Horn Matters | A French Horn and Brass Site and Resource | John Ericson and Bruce Hembd | John Ericson & Bruce Hembd on the French horn, brass related topics, and the field of classical music.

Hornmasters on Pitch Bending

Hornmasters

John Ericson

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Mar 27, 2012

In this series we now arrive at the topic of pitch bending, an exercise that can be of great benefit to hornists to develop tone quality and the lower register.

Finding the best tone quality

In the addendum to Essentials of Brass Playing Fred Fox addresses the topic of honing in on the best tone quality through pitch bending.

A thick, heavy sound on your instrument may not carry as well as a leaner, well balanced tone.

Try the following experiment: Pick a middle register note, hold it out. As it is sustained, bend it, make it sharper and flatter. Go to the extreme both ways—almost to the point where the next harmonic appears. Do this a few times, to get the feel of it. Finally do the same thing more slowly, reach both extremes one time, then stop at the point near the middle of the note that sounds best to your ear. The point that sounds best to you is where that note should always be played. I have found, in my teaching, that the point arrived at by the student is invariably a slighter firmer point than where the note is usually played. It now tends to be a leaner sound, less flabby, more effective. The pitch is not important. If you adopt a leaner overall embouchure and it is all consistently sharper, then all that has to be done is to pull out the tuning slide a bit.

The sound may not be the one you habitually have produced, but consider, given a multiple of choices, you picked it in preference to your usual tone! It is possible to be too tight as well as too loose. Eternal vigilance!

Opening up the tone in the low range

In another Horn Matters article I looked briefly at how William R. Brophy in his Technical Studies for Solving Special Problems on the Horn used pitch bending to open up the sound in the lower register. To quote this resource again, he explains how to best bend pitches.

The pitch change is accomplished by opening up the oral cavity and throat, but a slight downward and forward movement of the jaw if necessary, and by some slight relaxation of the embouchure, though a minimum amount of lip change is desirable. Do not help the pitch change by closing the bell with the right hand.

Strive to match the tone quality of the “bent” not to that of the “real” note. Be sure that the lowered pitch is supported with the same amount and intensity of air as the starting note.

Based on the MRI studies I’m thinking the mechanics are a bit different than he describes, but the overall benefit of pitch bends on building the lower range tone is clear.

More brief thoughts

Two other notable sources to briefly highlight:

Frøydis Ree Wekre in Thoughts on Playing the Horn Well suggests doing pitch bends as being “useful for intonation” and they also increase “the strength of the muscles inside the mouthpiece.”
Douglas Hill notes that pitch bending is a “wonderful low-range study” in Collected Thoughts on Teaching and Learning, Creativity, and Horn Performance.

Pitch bending is a tool toward finding the best, centered pitch

Pitch bending relates strongly to pitch centering, and I would highly recommend besides the related exercises in The Brass Gym as an additional resource my own article, “Placing Pitch ‘In the Pocket,'” which was published in The Horn Call some years back. A portion of this article may be found here, which points to some additional useful resources on the topic from William C. Robinson. My article begins

Proper pitch placement is certainly an issue of concern for horn players. Many less experienced players play high on the pitch, and as a result need to pull their main tuning slides out a great deal. Most fine players, however, don’t need to pull their horns down nearly so far. In reflection I realize that over the course of my own studies my pitch certainly dropped; I needed to pull my horn out less as I advanced in my playing abilities. This was not something that I intentionally set out to do and no teacher told me that I needed to pull out less, but I did over the years learn how to place the pitch better. To play well with the best possible tone you need to place pitch correctly. Two keys to learning how to describe and achieve proper pitch placement recently fell into place for me while working on a recital.

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Working Without a Conductor

Playing in Orchestra

Bruce Hembd

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Mar 26, 2012

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The old Greek story of Orpheus and his journey into the Underworld to rescue his wife opens some interesting commentary when that name is applied to a chamber group that works without a conductor.

As the old myth goes, Orpheus is allowed to leave the Underworld with his love in tow. She will remain behind him out-of-sight, but only if he never looks back to see if she is there or not.

