17 Easy Trombone Songs For Beginners

“Careless Whisper” by George Michael

Song year: 1984

The remorseful and scandalous “Careless Whisper” is George Michael at his soulful best (though the case could be made that it’s a little melodramatic and cheesy too). The main saxophone riff is beyond famous, and it’s to the point where it has even been covered, quoted, or parodied by a variety of artists.

Yes, in the video tutorial, you do get to learn the main riff (though it is at a lower octave to ensure it’s playable on the trombone). Fun! If you have any friends who play saxophone, it might be fun to trade licks with them on this one.

“All Star” by Smash Mouth

Song year: 1999

American rock band Smash Mouth was in full swing in the late 90s, and “All Star” would go on to become one of the most recognizable tunes in their catalog. Know it or not, the band remains active to this day.

Writing songs that made people feel important and amazing was something the English rock band Oasis did very well in the 90s, but could the argument be made that Smash Mouth captured a bit of that magic with “All Star” too?

The video tutorial only covers the verse melody, but if you want to go deeper into the song, you can find sheet music online.

“Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

Song year: 2014

Every brass player should probably learn to play something with a bit of a funky, percussive groove, and that’s something Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk” offers up in spades.

The song brings together many simple elements to create a more complex whole, making it beginner friendly on most instruments including the trombone.

In the video tutorial, you get to learn the vocal bassline as well as the main melody. Lots to sink your teeth into here. This should make for excellent practice.

“Hey Jude” by The Beatles

Song year: 1968

Most trombone teachers would likely agree with the notion of working a bit of Beatles into your practice routine. There are plenty of good beginner-oriented songs to choose from, but “Hey Jude” may well be among one of the best.

Played slowly, the melody to “Hey Jude” isn’t too hard to emulate on the trombone. There is quite a bit to the song, though, so you may not necessarily want to begin your journey here. I’m not saying it’s difficult, I’m just saying it’s quite a bit to take on if you’re just getting started.

Still, some beginners like the challenge of trying to learn an entire song, and if that’s you, don’t let me stop you.

“Take On Me” by a-ha

Song year: 1984

a-ha’s “Take On Me” has got a synth riff that grabs you and won’t let go. If that wasn’t enough, vocalist Morten Harket’s melody continues rising higher well into the chorus. The song was written to show off his vocal range, and there’s no question it does exactly that.

The video tutorial focuses exclusively on the bassline in the chorus, so if you were hoping to learn the synth riff, sorry to disappoint. But if that’s something you want to work on, you can certainly find the sheet music for it.

Learning to play basslines, however, is still well worth the effort.

“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen

Song year: 1984

Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen spent countless hours developing “Hallelujah,” writing roughly 150 verses until he was completely satisfied with the lyrical content (who knows if he was ever truly satisfied with the result).

Cohen must have known that he had a masterpiece on his hands, though, because this is one of those impasses most musicians find they must pass through to get to the other side of their development.

The song has a lot to teach you in terms of chord progressions, ascending and descending melodies, lyrics, and a great deal more. The video tutorial will show you how to play the immortal melody.

“Stay With Me” by Sam Smith

Song year: 2014

Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” had three songwriters, including Smith himself. It’s still amazing that nobody noticed its similarity to Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” before its official release. Oh well, in due course, Petty and Jeff Lynne got their due credit and everyone’s happy.

Petty and company were masters of piecing together simple elements to create great songs, and it’s certainly not an insult that Sam Smith favored this style on “Stay With Me.”

And it’s thanks to songs like these that beginner instrumentalists can develop and gain confidence in their instruments faster. Yep. The melody to this tune is quite simple to play. Give it a try.

Easy Trombone Songs For Beginners, Final Thoughts

Now you should have all the material you need to develop your technique on the trombone. If at first you don’t succeed, readjust, and try again. Every instrument takes time to master, so you will need to remain patient with the process. Have fun and good luck!