomore year. My freshman year I played a class C solo (I belive topaz from the gem book)
Spencer Lininger
when
did i ask
@@jigjamz lol i was thinking the same thing
@@paulcheenis8768 lmao yeah mans just wanted to flex
Cant you play that one run in all 4s
Just curious in the 2nd variation why did you do play the f eigth note staccato instead of holding it out?
I'd love to see you practice Csardas.
+The Empire 27 I've been thinking about adding the one to my rep!! I think I'll go for it :)
Christopher Bill How is it going? :)
how did the concert go!?
Hey Chris, this is some great insight on how to work on a challenging piece. Just a quick question, your hat says Purchase College. Is that the Purchase in New York or somewhere else entirely?
Yep- SUNY Purchase in NY
Wow, that's like 25 minutes from me
may i reccommwnd a practicing "strategy?"- im goimg to any way lol. so when im doing double tongueing and find im missing partials i dont slow down. i keep it in performance speed but play one note at a time and then chain one by one all the other notes. i found it especially helpful for this piece.
+Colin Stubbs those are the two (and only two) ways of practicing! Slow it down or break it down (or both.) I usually start slow, speed up, and then break it down once I get to a tempo I like to make sure it's all there.
Christopher Bill yeah, pretty much although i think youre right in slowing it down especially because it has bigger jumps
I like this series quite a bit, but I can't hear anything you say right after you finish playing. The automatic volume adjustment doesn't react quickly enough.
Great little practice series! Which metronome app do you use?
You missed the lip bend up to that high note!
Do you have perfect pitch, Chris?
David Dickerson no. If he had, his intonation would be better
True that.
What does perfect pitch have to do with intonation? I thought it was just being able to memorize pitches
I_Like_It_Here clearly if he's out of tune he didn't memorize the pitch
@@emoryjenkins3203 That's not quite how it works.
Which band were you in?
What trombone do u have
Blue Bells of Scotland! awesome I played that at Solo and Ensemble contest! played it so much I had it memorized ......
Men eres buenísimo 😲😲😲
I love you
One hard part is the octave jumps withe the sixteenth notes
What trombone do you use
Bach 42T
Can anybody tell me the notes for the opening statement
which ones? The first two are a "c" (it is in the key of "F" by the way) do you want more?
@@benice6001 no that's okay thank you ✊. I was having a hard time hearing that C then that top C because I was thinking of London darry air.
I disagree with going to first for the C on the A, F, D, C (triplet) A, F, D and then C I think playing that in sixth is a whole lot easier. And it's continuous motion of the slide from 2-1-4-6 so in then all the way out. It just makes it clearer plus you don't have to go through a partial so that triplet is just slighty easier. Maybe it's just my personal preference when I play it but that's the best way in my opinion
Im playing this how do I increase my range
The way that I increased my range is either working up a scale to the highest not I can play well and long toning it and moving *slowly* up. Another way that helped was to start on low F the glissing up, the go back out to 6th position for the higher F and moving up, then to the A, ect, until I hit the highest note I can then long toneing it until is sounds good.
It's also important to make sure you are warmed up before this, unless you want to accomplish nothing.
This got recommended today
What trombone is that with the thayer valve
Samorious Sealey Bach 42T
Congrats on 110K. Why did you decide to grow the facial hair?
i always use 6th position for the lib slur at the last movement from low-C to high-C
+Yan Yat Cheng that's how most people do it, but I find it nearly impossible to have note accuracy and it ends up just being a big messy cluster of notes, some of which are not supposed to be there. In practice, I'm looking for accuracy of notes and rhythm above "effect"... In performance it might be weighed differently!
agreed
you were right on how you were playing it wrong at about 5:55 ish #perfectpitch
Do you impress girls by flexing your perfect pitch?
(I'm baiting, but it's really unnecessary to flaunt the fact that you can discern pitches on CB's videos.)
What trombone does he have?
Grand Ole Gamey Bach 42BO
Actually it's a Bach 42T (Thayer Valve)
I think that when u were performing this ur anxiety got the bwtter of u because it sounds pretty gpod to me
If id had a dollar for every houer i have spent practice this shit
That descending arpeggio in the last variation is so annoying :/
😂 have fun with blue bells
Play Keren 😁
More practice bro.
yall clearly are duds,im on the carnival of venice.