That being said I have also wondered about how the music group Orpheus organize concerts and make decisions about the music. From a recent article at The Wall Street Journal we gain some insight.

…an elected executive committee of players assigns the position for each work; the concertmaster then chooses the leaders and co-principals of the other sections, who form the so-called core. At core rehearsals, the broad themes of interpretation, tempo and phrasing are hashed out ahead of tutti rehearsals, in which each player is encouraged to speak up. Everyone is expected to know the entire score. During rehearsals, players take turns walking out into the auditorium to check for sound and balance and then report back to the ensemble.

(More.)

This article also brought back to memory a classic conductor joke:

Q. What is the difference between a symphony orchestra and a freight train?

A. The freight train needs a conductor.

[Extracted from a “Random Monday” article, 2021, JE]

Ask Dave: How do I Re-cork a Mute?

Ask Dave

Bruce Hembd

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Mar 24, 2012

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Mathew asks:

What advice or tricks can you provide for re-corking a mute, both successful removal of the old cork and application of the new cork?

Dave replies:

This is an excellent question that I rarely get to answer, so thank you for the opportunity!

I will assume this is a straight mute that has long, rectangular cork strips rather than a practice mute that has a conical section of cork. The conical section of cork can be tricky, and I’ll discuss that another time.

First, measure all three dimensions of the cork strips and the placement of the corks on the mute. Your mute should have an odd number of cork strips. If it does not, then consider replacing the four strips with five strips of the same dimension, but spaced 72 degrees apart.

Your next task is to replicate the actual cork strips. I recommend going to an automotive parts store to find gasket cork, which is made of a composite of cork and neoprene, and comes in at least two thicknesses. If a single sheet of gasket cork is not sufficiently deep to replace the cork strips, then you will have to cement layers together to build it up to the right height.

To cement layers together, use a good contact cement (I recommend Weldwood brand, or similar) according to the directions. Put cement on both parts, let dry and then press the cemented sides together. Apply pressure overall to get a good uniform bond. Remember, contact cement will adhere ON CONTACT when used properly. Follow the directions carefully.

After you get a sheet of the correct depth, cut a long strip out of it with a utility knife to a width equal to the longest dimension needed. Cut the individual strips off to the proper width, and you have your cork strips. I recommend using a metal straight edge to do the cutting with the utility knife. Always use extreme care when cutting with a knife, and protect both yourself and the surface on which you are cutting. And, use a new blade for best results.

Remove the old corks with the utility knife, carefully and gently shaving the strip from the mute. Gently scrape the surface clean and smooth without damaging the mute. If old cement and cork bits remain, then use a cotton swab dipped in lacquer thinner to gently remove it. Do so carefully, because the lacquer thinner may damage the finish on the mute. Try to get off all the old cork, but don’t worry if some of the old cement remains.

Dry fit the cork strips before cementing. If the strip is wide and does not follow the curvature of the mute well, then you can curve it by firmly rolling the cork with a rigid, round rod on a hard smooth surface. I use drum sticks to roll corks.

Mark out the cork positions with a soft pencil, if necessary. Usually there is a shadow of the old mute position as a guide. Apply contact cement somewhat generously to the cork strip, and position the strip properly on the mute. Immediately pull the strip off, and you should have transferred a sufficient amount of cement to the mute. Let the cement dry. Carefully reposition the cork strip and press it into place. The strip will be cemented firmly in place.

Humor: 14 Famous Musicians and their Odd Doppelgängers

Humor

Bruce Hembd

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Mar 23, 2012

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In the previous article from Wednesday, “Symmetry and Balance: 3 Reasons to Not Worry about an Off-Center Embouchure” some liberty was taken with the imaging software Photoshop and my own face.

In messing around with photos of famous musicians, I quickly discovered that few people face directly, dead-center at the camera and when applying the mirror-effect, the results can get pretty weird. Light and shadow can also create warped effects.

Here are some of those oddities – with a concentration of brass players. None of this is to be taken seriously of course, and these effects should all be taken lightly and in good humor.

Click on any image for a larger view.

