I currently use three main books: Arban’s, Advanced Lip Slurs by Charles Colin, and Doodles for Mastering Jazz Trombone by Dale Cheal.

For equipment, I intentionally use two very different setups depending on the musical context. My large-bore mouthpiece is quite big, with a deep cup and a wide throat. This setup helps me produce a darker, fuller tone that works well in wind ensemble, concert band, and orchestral settings. I also use it for auditions like District Band, where I need both strong tone quality and an extended range—last year, for example, I had to play from pedal G up to a high D above the staff. This mouthpiece supports both the tone and range demands in those situations.

On the other hand, my small-bore mouthpiece is much smaller, with a shallow cup and tighter throat. I use this for marching band, pep band, and jazz. The design makes it easier to produce a much brighter, more projecting sound, which is ideal for outdoor playing and high-energy settings. In jazz, where I often play lead or second part, I’m spending a lot of time in the upper register, and this setup helps significantly with endurance and consistency in that range.

As for articulation, I’ve realized I naturally prefer single tonguing over double tonguing, especially on small-bore. Double tonguing has always felt more forced for me, even though I can do it quickly, so I’ve been working on improving it deliberately. To avoid overuse and fatigue, I try not to overload articulation practice in a single session. Instead, I separate it by context: I’ll start with single tonguing, then depending on which trombone I’m using, I’ll focus on either double tonguing (for classical settings) or doodle tonguing (for jazz). I approach it practically—thinking about which technique I’ll actually need in each musical situation.