Posted by Dominic Marino on May 13, 2001 at 10:55:52:
In Reply to: Pedal Tones - Again posted by Tuba John on May 06, 2001 at 11:52:47:
Isn't the "pedal tone" used to determine the key of the instrument?
I mean...on a normal tenor trombone with no valve, low e in 7th is the lowest note...the 5 half steps pass (without false tones, mind you) and POW, there is the pedal Bb (and boy is it there on a tiny horn like that) Well...I believe it is that note that determines that it is a Bb Tenor Trombone (treble clef instruments do not apply for they are a result of not wanting ledger lines)
anywho...when I was playing bass trombone last year (my sophmore year in high school), I could reach a double pedal Ab on a very good day (by that i mean starting on a pedal Ab and going down the Ab scale...though it had to be played in a very LONG seventh and making my embochure go flat). Now i've become a tenor player and can only go down to about a pedal D (below pedal Bb)...but a 4 octave D scale isn't too shabby...