The trombone, which traces its origin to the medieval "sackbut"- a popular instrument frequently played in the bands of kings and princes, at rituals, ceremonials and feasts, is one of the oldest instruments of the orchestra. It differs little from the "sackbut" in appearance, and the playing technique has remained basically unchanged, except for the development of quicker slide technique.

The trombone consists of 2 separate pieces. One of them is made up of the mouthpiece, the cylindrical bore and the bell. Another one is a U-shaped slide that can be moved toward and away from the player. The slide, which performs a comparable function as the valves used in other brass instruments, is capable of producing a smooth "glissando" by a sliding movement.