Looped Long Tones for Pure intonation training on Trombone

using a looping station setup that can be copied on any PC or MAC, on any DAW e.g Logic Pro, FL Studio, Ableton…even Garage Band.

You have to play out of tune to play in tune…

when performing in ensembles or orchestras in the real world. Equal Temperament is a choice and a purposeful compromise for keyboard instruments. We also need to compromise when performing with piano in equal Temperament, but we need different intonation strategies for every note of every scale when performing in an ensemble or orchestra. This type of tuning is called Pure (or Just) intonation and used every day by experienced musicians who instinctively use their ears in this type of tuning when performing in ensembles and orchestras. With a little help from technology, you can practise this at home. So in my little book, ‘Box Set Practice’ I have two long tone exercises:

1) with a backing track using conventional electronically generated piano chords – taking your long tone tuning note through different positions in a chord

2) a Looped Long Tone exercise for Pure intonation training.

This tutorial links to the Looped Long Tone exercise in Box Set Practice for trombone. I demonstrate how to make a simple loop station using a generic DAW delay plugin. This is something you can do for free or little cost in any DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). Specifically for use with my Looped Long Tone exercises for Pure Intonation practice.
The video shows you how to stack a simple delay on top of itself to create a 4 bar loop for practising long tones. I also cover a little of the pure tuning needed for stacking a four-note Major 7 chord. These are all techniques experienced musicians do instinctively by using their ears when playing in ensembles and orchestras. But this is a great way to practise pure intonation at home, and an alternative to standard long tone practice for sound development. In my opinion, this kind of long tone exercise is often overlooked or taken for granted by institutions and teachers. Now we have the technology to mimic the discipline of ensemble playing let’s use it 🙂