Soprano Trombone (Slide Trumpet)

Let's start out with the name. The Soprano Trombone is not a slide trumpet. It is pitched in the same key of Bb as the common trumpet and has nearly the same tamber but it is not a slide trumpet. Most commonly used by doubling jazz trumpet players, the Soprano Trombone is not widely used.

Pitched one octave above the Tenor Trombone, the Soprano Trombone's slide is proportional to the Tenor's. In first position this trombone can play concert Bb2, Bb3, F4, Bb4, D5, F5, Ab5 and Bb5. Then every position down goes down a half step. More experienced players can also play higher than that listed above. Some even going up to a concert F6. Even higher for some of the best screamer players.

Contrabass Trombone

The contrabass trombone is a huge trombone pitched an octave below the normal tenor and bass trombones. The mouthpiece is obviously much larger than that of the bass trombone. Almost the size of a tuba mouthpiece. Bb1 is a normal note on this trombone and although note clear all the time and really hard to center this trombone can play all of the way down to E0. There are many different variations of the contrabass trombone but the most common of these rare instruments is in the key of BBb with an F attachment. Many even have a double wrapped slide like the one above.

This trombone is rarely used because of complexity of the instrument and the tuba, which can play all of the notes that this trombone can play. When used this trombone is usually used in orchestras and may have only one notes in a whole concert.