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20 Pieces in Changing Meters
_for_Unaccompanied_Trombone_

by Ken Davies (brief bio) see samples from pages

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Top seller since 1999
First published by Puna Music
now published by Kenvad

- for tenor trombone (no F-attachment)
- range: E2 to Bb4
- nearly all time signatures
- non-"key" (all accidentals, no key signatures)
- bass clef only
- 32 pages

for
upper high school
1st year college

20 Pieces cover

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The objective of this book is to provide musical practice material covering a wide variety of meter signatures (time signatures) in various changing contexts. The pieces may also be suitable as unaccompanied recital pieces arranged in sets like pianists often perform sets of Chopin etudes.

"Musically excellent and technically sound."
...Buddy Baker, Professor of Trombone (Emeritus), University of Northern Colorado

"Of the books trying to do what you have done, yours has succeeded."
...Dr. David Loucky, Professor of Trombone, Middle Tennessee State University

"I use and greatly admire this book!"
.....Tom Ervin, Professor of Trombone, University of Arizona

Review of the book by Donn Schaefer, Professor of Trombone, University of Utah

"This book stands alone in its departure from overplayed etudes and vocalises to a progressive trombone study of new and original music."
....Pete Vriesenga, bass trombonist, Boulder Philharmonic

20 Pieces is not only about changing meters. Many musical works of the 20th century composers also use different forms of melodic and harmonic structures than are commonly found in much popular works, jazz and works of the 17th through 19th centuries. For that reason, none of these etudes have key signatures. This is because either the "key sense" changes frequently or there is no sense of key intended at all. You will find lots of accidentals. You will find yourself learning to hear intervals (distances between pitches). Above all, remember that this is music and therefore phrases and melodic statements will be valid and meaningful, just as they are in other styles.

Pairs well with Read Tenor Clef Now, also by Ken.

To The Teacher: These etudes are intended for the private trombone student at the 11th-12th grade High School level, although they can also be useful as remedial or preparatory "pre-Bitsch" material at the first year college level. Range, technique and rythmic complexity have been minimized in order to avoid creating too many things for the student to focus on at once. For most students at this level, meter changes and interval structures within a non-tonal context are enough. Technique and range are more than adaquately covered in other methods and studies.

To The Student: Always remember that the goal is not only to count beats accurately, but to also feel the meter. Keep in mind that all meter signatures, no matter how complex they may look, are ultimately made up of sub-groups of 2-beat patterns and 3-beat patterns. Remembering this principle will guide you in figuring out any meter signature and determining how the beat flow should feel.

About Ken Davies

A Wisconsin native.
Attended U. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
B.Mus (U. of Wisconsin-Madison)
Attended Yale School of Music M.A. (Middle Tennessee State Univ.)
M.M. (U. of Colorado-Boulder

Trombone teachers have included Paul Wallace, Robert Gutter, John Swallow, David Loucky and William Stanley. Professional performance experience in all forms includes 10 years (1972-82) with Nick Russo & Gabriel's Brass at Walt Disney World, Florida. While in Orlando, he also taught privately hundreds of brass students at all levels and also acquired credits as a composer-arranger-producer for records and TV.

Since 2002, he has resided in south Mississippi where he teaches brass, composes, and runs his publishing company, Kenvad Music. His works include acoustic and electronic pieces that have been performed nationally at Society of Composers national and regional conferences, Southeastern Composers League, the International Trombone Festival, Electronic Music Midwest, Electroacoustic Barndance, and various concerts. Honors include ASCAP awards and grants from National Endowment for the Arts and Mississippi Arts Commission, including the 2006-2007 Mississippi Performing Artist Fellowship in Composition. In March 2009, his work, Three Pieces for Bass Trombone and Piano, won the Eastern Trombone Workshop National Trombone Composition Competition.

Scroll down to view some samples from the pages of the book.

Go Ahead! Save 'em, Print 'em and Play 'em.

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All content copyright © 2001-present by Kenneth W. Davies