* * *

Philip Farkas

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Milton Babbitt

* * *

Fritz Kreisler

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Arnold Jacobs

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Igor Stravinsky

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Louis Armstrong

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Leopold Stokowski

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Roland Berger

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Wilhelm Furtwangler

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Luciano Pavarotti

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John Coltrane

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Barry Tuckwell

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Paul Robeson

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Maria Callas

* * *

Accuracy Tip: Watch Your Fingers

Accuracy

John Ericson

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Mar 22, 2012

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Over the years one thing I have noticed in watching students is that a percentage of missed notes have to do with how your fingers move, or more precisely how they don’t quite move at the same time as each other. In a follow up comment to the recent article on glissandos I noted that

In my own case, to perform a gliss from for example an F at the top of the staff to a high B-flat I would roll my fingers 3-2-1 from the T0 fingering for the F to a T1 for the top note, a variation on the suggestion from Berv.

So while this rolling action can be used to advantage in making a glissando or rip, it is also something to be very aware of as a potential problem.

In slow passage work I know what my tendency is, and I suspect it is common out there. My fingers tend to roll very slightly in order 3-2-1. So for example if I am going to a 2-3 fingering the third finger tends to go down slightly before the second finger. If it is to the fingering 1-2 my second finger tends to go down slightly earlier than the first. My perception is that it is more likely to be noted in the 2-3 combination than the 1-2 combination.

Then in many passages you also have the thumb valve to throw as well. Let’s say you have to go from 0 to T2-3. When taken quickly probably the fingers will all hit at about the same time but taken slowly there is a real good chance that they won’t, and even if it does not cause a full blown chip that roll of the fingers will translate into something audible, especially if it is a slur.

There are several things you can do to improve this issue.

One is to improve the ergonomics of your instrument. This may involve switching over to use a strap or flipper instead of the pinky ring (this will free up the third finger) and adjusting your horn with valve extensions (finger pads or “dimes” for example, or even modifications to the thumb valve). Make it easier for your fingers to arrive in a neutral position; make it easier for your fingers to be in that classic, rounded position when playing.

The other main tactic would be to use your fingers better. In The Brass Gym by Pilafian and Sheridan we find this very related suggestion about confident fingers.

Confident fingers – in order to avoid rough slurs, use marcato fingers in legato music. Armando Ghitalla described it as “pounding the valves.”

Taking a phrase such as this one (simple etudes in keys with a lot of flats or sharps work well for this purpose) I have found it helpful to alternately watch my fingers directly, watch them in a mirror, and then close my eyes and feel the motion.

It is possible to get the fingers to coordinate perfectly but it may be more of a challenge than you anticipated it to be. In my own case lately while I am tempted to play on several different horns I have restricted myself a bit with the goal of really gearing my finger action around one horn. I think it is paying off, and in any case finger action is a good topic for any player at any level to consider.

Symmetry and Balance: 3 Reasons to Not Worry about an Off-Center Embouchure

Embouchure

Bruce Hembd

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Mar 21, 2012

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A mirror can be a very useful tool in practice sessions. It is a great way to self-diagnose and to make adjustments that can further improvement.

Many high school and college practice rooms these days it seems come well-equipped with both pianos and wall mirrors, so I think that people are already familiar with the notion of practicing in front of a mirror.

What may not be so familiar is what to look for. A mirror can be a great tool for some, but for others it can be a mystery or worse, a source of frustration.

(More.)

A mirror gives us feedback on a number of things, including: posture, hand position and embouchure. This being said, it can also draw attention to issues that may not be anything to be concerned about.

In this regard, a question that gets regularly asked is this:

My embouchure is off-center and is not horizontally perfect in the middle of my lips. Should I make a change to center the mouthpiece on my lips?

1.) Faces are not symmetrical

Using my own photograph, a simple experiment illustrates how off-balance our faces really are. At a glance, everything is there that one would expect – eyes, ears, a nose and lips – and nothing seems greatly out of order.

Now, let’s look at the same photograph with registration lines superimposed on top.

This is by no means scientific, but right away one can observe a number of differences between the right and left sides of my face.

