A trombone is a brass musical instrument that makes sound when you buzz your lips into a mouthpiece and change notes by sliding a long U-shaped tube in and out. Unlike most brass instruments that use valves (like buttons you press), the trombone has a slide that you push away from you or pull toward you to reach different pitches.

The trombone has a rich, powerful sound that can be smooth and mellow or bold and brassy. In an orchestra, trombones often play majestic, noble melodies. In a jazz band, they might play energetic solos with swooping, sliding notes that no other instrument can quite match. That sliding motion lets trombone players glide smoothly between notes in a way that can sound almost like a singing voice.

Trombones have been around for over 500 years, making them one of the oldest brass instruments still played today. When you see a marching band, the trombone players are the ones who need extra space because their slides can extend far out in front of them!