Bob Dickow wrote: To all,
What are your favorite/most effective routines for building endurance? Mine are: (1) scales/arpeggios, (2) long tones, (3) Playing Belloli etudes. ----- I have for many years used the scales from the Heavy Workout of Joseph Singer's/Embrochure Building for French Horn/, edited by Richard Ballou. They are five note patterns moving up, then down the scale in the key of the day for a three octave average range, depending on where the scale starts. Singer suggests not going above a high C, but I make it up to Eb in some keys. Trying to play the top end of a melodic minor scale up in that range is tough. The workout involves doing the scale patterns in each of seven articulations. I further vary it by changing the sustained dynamic from mp up to ff, then p, then pp. Depending on your strengths and weaknesses, sustaining the dynamic down into the pedal range can take as much strength as going up to the top of the horn. It's not very interesting, but for building and sustaining endurance it does the job. I don't consider it part of my warm-up, but play it on days when I don't have rehearsals or performances. Regards, Richard Hirsh _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
