The trombone F trigger: positions T1 to T6 and when to use them
Many tenor trombones have an F attachment: an extra loop of tubing in the bell section, opened with a trigger under your left thumb. The trigger fills in the low notes a straight trombone can't play, and it gives you shortcuts for notes that normally need a long reach. This guide covers how the trigger works, where the trigger positions are, and when to use them.
What the F trigger does
Press the trigger and the trombone becomes an F trombone: every note drops by five half steps, a perfect 4th. 1st position with the trigger plays the same notes as 6th position without it. That's why trigger 1st position is written T1.
Without a trigger, low E in 7th position is the lowest note before the pedal tones. The trigger fills in the notes below it: E♭, D, D♭, and C. Before you start, tune the F attachment with its own tuning slide, the same way you tune the main slide.
Trigger positions
Trigger positions are farther apart than normal positions, because the extra tubing makes every half step need more slide. Only six fit on the slide, and they don't line up with the normal ones:
| Position | Low note | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| T1 | F | Slide all the way in |
| T2 | E | A little past normal 2nd |
| T3 | E♭ | Between normal 3rd and 4th |
| T4 | D | Just short of normal 5th |
| T5 | D♭ | Just past normal 6th |
| T6 | C | At the very end of the slide |
Low C in T6 is right at the end of the slide, and on many tenors it's out of reach unless you pull the F tuning slide out a little. Low B can't be played on a standard tenor with an F attachment at all.
Shortcuts for long reaches
The trigger is most useful for notes you already know. Instead of reaching out to 6th or 7th, you stay close in:
| Note (bass clef) | Without trigger | With trigger |
|---|---|---|
| C (2nd space) | 6th | T1 |
| B (2nd line) | 7th | T2 |
| F (below the staff) | 6th | T1 |
| E (1st ledger line below) | 7th | T2 |
A passage that goes C, B♭, C (2nd space, 2nd line, 2nd space) is a jump between 6th and 1st without a trigger. With the trigger, it's T1 and 1st: the slide doesn't move at all, and only your thumb does. The same idea works for F to B♭ below the staff.
Trigger notes sound a little different from normal ones, because the air goes through more tubing and more bends. In slow, exposed music, many players still use 6th and 7th. In fast passages the trigger usually wins.
Practicing with the trigger
- Turn it on in Brass Trainer. Open the settings in Brass Trainer, pick trombone, and choose F trigger. T1–T6 appear in a second row: Shift + 1–6 on a keyboard.
- Find T1 to T6 by ear. Hold the trigger and play low F in T1, then move out one half step at a time to low C, checking each note with a tuner.
- Pair the shortcuts. Play C in 6th, then in T1, back and forth, until they sound the same. Do the same with B in 7th and T2.
- Use Alternates. The Alternates drill asks for every position of a note, so you learn both 6th and T1.
New to the slide itself? Start with Trombone slide positions and alternate positions.