Ben's Basics

This new 4th edition of Ben van Dijk's book Ben's Basics - Method for Bass Trombone / Tenor Trombone with F attachment is now available from Cherry Classics Music. Below are Ben's thoughts about the book, which is a culmination of ideas from his years as one of the great pedagogs of the Trombone. In this book, I’d like to give you some guidance in various areas of trombone playing. Of course, there are many more topics one could address, but I have focused on three areas in this book. 1. Breathing 2. Daily Routines 3. Warm-up It is my hope to give you some perspective and direction, but it is definitely not my idea to make you dependent on this book. On the contrary, I hope to encourage you to look for ideas yourself and be as inventive as possible. Most of my ideas come from many years of playing and teaching combined with all the wonderful contacts I have had with different experts on these matters during my career. It’s a combination of the ideas which have helped me to come to where I am right now. They also have proven to be of value to many of my students. During many of the master-classes I have given in the past years, students and colleagues have asked me to write down my ideas and bundle them into a book.