The left ear is higher than the right ear
The left eye is slightly higher than the right eye
The mouth (at least when smiling) is not a perfect curve, and the left side goes up higher than on the right
The center of the nose, mouth and chin do not line up in a perfect, straight line
My glasses are crooked, in order to match up with my varying eye heights

Taking this a step further, here are two versions of the same photo but with truly perfect symmetry.

This effect is accomplished by copying one side of the face, reversing it, then connecting the two sides into one image. If my face where perfectly symmetrical, it would look like this:

head-allRight — Mirror copy of right side.

head-allLeft — Mirror copy of left side.

head-both — Both mirrored copies side-by-side.

When looking at my lips in these mirrored images, subtle differences can be observed (in spite of the facial hair).

Even famous Hollywood actors – that rely on beauty for their trade – have asymmetrical faces. Actor Angelina Jolie, for example, almost looks like two different people when this same mirror-effect is applied.

(More.)

In the broader and more philosophical sense, beauty might be defined as a symmetry of unbalanced elements.

More relevant to horn playing, the point here is that no one has a face that is perfectly symmetrical. The big question to procure from this casual experiment would be: if my face is not absolutely symmetrical, why should I worry about my embouchure being symmetrical?

2.) Our brains can be fooled

While practicing in front of a mirror can be a great tool, it can also present problems if the practice is taken too literally.

Beyond optical illusions (see also the Thatcher illusion applied to Dennis Brain), our brains are also easily fooled into delusional thinking. Problems can be imagined where perhaps no problems may even exist. For some, a mirror can exacerbate minor paranoia into a bigger issue.

3.) Teeth

Not everyone has perfectly straight teeth and I certainly fall into the category of having very crooked teeth. My bite resembles this picture (at right) of a what one writer calls “redneck teeth.”

As shown in the picture at right, my right canine tooth sticks out prominently and my front teeth are very uneven.

When my mouthpiece is absolutely centered, that projecting canine tooth (and perhaps even more importantly, the gap next to it) becomes an issue. To compensate, I play with a mouthpiece setting that is off-center and have done so for many years.

Final thoughts

When pursuing balance in your playing, keep in mind that symmetry and balance are not the same thing. Sometimes, a “balanced embouchure” is defined by asymmetrical elements.

A mobile work by the artist Alexander Calder illustrates this concept brilliantly in the abstract. While this work is constructed of many different shapes and sizes, it achieves a strong sense of balance between its two branches.

Take everything you see in a mirror with a grain of salt. This feedback can be very interesting information, but it may not necessarily indicate that there is a problem or a strong need to make a change.

Hornmasters: Berv and Tuckwell on the Glissando

Hornmasters

John Ericson

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Mar 20, 2012

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A topic not mentioned in many classic horn texts is the topic of the glissando. It is a fun effect.

Flick the levers — with taste and judgement

Harry Berv says in A Creative Approach to the French Horn that the glissando effect “always reminds me of the sound made when someone tears a piece of wax paper from the roll.”

I have found the following method successful in producing an effective glissando. Play the first note, and in “glissing” to the top or bottom note of any glissando, flick the valve levers once in numerical order as fast as you can while simultaneously tightening embouchure and increasing the air pressure….

The only other way to execute a glissando is to play the initial note and, with a great increase of air pressure but without using any valves, force the air through the horn….

Although it is a somewhat special effect, the glissando must be produced with the same thought and care as any other beautiful sound. It also requires the exercise of considerable taste and judgment, for its abuse produces an effect of vulgarity….

Another approach

Barry Tuckwell also weighs in on the glissando in Playing the Horn.

The glissando is the smooth movement from one note to another through the intervening notes….

A trombonist can produce glissandos by moving the slide, but on the valve instruments it is something to fake. It can be done by moving the valves half way down (not so easy with rotary valves), or by making a ‘smear’ across the harmonics. Each glissando will have to be worked out by the individual as each instrument reacts in a different way, but in general the ‘smear’ type of glissando is best done on as long a length of tubing as possible, i.e. with all the valves down.

