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Practicing the French horn.

Brophy on Pitch Bending

One topic I get asked about, as it is one of the exercises in The Brass Gym, is that of pitch bending. I think...

The Usability of Data and Feedback

Usability is a big buzzword in web and computer design. With empirical data, countless reports and studies can guide developers towards making better, more user-friendly...

Scale Goals: High School Horn

Depending on the state you are in, regional honor band auditions at the high school level may have either recently happened or are coming...

A Cycle of Improvement

Many times, less is more. If you are looking to fix a problem, a plan of action is required. Aggressively attacking a problem without a...

How to Practice Maxime-Alphonse Book 6

One book of studies many Horn Matters readers undoubtedly own is Maxime-Alphonse book 6. The etudes, besides being very difficult, are also very long....

From the Mailbag: Why so many breath marks in Strauss 1?

We get a variety of questions and this one recently is one that I am sure is wondered often. I have a question that's been...

A key to horn success: “Hook up” your Low Range

Every year after ensemble placement auditions at ASU thoughts will come to mind. I was really happy overall with the quality and results of...

Soft Repetition

Planning out a logical plan for improvement. A common shortcoming when I overhear students practice is in preparing the tough licks. Most realize that a key...

Practice Records: A Reflective Learning Method, I

The benefits of a practice journal. One stand-out detail I remember from Nancy Fako's book about Philip Farkas - Philip Farkas & His Horn: A...

Advice on Practicing at Mid-Career

An ongoing topic for many players is staying on top of their playing over the course of a lifetime, and how practice fits in...