Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn the trombone
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The trombone has no finger holes or keys. You change the note by moving a slide in and out, and you find each of its seven positions by feel, because there are no markings on the tubing. Community brass bands and adult beginner bands teach from scratch, and some lend instruments.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650MonthsIndoorsWith othersUK and US
What makes the trombone different
Yamaha's instrument guide explains that the slide changes the length of the tubing, and that controls the pitch. It has seven positions, from first (nearest you) to seventh (fully extended), and there are no markers, so players learn them by feel. Seven positions do not mean seven notes, because your lips produce several notes in each position.
Bands are the usual way in. In Britain, Brass Bands England's directory lists bands by region. Some teach adults from nothing. Macclesfield Brass says members can join as absolute beginners, with one-to-one tuition and an instrument provided, then group teaching inside the band. In the US, the New Horizons idea began at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, in 1991 and has spread to more than 100 organisations in the US and Canada, according to Eastman's community music school.
Ways in compared
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Watermans, Hounslow Community Brass Band, west London | Over-18s, complete beginners welcome; Tuesday evenings; a limited number of instruments lent free | £44 for 10 sessions (spring 2025); first session can be a taster |
| Museum of Making Music, Carlsbad, California | New Horizons Beginning Band for adults who have never learned a band instrument; Wednesdays, August to December 2026 | $125 |
| Dawkes Music (UK) | Rental of a Yamaha YSL-356 Bb/F trombone; three-month minimum, then half of each payment from month four can go towards buying | £45 per month |
Eastman Community Music School in Rochester runs its own beginner groups, including the Green Band, for adults of any age; it does not list fees on its New Horizons page.
How to start
- Look for a community brass band in the Brass Bands England directory and ask whether it teaches beginners, or a New Horizons beginner band in the US.
- Ask whether the band lends instruments before you hire or buy one; some keep a few for beginners.
- Book the first session as a taster if the band offers one, and bring a notebook to write down the slide positions.
Where to go
- Brass Bands England: find a band UK
- Watermans: Hounslow Community Brass Band (west London) UK
- Museum of Making Music, Carlsbad: New Horizons Beginning Band US
We opened these links on 10 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Can an adult learn the trombone from scratch?
Yes. Watermans in west London welcomes complete beginners to its community brass band, and the Museum of Making Music's New Horizons Beginning Band is for adults who have never learned a band instrument.
How many positions does a trombone slide have?
Seven, from first (nearest you) to seventh (fully extended). Yamaha notes that there are no markers, so you learn them by feel.
How much does it cost to hire a trombone?
Dawkes Music lists a Yamaha Bb/F trombone at £45 a month with a three-month minimum. Some bands, including Watermans' Hounslow band, lend a few instruments free.
Where this comes from: Yamaha, The Structure of the Trombone; Brass Bands England, Find a band; Making Music, Macclesfield Brass; Watermans, Hounslow Community Brass Band; Museum of Making Music, New Horizons Fall Band Session 2026; Eastman Community Music School, New Horizons; Dawkes Music, Rent a Bb/F tenor trombone. Opened 10 November 2026.
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