Superbone

The Superbone is a hybrid trombone. It is a cross between the slide trombone and the valve trombone - it has both valves and a slide.

Superbone Technique

The Superbone gives the player the option of playing the instrument as a slide trombone, a valve trombone, or in combination. For example, a pattern can be played on the slide, then re-played a step lower by depressing the first valve, but using the same slide positions. The converse is also true in that a pattern can be played on the valves and then lowered by extending the slide and repeating the same valve pattern. An interesting side-effect of this is the valves (or the slide) can be used as an automatic transposer. For example, instead of transposing a part down a minor third, the player needs only to depress the 2nd and 3rd valves (or place the slide in 5th position) and play the part like they usually would with the slide (or the valves).

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Physically, a superbone has a fully functioning slide similar to a traditional trombone with 7 postions. It also has a set of three valves, just after the slide (that is, air from the player flows through the mouth piece into the slide and then into the valve section). The three valves are played in the same manner as a bass-clef euphonium, with similar fingering for the chromatic scale. A superbone player grips the valve section with his left hand and supports the weight of the horn. This leaves the player's right arm free to use the slide.

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In actual use, the novice player tends to either use the slide or to put the slide in 1st position and use the valves. It is conceivably possible to hit almost any chromatic note from any slide position by using a combination of valves (as mentioned above).

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The valves of a superbone also provide a means for the superbone to hit pedal notes by acting as an extension to the slide. For example, holding down the 1st and 3rd valve has the same effect as a traditional tenor trombone with an F-attachment. This makes the superbone very versatile.

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