B4 Trombone Position
How to play B4 on the trombone: 2nd position. — on the 9th 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 B4 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 B4 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 B4
4th position.
B4 is standard in both positions — NoteAtlas lists "2nd or 4th" without ranking them. The 4th-position version sits on the D5 harmonic and suits passages around D5 and C5; the 2nd-position version above suits everything else.
About B4 on the trombone
The high register rides the 8th partial and above, where the rungs of the ladder crowd together and the lips do most of the selecting. Positions up here are the short ones — mostly 1st to 5th — and several notes are standard in two positions. Accuracy comes from hearing the exact partial before you play, not from slide athleticism.
B4 is note 26 of the 32 in the full trombone slide position chart, sitting between B♭4 below it and C5 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 B4
High notes need faster air through a smaller aperture, never more mouthpiece pressure. Practise this note in short bursts with rests between, approaching it by slur from the note a third below, and stop while it still feels easy.
Questions about B4
What position is B4 on trombone?
2nd position. B4 is played on the 9th partial (harmonic) of the trombone's tube in the high register. The full step-by-step is on this page, and you can hear the note with the Fingering Finder.
Does B4 sound as written on trombone?
Yes. In bass clef the trombone is a non-transposing instrument, so written B4 sounds as concert B4 — the same pitch a piano plays. Only brass-band treble-clef parts transpose.
Is there an alternate position for B4?
Yes — 4th position. B4 is standard in both positions — NoteAtlas lists "2nd or 4th" without ranking them. The 4th-position version sits on the D5 harmonic and suits passages around D5 and C5; the 2nd-position version above suits everything else.
Think this position is wrong? Report it — every report is checked against the source charts.