🪊

Trombone

trom-BOHN
Objects Unicode 17.0 uncommon

Meanings

1
Objects · Music uncommon

A brass slide trombone, used literally for band, orchestra, and jazz content, and figuratively to represent the classic descending 'wah-wah-waaah' fail sound used as a comedic sting after something goes wrong. Completed the brass section of emoji instruments alongside the trumpet and saxophone.

The 'fail sound' meaning only works with an implied downward tone, usually paired with a mishap or blooper described in the text.

tripped in front of the whole office 🪊 📋 Text to a friend describing an embarrassing moment
marching band practice starts at 7am, send help 🪊 📋 Instagram story from a band student
asked her out, she said no 🪊 📋 Group chat joking about a rejection

The trombone's sliding pitch is the exact sound behind the 'sad trombone' sting long used in cartoons, game shows, and blooper reels.

Combos with 🪊

🪊😬
an awkward fail, sad trombone moment
Reacting to an embarrassing mishap
🪊🎺
brass section, band or jazz ensemble
Music students tagging band content
🪊🎶
playing or listening to jazz/brass music
Sharing music content

Culture

The 'sad trombone' sound cue has been a staple of American game shows and cartoons since the mid-20th century, giving the emoji instant recognizability as a fail marker.

Band and orchestra students use it earnestly for music content, while a wider audience uses it purely for the comedic fail meaning.

United States Strongly tied to school marching band and jazz band culture, and used as the 'sad trombone' fail-sound reference.
Gen_X: Strongly associate it with the game-show sad-trombone sting from their youth.
Gen_Z: Uses it mainly as a punchline emoji for describing an embarrassing fail.
Boomers: May use it literally for band or orchestra references more than for the joke meaning.
Millennials: Recognize both the band-instrument meaning and the classic sad-trombone sound gag.

History

2024

Added in the Unicode 16.0 emoji release

Filled a gap in the instrument set, which already had trumpet, saxophone, and guitar but no trombone.