Tromtle or trombone? What to choose to start with

It's up to you to have a sound and a paper that you have in your band. If you're attracted to a brilliant sound that cuts the air, leading melodies and sharp salsa, jazz or paddle bands, choose a trumpet. If you prefer a thick and warm sound, you have an idea of finding notes with a stick and you can figure out how to get them from a salsa orchestra, a big band or a symphonic band, select a trombone.

The two share the basic technique of the metal: sound is born when the lips vibrate within a nozzle. But the size of that nozzle and the difference between pistons and stick greatly change the experience of the first few months.

To sum up

The trumpet nozzle is small and requires firm and precise lips, and the trombone's nozzle is big and more air with a more relaxed mouth.
The trumpet changes its note with three pistons and the thrombone with a seven-place stick with no mark and with an ear.
The trombone sounds an octave under the trumpet and is read as a fa key, and the trumpet as a sun key.
The trumpet usually starts at about 8 or 9 years old and the trombone at about 9 or 10 years old, as the arm reaches far-off positions.
To move from the trumpet to the trombone is a common path and the small nozzle wants more adaptation.

Thrompette vs. Thrompon: The table

Differences between trumpet and trombone for those who start
Aspecto	Trumpet	Trombone
Boquilla	Small: firm and precise lips.	Great: more relaxed, more air volume.
Mecanismo	Three pistons, each combination gives several notes by lips.	Rod with seven unmarked positions: they are situated with an ear and arm memory.
Registro	Acute: the soprane of the metals.	Tenor and baritone: an octave under the trumpet.
Lectura	Sunkey and transponder as a bemol.	Fa key, in real sound, at advanced levels, also do key.
Sonido	Glow and pounding.	Rounding and thick and can be very soft or very powerful with its characteristic glissand.
Size and weight	Compact and light; small case.	Long, the stick needs space at the front and the case is longer.
Resistance at initiation	The lips get tired quickly: short and frequent sessions.	A little more clamour with his lips, but his air's high.
Gender	Salsa, are, jazz, wind bands, tropical music, orchestra.	Salsa, ska, big band jazz, wind bands, orchestra.
Age of Orientation Initiation	About 8 or 9 with final teeth from the front.	Around 9 or 10 years old, with his arm reaching his sixth and seventh place.

Nipple and lips: where's the challenge

At the trumpet, the small nozzle concentrates all the work on a reduced area of his lips. That gives precision and glow but tiresome: in the first few weeks, fifteen or twenty minutes in a row they have been felt. The temptation is to press his nozzle against his mouth to reach his sharp ones, and that's just what his teacher will correct, because his progress limits.

At the trombone, the nozzle is more extensive and deeper and the lips are more relaxed. The challenge is air: to fill a large instrument with a round sound requires a broad and constant breathing.

The rough lips are said to be better with large nozzles and some proffes look at the shape of their lips and teeth before they recommend them. It's an orientation, not a rule: nearly anyone can adapt to either.

Stones or stick: Two ways to find the note

At the trumpet, every combination of pistons produces a number of notes, and what sounds depends on the tension of the lips and the velocity of the air. Without pressurizing any piston can be touched by do, sun, do, my and sun, written, rising only with an embocture. That's why the ear's so important: we have to know what note you're looking for before you touch it.

The trombone has no pistons: the stick lengthen or shortens the tube into seven positions, and none of them are marked. At first visual references, such as the bell, are used and with time the arm and ear find them alone. That freedom allows the glissand but also requires tuning every note. That's why age matters: a short arm doesn't get to far-off positions.

Record, sound and music that you're about to play

In Colombian wind bands, trumpets usually have bright melodies in pits and fandangos while thrombones and bombers strengthen harmony and contracantos. In the salsa, the two sections are leading: trumpets and the thick sound of the thrombonal orchestras. If you want to get into a local or college band, read about [wind bands in Colombia]](/blog/bandas-de-viento-en-colombia-como-empezar).

In the symphony orchestra, the trumpets have fanfare and have high exposure soles and the trombone brings a solemn sound at great times. At the jazz of big band, each has its own section and its soloists.

Do you choose a trumpet if... or choose a trombone if...

Choose the trumpet if...

You're attracted to bright sharp and leading melodies.
That's how you love salsa moths, jazz or pangs.
That's a compact and easy instrument to transport.
It's for an 8 or 9-year-old who still doesn't reach his and her stick's positions.

Choose the trombone if...

You prefer a serious, warm and body sound.
It's a good care to find his note with his stick and put his ear in his face.
That's how you like the trombone sauce, the ska or the big band jazz.
A big nozzle's more comfortable with you.

See what's been worked on with [trumpet classes]](/clases/trompeta) and [thrombon classes]](/clases/trombon)To buy, check how to choose your first trumpet.

To move from one to another and other close metals

From the trumpet to the trombone: It's a common step. The embocture relays with a bigger nozzle and the new are the stick and the key to fa.
From trombone to trumpet: more adaptation requires, because the small nozzle requires firmer lips and an acute record is built with patience.
The bombardment, or esphonion, is an interesting bridge: it has pistons as a trumpet and a record similar to that of a trombone. In Colombian gangs it's quite common.

What remains in any change is breathing, ear and vibration of his lips. Filling long notes with his [tuner]](/herramientas/afinador) That's a good habit with both instruments, especially with the trombone, where you decide where every note remains.

Frequently asked questions

What's easier, a trumpet or a trombone?

To many beginners, the thrombon is a little more gentle at first by its big nozzle, but the stick requires an ear to tuning. The trumpet has pistons, but the lips get tired quickly and the sharp ones take time.

Can an 8-year-old boy touch thrombon?

It depends on his height and length of his arm. If his face doesn't reach far-off positions, his teacher can work at first or recommend his start with a trumpet and move to his trombone later.

What's the thrombon glissand?

It's a continuous slide from one note to another by moving the stick without cutting the sound. It's one of the most recognizable effects of the instrument and it's only possible with the stick.

How long a day should a trumpet beginner practice?

At first we have to have short sessions, about 15 or 20 minutes with pauses to rest our lips. It's better to practice little and more and more at once.