Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 4, 2026

Valide trombone

The valide trombone is a hybrid valve trombone invented in the 1940s by the American jazz musician Brad Gowans. It has both a set of three piston valves and a slide to vary the pitch. The slide on the valide is positioned within the valve section, and is shorter than a regular trombone slide, only covering four slide positions instead of the usual seven. The slide does not lock, requiring the player to hold the slide at all times, and encouraging the player to use both the valves and the slide together.

Last revised
Jun 4, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
292 w
Citations
5
Source
Valide trombone
Brass instrument
Classification
Hornbostel–Sachs classification423.2
(Sliding and Valved aerophone sounded by lip movement)
DevelopedMid 20th century
Related instruments
Musicians
Builders

The valide trombone is a hybrid valve trombone invented in the 1940s by the American jazz musician Brad Gowans.1 It has both a set of three piston valves and a slide to vary the pitch.2 The slide on the valide is positioned within the valve section, and is shorter than a regular trombone slide, only covering four slide positions instead of the usual seven.3 The slide does not lock, requiring the player to hold the slide at all times, and encouraging the player to use both the valves and the slide together.

The only known built instrument now resides at the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University.4 The last noted player of the valide trombone was Juan Tizol of the Duke Ellington and Harry James Orchestras.

The similar superbone, as developed by Larry Ramirez of Holton Musical Instruments in the 1970s and used by Maynard Ferguson and Ashley Alexander, has a full-length slide with seven positions, placed between the mouthpiece and the valves.5

References

References

  1. "Valide". Grove Music Online (8th ed.). Oxford University Press. 2001. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J463100. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0. (subscription, Wikilibrary access, or UK public library membership required)
  2. "Really Doubling in Brass". Popular Science. 146 (5): 81. May 1946.
  3. Yeo 2021, p. 161, "valide".
  4. Herbert 2006, p. 200.
  5. Yeo 2021, p. 143, "superbone".
Bibliography

Bibliography