What Is a Trombone?

I had to search on Google to see what a trombone actually looks like.  I really am not familiar with the brass instruments, though I love listening to the sound they make.

The trombone (German: Posaune, Spanish: trombón) is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips (embouchure) cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate. Nearly all trombones have a telescoping slide mechanism that varies the length of the instrument to change the pitch. Instead of a slide, the valve trombone has three valves like those on a trumpet.
The word trombone derives from Italian tromba (trumpet) and -one (a suffix meaning "large"), so the name means "large trumpet". The trombone has a predominantly cylindrical bore like its valved counterpart the baritone horn and in contrast to its conical valved counterparts, the euphonium and the orchestral horn. The most frequently encountered trombones are the tenor trombone and bass trombone, while the E♭ alto trombone has become less common as tenor technique has extended the upper range of that instrument. The most common variant, the tenor, is pitched in B♭, an octave below the B♭ trumpet and an octave above the B♭ tuba. Trombone music, along with music for euphonium and tuba, is typically written in concert pitch, although exceptions do occur, notably in some brass band music where tenor trombone is presented as a B♭ transposing instrument.
A person who plays the trombone is called a trombonist or trombone player.

source of information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombone

I really do admire people who can play instruments like the trombone.  If you've read what's written above about the instrument and how it's played, the trombonist actually has to vibrate their lips for them to be able to play it and make a sound.  Amazing!   I didn't know that!  All along, I thought it's played just like the saxophone, where you have to blow through its mouthpiece.

Just look at the trombone mouthpiece, won't you agree that it really isn't an easy instrument to play?  Plus, I don't think that thing is very light to carry.  I've read that, for beginners, it usually weigh from 6-8 lbs.  No, that is not light at all!

Trombone

trombone mouthpiece

I have a cousin who can play the saxophone, and it sounds really beautiful!  I really haven't heard a trombone being played alone.  Most of the time, I've seen and heard them in parades.  I guess I'll have to look it up, too tomorrow.  I'm sure there's a whole bunch of videos I can find and watch.  But for now, I need to get some sleep.  I really am tired!