Personally I tend to favor the Berv approach, rolling the valve levers. But both methods are worth a try.

Finally, if for no other reason but to hear a few good rips, we close this segment with a video also featured in another article, the main title music for Silverado. Enjoy!

Continue Reading in Hornmasters Series

Essential Information: Use of the Assistant First Horn in Orchestra and Band

Playing in Orchestra

John Ericson

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Mar 18, 2012

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A version of this article was published in The Horn Call 34, no. 2 (February, 2004) and also in Playing High Horn (2007, Horn Notes Edition). The version presented here is a combination of the texts of both. After the musical example from Beethoven 7 is the point where it switches from the 2007 to 2004 content. (UPDATED: 2025 — headings added for better readability.)

In high horn playing, at least in the USA, a key element is the effective use of an assistant first horn. The essential role of the fifth (“swing”) horn in a five-horn section is to assist the principal horn by taking over the first part periodically, especially during tutti passages, allowing the first horn to rest and remain fresh to comfortably perform other more soloistic, exposed passages. The first horn, if there were no assistant, would have a much harder time performing these passages with a level of comfort and freedom. In addition, certain works, when performed with a competent assistant horn, are relatively simple works to perform well, but without an assistant horn, suddenly become a grueling test of endurance for the principal hornist.

How is the part divided?

Specifics as to how the part will be divided will vary depending on the players and the literature. Some principal players favor a good bit of doubling, but in general I would recommend that there should not generally be a lot of doubling in an orchestral situation, except for especially loud, climatic moments in the music. Passages where the assistant is to play should be clearly marked in the music in logical, consistent markings. These selections should be at least roughly thought out before the first rehearsal and should be at least roughly marked in by the end of the first rehearsal. Usually the passages for the assistant to play will be marked with brackets by the principal player.

In marking passages for the assistant to play in an orchestra, the principal player should be especially attuned to changes of orchestration and texture. Whenever playing, the assistant also needs to “take the ball” and lead. Anything really exposed should find the principal horn in the “hot seat” but when the assistant is playing, they should have the part and strive to match the tone of the resting principal.

In some works it may not be possible to use an assistant due to the thin orchestration or the lack of tutti passages. If this is the case, it is better to simply let the assistant off for the work. Depending on the literature, the split between the first horn and the assistant will be something between roughly 85/15 and 60/40, with a split of 50/50 possible on light literature such as marches and pops concert material. It is important for the principal horn to be careful not to “ice the chops” of the assistant; the assistant must be given enough to play to keep fresh for their entrances. This is especially true if the markings include overlaps and “sneak-ins” without attacks.

In general there are four types of passages that I look to give to the assistant horn when I am playing principal horn:

Passages closely aligned with the trumpets. This is especially common in Classical literature where the first horn and first trumpet are in octaves.
Passages where the first and third horns are doubled. Unison tutti passages are great places to lay off on first for a moment or longer.
Passages before major solos. The classic example is the end of movement one of Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5, where the first horn should rest for most of the page before movement two. Even for less extended solos I personally find it of great help to insert even a very short rest before exposed passages.
“Footballs,” long strings of whole notes (or similar) when not overly exposed. Some “pass offs” from the first horn to the assistant can be of great help.

In all of these situations it is essential for the principal and assistant to match in terms of volume and general style. It is also very important for the principal horn to have a clear sense of where the first part is doubled down the section. A combination of score study and trust for the other members of the horn section is a great aid to making best use of the assistant horn. The score study shows you where other players are covering the same parts you have and trust allows you to let them cover those parts. These are the real keys to effective use of the assistant first horn.

As a part of pacing, the principal horn should rest when suitable passages occur for the assistant to play, even if the overall range demands do not appear to be especially difficult. This rest may become especially significant in the context of an orchestral rehearsal or concert with other heavy works to remain fresh for, not to mention the possibility of other services to play. Don’t be foolish and burn your chops on tutti passages; give these to the assistant so you will be fresh for the “money” passages.

But what does it look like?

