Buying Your First Yamaha Trombone

A good Yamaha trombone is an excellent choice for both beginner and professional players who want a quality instrument that will last them for years. Yamaha trombones are renowned for their build quality and sound. In this article we will focus mainly on the beginner trombone player and what you should look out for when buying your first trombone.

What is a trombone?

A trombone is a brass concert instrument with a big, fat, rich sound. It has a very characteristic and instantly-recognizable appearance, featuring a long telescoping slide which is moved in and out to change the note being played. Internally, the slide modifies the length of the air column inside the trombone and thus changes the pitch.

The trombone is related most closely to the trumpet, and shares its cylindrical bore. Both instruments use embouchure, or vibrating lips held against the mouthpiece, to make their sound. Tenor and bass trombones are the most common. There are also alto, valve trombones, but these are more rare and specialized, and probably not where a new player should begin.

Popular brands and models:

Yamaha is widely known as a good choice when looking for a trombone of any level, and they have a good range of instruments to cater for both the student and the professional. When starting out, a player should look to the “Standard” line, aimed at students, and in particular the Yamaha YSL 354 trombone. This model responds with great sensitivity and has a balancer that encourages good weight distribution, making it comfortable to hold. The brass is actually laser-fuzed to produce a high quality finish. The Yamaha trombone YSL 354 is a great choice for beginner and intermediate players, and the Yamaha bass trombone is also known as a fine instrument if that is where you fit in the orchestra.

If you are moving up in the world of the orchestra and want to consider graduating to a more professional-quality instrument, you might consider a Yamaha Xeno trombone. These are part of the “Professional” line. They feature a one-piece bell for the clearest sound, a narrow slide which aids speed and helps professionals move around the instrument more adeptly, and pressure-formed, perfectly round tubing which reduces turbulence inside the instrument.

What to look for:

Consider taking a professional trombone player with you when you go to try out a Yamaha trombone in a store. Beginners may want to think about buying used, as often you will find a better deal this way. It is also worth thinking about the long-term potential for the instrument. It may make more sense to spend a little more to begin with to ensure that you have a high-quality long term investment, and that you will not be lumbered with a poor-playing instrument that will make the learning process more difficult.