all thumbs (and fingers)

I've been practicing some music lately that has me using my valves faster and in more varied combinations than usual, and I've finally come to a confession that has been threatening to surface for a long time.

"My name is Gabe, and I have sloppy valve technique."

And I know I'm not alone. I hate to say this this way, but we trombone players tend to be a pretty undisciplined bunch. I often hear otherwise excellent players play two notes that don't exist in the western tuning system, one somewhere between A and A-flat, and another somewhere between E and E-flat. It happens in fairly rapid scale passages, and it's because of sloppy slide technique.

I can also tell you from years answering phones and emails for a trombone manufacturer that many, many trombone players expect the valves on their instruments to work flawlessly for years without a drop of oil. And then they complain about noisy, clunky sticky valves.

Here's what I've discovered (listen for the sound of my flutist wife saying "duh"): my valve motions are better co-ordinated if I simply keep my thumb and finger in contact with them. All the time, from before I activate them to after. As a big added bonus, the linkages make no noise if I do this. None. At. All. 

There. That's all. Please don't tell me if I'm the last bass trombone player in the world to figure this out.