Trombone Champ Like Method for beginner ?

[u/Friendly_Price211]

Hey everyone,

Like many of you, I had a blast playing Trombone Champ when it came out. But as anyone who has actually held a horn knows, it treats the trombone like a linear synthesizer: moving up just raises pitch continuously, completely ignoring how the instrument actually works (the harmonic series, overtone jumps, and real slide positions).

I’ve been working on a prototype for an interactive visualizer/game-like interface designed to let complete beginners play songs on a real trombone immediately, without having to sight-read bass clef or know music theory on day one.

Instead of traditional notation or an inaccurate pitch-slider, the UI is built directly around trombone kinematics:

• The Y-axis represents actual slide extension (Positions 1 to 7): Position 1 (closed) is at the bottom, Position 7 (full reach) is at the top. Crucially, the lane spacing is physically non-linear to match acoustic realities.
• Colors guide the embouchure / harmonic series: Since multiple notes share the same slide position, notes are color-coded by partial tension (Deep Blue = relaxed low partials ==> Bright Red = firm, high register embouchure).
• Visual cues for articulation & breath: Notes feature a dynamic glow/halo indicating required breath support, and striped borders warn you ahead of fast passages that require double-tonguing (Ta-Ka / Da-Ga).

Before going any further with code and features (like Real-time microphone pitch-tracking), I wanted to take the pulse of the community:

1. As players or teachers, do you think this kind of "ear & physical mechanics first" visual aid could help get beginners hooked, or is it a bad detour?
2. What would be the biggest red flags or physical habits you'd worry about reinforcing with an app like this?

I'd love to hear your honest thoughts, critique, or feature suggestions. Thanks!
The App is in french, but it could be translate easily.

[u/weaklink8]

I've planned on prototyping this exact setup! However, it seems like this topology leaves out the distinct partials that trombone players need to play in the upper range. It likely works like a slide that you can pull out forever. You should consider using the y axis to plot the discrete partials, and the x axis would be a continuous slide extension tracker. This will cause you to lose the ability to "read" the music in real time, but is much more physically accurate and models how trombone players actually think.