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Continuing our look at accuracy and the letters D and E, our first topic is the descant horn, which can certainly help accuracy in many situations.
Descant horns
But backing up a step, in recent years the triple horn has had a lot of attention, overshadowing in many respects the descant. A descant is most typically constructed as a double horn in Bb/high F, and a triple is most commonly in F/Bb/high F.
The triple horn is a great, all-purpose instrument for an established orchestral high horn player, as you have the big sound we associate with a double horn but also the high F side available for improved accuracy.
But the descant certainly still has its place in lighter literature in the high range. For just one example, while you could play the Berlioz Queen Mab excerpt on a standard double, it would be better on a triple and better still on a descant. Why? With the descant you not only have the high F side but also it is a lighter instrument, you can really dial the dynamic down and float out the high notes. The only time I ever got a solo acknowledgement on a series concert when I played Third Horn in Nashville was after the Queen Mab Scherzo – which I played on a descant.
Oh, and I have a book on descant and triple horns. More on that here.
Don’t be a hero
The next topic in my book draft was the simple thought to not be a hero. I still think you will generally be the most accurate if you trust yourself and go for it, but if you know it is not going to come out, as my dad used to say, “discretion is the better part of valor.”
Dynamics
There are some variables that come in with playing at various dynamics which it is worth considering in relation to accuracy.
In particular, pitch level can vary at different dynamics and this element must be under control. This is one of the reasons why long tones with crescendos and diminuendos are absolutely essential exercises; if the pitch drifts at different dynamics, accuracy will suffer. Related to that, when you are in the center of the tone on the horn will have the best tone color. Focus on this tone color, as when you are drifting sharp the tone will get thin.
Well Duh!?!
Some years ago, I posted an article (here) on Horn Matters with the title “Well, Duh!?!, a Key to Accuracy.” The article is one I believe I have considered cutting from the site several times (it is early Horn Matters content, written more like a personal blog post), but the thought it gives on articulation is a solid one that could be expanded upon considerably.
Short version for now is that tonguing is quite impactful on accuracy, and “D” (“Duh”) is a much better default syllable than “T.”
The Ear
A final topic for this installment is the Ear, one touched on already and one that will be touched on more.
This time I would like to highlight that the ear controls your overall pitch level in ways you may not recognize, and may lead you astray. One big example is that you can pull slides out on a horn almost indefinitely and still be sharp if you are simply used to hearing the notes sharp and are using your ear to guide the embouchure to place the notes sharp. A tuner is a great investment! Use it often as it really doesn’t lie; it can be a great tool to retrain your ear.
Related to that thought, I find it interesting that players will tend to drift up in pitch level when playing by themselves as opposed to playing in an ensemble. Holding pitch level well is an important skill to master – you need to stay on pitch and in the center consistently to play the most accurately.
This is an installment of a series on accuracy, drawn from notes developed for a book on the same topic. The series starts here.
