Home Lists & FAQs

Lists & FAQs

A wide variety of lists and frequently asked questions.

5 Tips on Creativity and Being Creative, from John Cleese

Within last week's Random Wednesday article a video was included of actor John Cleese speaking on the topic of creativity. Mr. Cleese is a very good...

Vacation Beards and 2010 New Year Resolutions

Irritation and humor. During a week of vacation like this one I can boycott shaving. I let it all go for one whole week and...

Ask Dave: 9 Ways to Prevent ‘Dingers’

Ring a ding, dinger... A customer brings a horn in for a cleaning, pulls out the bell, and says, "And can you do something about...

Top Ten List: Advice for Conductors

A top-ten list for conductors from a musician's view. INTRODUCTION Having been a professional musician for around 25 years now, I have seen my share of...

Top 10 Ways to Provoke a Horn-Geek

How to get a horn geek riled up. Horn aficionados and geeks as a general rule, are a pretty easy-going breed. But if we get...

Top Ten: Favorite Collections

Reviews of some of my favorite things. Over the years, a handful of French horn music collections and editions have gotten my repeated attention; these...

6 Quick Tips for College Applications and Auditions

It is that time of year, students are finalizing their college audition plans. A few tips come to mind. 1. At most schools there are...

A Few Things Not French Horn

It is amazing how many things take on the name French horn that are not actually musical instruments. For example: The French Horn Cocktail *...

Top Ten: Cross Training Methods

Why limit yourself to horn-specific methods and etudes? Getting tired of your etude books? Kopprasch, Maxime-Alphonse, and Gallay are among the staples of the French...

5 Good Questions on Single and Triple Horns

Recently received from a reader were a series of questions on single horns and triple horns. 1. What is the status of single horns in...