Reddit reviews 9175 - J. B. Arban Complete Method Trombone Euphonium

Along with what everyone else here said, I would like to point out that you're in a vicious cycle.

You don't like to practice because you don't like what you play. But you're not playing other music because you're not practicing. This is a common but shitty loop to be in. And the only way out is by making some sort of change.

Look, we're trombone players. Outside of the jazz/pit scene, our parts are hardly ever really technically challenging, even at the higher level orchestral stuff. Of course, it's not easy. But you'll almost never be expected to play sixteenth notes faster than 120 bpm or play higher than a C5. Rather, challenges will come with breath control, blending, tone. Things that can't be fixed with an hour of practice. And when they aren't technically challenging, they don't jump out as "fun" to you. So, you can go about this two ways.

1. Learn to enjoy what you have. I used to be like you, and despised the common writing for trombone as providers of chordal structure, ostinatos, and hits here and there. Then two things happened in sequence that completely changed my mind. First, I was invited to attend all state as a member of the orchestra. Something I had never done before. I got my one 10 minute song and the other 25 minute song both in tenor clef, second part, with no rhythms faster than an eight note, both probably under 160bpm, and instantly thought I would hate it. I continued to dread it until the first rehearsal, when I played these chords, for the first time, with other in tune brass players. And holy crap is that humbling. The half notes I always hated turned very quickly into the most beautiful sound in the world. Now, I don't mean to rub it in that you haven't attended all state. My intention for saying this is so you can relate to someone who has grown to love the parts that you and I disliked. Before all state, I had never really listened to classical music. After it, I started listening to it a lot. And I started to pay attention to the brass, and realized that my idol instrument the trumpet played very similar parts to the trombonists in a lot of compositions. And that made me feel good. It made me feel important, because everyone hears trumpet and says "what a beautiful/piercing/powerful sound". Not many non-musicians say the same about trombone. But I've come to realize that most complements to trumpets, in classical music, is really a complement for the entire brass section, because it's a beautiful, tight knit family of players, instruments, and minds that create chords that can't be emulated by any other section. This mind set has helped me come to love what we do in wind ensemble every day. Because as technically boring as a part may be, or even if the high school band's intonation is horrendous, I know that played correctly or not, my part connects me to the rest of our friends and family in the brass section, and that is comforting to me because the bond makes each person as important as the rest, even if we just hold half notes. So overall, I think you should try to give listening a shot. Listen to Mahler, Brahms, Rimsky-Korsakov, Bernstein, the list goes on, but essentially people who write great brass parts. Because you won't love what you play if you don't appreciate the trombone. It doesn't even have to be classical though. Listen to big band, jazz combos, musicals, anything really. If you want any suggestions, call me a freak but I actually listen to all this stuff regularly so I can point you in the right direction.
   
   
2. Play what's available, practice what you love. Basically, you have no choice but to play what your band director picks for you. Unless you want to quit trombone, which I hope isn't the case or else I spent 10 minutes writing this for no reason. So, rather than learning to love the easy, low level music that you play in school, deal with it. Then be eager to go home and practice what you enjoy. It sounds like you like technically challenging stuff. I HIGHLY recommend picking up the JB Arban's method for trombone. It's expensive, but it is THE bible for trombonists. Flip to the "scales" section, put the metronome on 80, and see if you can keep up. I have a blast practicing this stuff, because it fast, and fast stuff to me is fun. And I can't do it all. So it gives me a reason to practice. There's really no need for me to bring home band music and practice for the most part, because a lot of it is sight readable. But exercises in the Arban's book are not. Better yet (and cheaper), get a copy of Blue Bells of Scotland or Carnival of Venice (pm me if interested). They're not a cake walk. But believe it or not, they're actually easier than they look since it's a lot of scalar runs, and they are fun as hell to play. But they require practice. Who care's if you'll never play them on stage? If you're having fun playing them for yourself, then it's more than worth it. And if you can play these, you're definitely a great player, regardless of what chair you are in band. If you're into jazz, pick up an Aebersold book. Pop in the CD, and improvise 8 choruses of Cantaloupe Island for beginners. Once you get a bit more experienced, try out the Miles Davis Aebersold book and you'll be playing exactly what the professional jazz players from the 40s through 60s created, played, and loved. The stuff I've suggested is real music. They're not crappy arrangements from 21st century pop loving music majors. They are sophisticated pieces of literature that will challenge you and entertain you if you give them a try. Good luck and I hope you didn't get thrown off by this wall of text
   
   

Worth mentioning: Arbans is great, too! Little more to it, but ya can't go wrong with the guidance of Alessi! Start ya slow, then build up more and more.