Your horn doesn't have a range, you do. One should never pay for shostokovich.
Chris --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > In a message dated 10/5/2003 3:00:15 AM Pacific Standard Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > > I was wondering what other people had found most useful in > > practising low notes. (I feel suddenly inspired to practise them > > especially, what with Shostakovitch Symphony No.5 pedal E coming up > > in January.) > > > > First, make sure your horn has a strong low register. If it doesn't, you > might consider a leadpipe change. A good horn should have a strong low > register. > Talk to some of the suppliers, they are very sophisticated in their ability > to improve horns in specific ways. > > My son is a bass trombonist as well as being very knowledgeable about > acoustics. What I've learned from him is the horn is not really a bass > instrument, > it just has that octave available. To maximize the access to that octave: > > A. Use the Bb horn as much as possible. The shorter air column is much > easier to get moving. The bore to length ratio more resembles a true bass > instrument. You will quickly find crisp articulation is much more important > than 'F' > horn tone. You'll develop a fine tone as you learn the register. > > B. Don't use a deep mouthpiece. A large diameter, shallow, bowl shape will > give much better results. A deep mouthpiece is better for producing bass, > but > a French horn is not a bass instrument. You don't want to waste energy > producing bass nor energy feeding the first harmonic. My son prefers a bass > trombone that is small enough to still sound like a trombone. For big band, > he > switches to a very shallow Eb tuba mouthpiece with a pop tone about the same > as his > Giardinelli. He can bury a bari sax, and still have great tone. He also > uses a shallow mouthpiece for playing Sousaphone outdoors. Bass doesn't > carry, > so why waste energy making it. He can be heard for miles. > > I used to specialize in forth horn and found a Bach 3 worked well. A few > years ago. I've switched to a Schilke 31B derivative, and find it as good, > or > better. If you're not used to a larger mouthpiece, it will take a couple of > weeks to regain your high register, but then you'll be playing with > embouchure > strength instead of pressure. My wife switched to a 31B a few months ago, > and > can't believe the range and endurance she's developed. > > C. Start playing the "Gallay Etudes for Second Horn" in conjunction with your > > other practice. They are very good for developing the flexibility to shift > down to the low register smoothly. > > D. You don't want a tiny bore, but boring out too large ruins the > mouthpiece. If you really have to try it, I've got one you can have, > somewhere around. > _______________________________________________ > post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > set your options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/tedesccj%40yahoo.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search http://shopping.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] set your options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
