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How does a trombone slide change the notes that the instrument can play?
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wind instrument
The Japanese end-blown flute, or shakuhachi.
The trombone's slide functions by changing the total length of the instrument's tubing, which directly determines its pitch.12
Because the pitch of a brass instrument is determined by the length of its air column, extending the slide increases the tubing length, which lowers the fundamental pitch and shifts the available harmonic series downward.312
By moving the slide into different positions, the player accesses various harmonic series, effectively filling in the gaps between notes. This mechanism allows the trombone to produce a full chromatic scale, performing the same function that valves serve on other brass instruments.341