A3 Trombone Position
How to play A3 on the trombone: 2nd position. — on the 4th partial, in bass clef, sounding exactly as written.
The diagram shows the trombone from the side with the slide pointing down: the dark bar is the slide brace, and it stops at the numbered marker for this note's position — the slide comes out a short way — roughly a hand’s width. The staff is in bass clef, the trombone's home clef, and in bass clef the trombone sounds exactly as written.
Hear A3 and try the position
Pick an instrument and a note and the diagram updates instantly — filled keys are the ones you press. The same finder sits on every note page, pre-set to that note.
The A3 position, step by step
- Move the slide out to 2nd position — the slide comes out a short way — roughly a hand’s width.
- Move from the elbow with a relaxed wrist, and place the slide by ear as much as by landmark — positions are places you hear, not marks on the tube.
- Check the pitch against the harmonic: if the note will not speak cleanly, the slide is usually close and the lips are aiming at the wrong partial — re-centre the buzz before moving the slide further.
In short: 2nd position.
Alternate position for A3
6th position.
Played on the F4 harmonic, this alternate keeps the slide out in the long positions for passages built around F3-in-6th and B♭3-in-5th, instead of shuttling back to 2nd.
About A3 on the trombone
The middle register is the trombone’s home territory — the 4th, 5th and 6th partials, where school band music mostly lives. This is where the classic alternate positions appear (F3 in 6th belongs to the register below, but B♭3 in 5th and D4 in 4th are here), and where the flat 5th partial has to be managed: its notes sit about 14 cents low and want the slide a touch in from the landmark.
A3 is note 12 of the 32 in the full trombone slide position chart, sitting between A♭3 below it and B♭3 above it. Like every position on this site, it was checked against Yamaha’s official chart and the NoteAtlas slide position chart before publishing.
Practising A3
Practise this note against a tuner, and if it belongs to the 5th partial (B3 to D4), expect to sit a little inside the textbook landmark. Then play it in a phrase — position is a habit of the arm, not a measurement.
Questions about A3
What position is A3 on trombone?
2nd position. A3 is played on the 4th partial (harmonic) of the trombone's tube in the middle register. The full step-by-step is on this page, and you can hear the note with the Fingering Finder.
Does A3 sound as written on trombone?
Yes. In bass clef the trombone is a non-transposing instrument, so written A3 sounds as concert A3 — the same pitch a piano plays. Only brass-band treble-clef parts transpose.
Is there an alternate position for A3?
Yes — 6th position. Played on the F4 harmonic, this alternate keeps the slide out in the long positions for passages built around F3-in-6th and B♭3-in-5th, instead of shuttling back to 2nd.
Think this position is wrong? Report it — every report is checked against the source charts.