Finale Forum

I'm trying to find online how to mark up when I want the trombone player to blow real hard and/or make a sort of "splat" sound.

I'm doing a sort of "strip tease" section on a piece of music and the bones hit real hard on beats 2 and 4 but I want them to sort of "splat" ... or almost sound distorted in a sort of way.

Is there a way I need to express this on the chart with an articulation?

I'm a trombonist and I think I understand what sound you mean. There's no simple expression for that, not in musical terms, nor in the usual language. Best you can do: if you're in front of the trombonists, explain it to them.

If you're not there, indicate "strip-tease section" above it, give them something to wonder and laugh about and let them do their own thing.

Funny, I am a 50+ year trombone player and beginner teacher for trombone and I always thought the question was how to stop a trombone player from doing a "splat"! I would think a Sforzando, sfz, would do the trick. Particularly if the passage is already loud.

You could also use an alternate notehead with a splat instruction. This would visually distinguish it from other notes.

Don't be reluctant to write words where traditional notation is lacking. I think "splat!" in this case would communicate the intention perfectly. That's much better than hinting with traditional notation and hoping they get it.

As a trombone player, I know of no notation to indicate "splatting". Classical trombonists do not splat by default, so even marking sf or sfz will not make us splat. Even at fffffff, sfz does not mean splat. It just is a heavy accent.

However, I'd use Motet's suggestion of just writing "splat!". Everyone will know exactly what you mean.

Lastly, it's possible to make a "splatty" sound at any dynamic level, so the passage does not need to be loud if you want the effect. "Splat" is a tone color, not dynamic.

Nick Mazuk wrote:However, I'd use Motet's suggestion of just writing "splat!". Everyone will know exactly what you mean.

Hopefully - that's one of the words which don't occur in our English lessons often, here at Germany . The average trombonist would know what strip-tease is and how the appropriate music could sound, though. But the verb "to splat" is less known. That's why I would prefer a term which directly refers to what's going on on the stage dramaturgical.

But maybe it's only written for native speakers, that would make my concerns negligible.

Harald

Splatting is going on on the stage?

Funny replies.



I think what I'm looking for is the sound of sort of a fog horn ... or a navy ship horn. I've heard a bass trombone do this and it almost sounds like the players' lips are REAL loose or something of the sorts. I wanna say the best description of what I'm looking for is this ... is a sound that comes after grandpa eats 4 bowls of grandma's homemade chili.

I've seen a trombone player make this "sound" or tone when his slide is all the way out and he blows hard into the mouthpiece with possible loose lips.

Is there a technical term for this?

I know its not musical but this is more for EFFECT than it is for pretty music.

Writing a very low note very loud, perhaps

I do copy work for a commercial arranger. In the past, he once used the directive "splat/raspberry". I seem to remember it was for trombones.

For those who don't know what a "raspberry (razzberry)" is, stick your tongue out a bit through closed lips and blow. PLLLLT! The idea on trombone is to imitate the effect, somehow.

N.

Where are all the trombone Jokes?
For Splat, just write Play Normally.

What's the difference between a Trombone Section and an Outboard Motor?
You can Tune an Outboard motor.

What is the Dynamic Range of a Bass Trombone?
On and Off.

Please respond with appropriate Clarinet and Sax Jokes...
Most are Modular, just fill in the Instrument of choice.

Did you hear about the Terrorist who kidnapped one hundred Viola Players ?
He said if he wasn't paid $5 in 20 minutes, he would start releasing them one by one.
See? Modular.