ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Bass trombone

Okay, kiddo! A bass trombone is a big, long, shiny instrument that you play by blowing into a mouthpiece and moving a slide to change the notes. It is like a regular trombone, but bigger and with some extra bits.

The bass trombone makes deep, low sounds that you might hear in a symphony orchestra or a jazz band. It can really shake the room with its big sound!

The extra bits on the bass trombone are called valves. They help the player make even lower notes and some special effects. The valve handles are like buttons that you press with your left hand while holding the slide with your right hand.

Most bass trombones also have a longer slide than regular trombones, so the player can get really low notes without using the valves.

So, when you listen to music and hear a big, low, rumbling sound, it might be from a bass trombone player making music with their shiny instrument.