From the Mailbag: How to Play Solos Better
In the Horn Matters inbox this past week was this brief question: Hi! I’m performing these two pieces for a [music school name] exam next week. Any final artistic or technical tips for either in my...
View ArticleFrom the Mailbag: Why so many breath marks in Strauss 1?
We get a variety of questions and this one recently is one that I am sure is wondered often. I have a question that’s been bugging me for decades and that is, why are there so many marked breaths in...
View ArticleDeveloping a daily routine to enhance pitch placement
Last weekend I played a recital using four different horns (more here, all not my normal horn) and on three different mouthpieces (all not my normal mouthpiece, but mostly with my rim). It was very...
View ArticleChange your tuner, change your life — and warming up to improve intonation
There are a number of tuners out there that go beyond the old basic Korg tuner that has been so standard for years. Students of mine know I have been relying on a couple of Korgs that have been dropped...
View ArticleHave more than one tuner
Not everyone out there is a fan of tuners. This fall I have been working on a specific warmup routine to improve intonation, and I do recommend the use of tuners as tools for improving intonation. But...
View ArticleRethinking the Warm-up, part 2
Recently I was pointed toward some relatively recent research that indicates that a less strenuous warm-up gets better results. For example, this article from the New York Times: Less is more: standard...
View ArticleMore on The Art of (Slow) Practice
Back nearly ten years ago Bruce Hembd posted here a brief series (in two parts) on The Art of Practice: The Art of Practice, Part I: an Overview The Art of Practice, Part II: Long Tones I was reminded...
View ArticleHow to Practice Maxime-Alponse Book 6
One book of studies many Horn Matters readers undoubtedly own is Maxime-Alphonse book 6. The etudes, besides being very difficult, are also very long. There is a tip given in the book itself, however,...
View ArticleWellness, practice, and how to actually improve
This semester our guest for our horn day was Richard Seraphinoff. One focus was on injury and wellness, and that is a topic I have a conversation with him on in Episode 33 of the Horn Notes Podcast...
View ArticleOn the initial setup of the embouchure, and other thoughts on the warmup
Of my recent publications the warmup book has sold the best (more info on the book here). Teaching this fall a side point came up, and I realized it is one that I’ve never addressed in Horn Matters....
View ArticleOn practicing in a less than optimal space
With the present coronavirus situation, many horn players are suddenly finding they need to practice in less than optimal spaces, as in spaces where other people will be perhaps very bothered by the...
View ArticleOn effective practice when your life routines are disrupted
Besides the topic of practice spaces addressed in the previous article (here), there is also the question of what and how to practice with a disrupted practice (and life!) schedule, such as now in our...
View ArticleOn the topic of Flow Studies
I recall a point in my Doctoral studies, I was taking a pedagogy class led by a trumpet player, and he used the term “flow studies” as though everyone knew exactly what he meant. One of his key points...
View ArticleUsing drones to improve warmup and practice of etudes and excerpts
As we come out of this year of not great practice it is very important to have drones be part of your daily practice regimen. Using drones to improve your warmup and practice of etudes and excerpts is...
View ArticleThe Paradox of Failure as a Goal for Success
Sometimes when I get contemplative about life, I look back and examine my past failures. Without a doubt, I have made some colossal mistakes and to be honest, some of them I remember with a bit of...
View Article
