Last week in my lesson my horn teacher said, "You should play more studies as they are really good for your technique," but studies aren't exactly my favourite exercise to play on horn. I was put off them when I first started as the beginner studies were quite dull compared to the exciting pieces I was playing.

Just wondered what the general concensus was amongst brass players, to do more studies or not?

hornplayer

QUOTE (hornplayer @ Mar 4 2005, 02:22 PM)

Last week in my lesson my horn teacher said, "You should play more studies as they are really good for your technique," but studies aren't exactly my favourite exercise to play on horn. I was put off them when I first started as the beginner studies were quite dull compared to the exciting pieces I was playing. Just wondered what the general concensus was amongst brass players, to do more studies or not?

My last horn teacher sorted out my embouchure (quite a small adjustment) to improve my lower range, and then gave me specific studies to consolidate the improvement. I am grateful for both. I do think it helps to know why you are practising, either studies or exercises, so you might discuss with your teacher whether he thinks you have specific weaknesses and which studies will correct them.

If you have a commitment to perform something, the best exercises are the phrases in your part that you can't play properly.

QUOTE (kenm @ Mar 4 2005, 05:09 PM)

My last horn teacher sorted out my embouchure (quite a small adjustment) to improve my lower range, and then gave me specific studies to consolidate the improvement.

My low register is awful! I really need to find some good studies to help it! Which ones did u use kenm? I've been trying the low ones from Verne Reynolds but they're really difficult

The low horn studies i did (years ago tho!) that helped were "30 special studies for low horn" by Hermann Neuling.

I found that for most people the best way to improve your lower register is to play fourth horn in a horn quartet or in an orchestra, because it forces you to push yourself so you arent singled out by the director/conductor for not being loud enough/ mispitching etc.

Also scales going from mid-range to low and back help so that you go down gradually. Chromatics especially help.

hornplayer xx

QUOTE (hgirl @ Mar 6 2005, 11:37 PM)

My low register is awful! I really need to find some good studies to help it! Which ones did u use kenm? I've been trying the low ones from Verne Reynolds but they're really difficult  :angry:

"20 Etudes pour le Cor grave", by Pierre-A. de Pré, published 1977 by Gérard Billaudot, Paris; but most low horn studies would have done once my embouchure was right. My problem was the location of the mouthpiece on my lower lip: it needed to be more firmly on my bottom teeth. I'm still more of a high than a low player, but that improved my bottom octave flexibility and tone substantially. I'm not an expert on embouchure, though, so you should get advice from your teacher. If you are very lucky, that will be Simon de Souza, who sorted me out.

Good studies are not boring!

Studies, as a rule, are intended to focus on one or two aspects of technique (low notes; double tonguing; triplets; scales) in a musical context - hopefully making an interesting piece of music. This is in contrast to just performing that piece of technique in a series of repetative exercises.

Personally I'm not a great fan of studies. I prefer the boring repetative exercises! Maybe I'm sad!

That's not to say that I don't have books and books of studies, many of which repeat the same material.

I learnt to play low notes on the Horn from studies in the the old Oscar Franz tutor....loads of bass clef....old notation.(quite a few years ago, mind) Great fun.
Not sure whether it's still obtainable.

Another thing you can do is to go down the scale from middle C,playing five to six crotchet notes on the same note going from pp to fff (or as loud as you can go) ie starting on C, then B, then Bb etc.
At first its impossible to do, but after a while it'll start to work!!
(That tip is from the Phillip Farkas Horn Book)

studies are like a grotty tasting medicine, something that you must do/take to get better, just keep at it!

studies are usually scales with rhythm, although they do only certain registers usually, so generally are very good for both technique and sight reading. i am afraid that you will just ave to get on with them.

regards

bb