While assistant horn markings will always be very individualized, the following is an example of the opening page of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 with assistant markings. Try the first horn passages with and without the assistant; the passages covered by the assistant horn will certainly give the principal horn more freedom to play the conclusion of this work with greater abandon and better accuracy.

(For more examples of assistant markings, from Strauss, see this article)

Is it the same in band?

The assistant horn in a band or wind ensemble may be treated in a manner very similar to that seen in an orchestra but frequently the function is somewhat different.

The situation where the assistant position is the most different than in an orchestra is in the large symphonic band with a section of eight (or more) horn players. In a horn section with eight horns all the parts should be doubled down the section in the same manner. The principal player on any part should play the more soloistic passages and the more thinly orchestrated sections, and the principal may also wish to lay out for some of the tutti passages. Perhaps 80-90% of any part will be doubled by both players. This will be necessary to achieve a proper balance.

In a large band the “choir effect” is very much at work. Many other parts (for example, the trumpets) are doubled or even tripled. There is a fullness of tone gained by this doubling that is considered desirable in this situation.

During the period when I performed in the Nashville Symphony I also had the opportunity to do recording session work, mainly “gospel” and “jingle” sessions. In the studios I found doubling the first horn part to be quite common; a session with two horn parts would be frequently be called for three players, two of them doubling the first part on nearly all passages. Evidently producers preferred the fatter tone of the doubled part. As an alternate, some producers had us record two passes of horns to achieve the same effect. There is certainly literature where this type of doubling really works in a band or wind ensemble as well.

A wind ensemble section with five horns is more like the orchestral horn section, but it may work better to treat the assistant horn in a manner similar to that seen in the symphonic band section described above. My experience is as a player that I would prefer to want to mark the part for the assistant very much like in an orchestra but it actually works better in terms of sound to double the part more than I would consider doing in an orchestra. It is very much like the example from the recording studios given above; doubling makes a fatter sound that can compete better with the rest of the brass with their frequent doublings.

The principal player in a wind ensemble section with five horns should certainly play the exposed solos and the thinly orchestrated passages by themselves and should certainly lay out during loud tutti passages as necessary to “save face.” But much of the typical wind ensemble part can be doubled, perhaps something like 50-60% of the part, depending of course on the exact literature being performed.

While in the orchestra the typical practices are pretty clear cut, in the band things are not nearly as set by tradition. Depending on your situation, it might be wise to consult with your conductor to note their preferences. Also, just look around to see where other doublings may already be occurring in the band. If you see six trumpets or four trombones playing all the time you can be pretty sure that they are doubling something all the time and this really would be OK in the horns as well.

A very important member of the section

Above all, the assistant player is a very important member of the horn section and is not there to merely play “the boring stuff” or to only play when the first horn wants to rest. The assistant enhances the music in many ways. With something close to 20% of all major orchestra players holding this position as well this fact alone should also remind us that to play assistant well is truly something to strive for.

UPDATE: For even more on this topic see this article

Ask Dave: How Can I Raise the Conn 8D Thumb Lever?

Ask Dave

Bruce Hembd

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Mar 17, 2012

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Suzanne asks:

I have a student with a Conn 8D mechanical Bb valve. Is there any way I can raise this valve? His hands are huge and could use some extra space? Thank you.

Dave replies:
Conn has made many changes to the thumb lever mechanism over the years. Since its manufacture in Eastlake, Ohio, they have worked to make the levers more accessible for smaller hands. The large reach of the valve levers was always a complaint about the older 8Ds.

The current mechanical linkage lever on the 4th valve can be made longer by removing the linkage from the rotor stop and unscrewing the two linkage armature parts at the connecting screw in between. This will lengthen that lever and move the thumb paddle closer to the other levers.

But your student needs to accomplish the exact opposite, which is not an easy thing to do.

The paddle must be modified in some way, and this almost certainly means taking it to a competent repair tech who will evaluate what best to do for your student’s situation.

Modifications could include:

Cutting the mechanical linkage armatures and connecting screw to shorten the armature length.
Soldering on or brazing on to the thumb paddle an extender of some kind. Many people use bent quarters. (Be sure to use an pre-1965 single alloy quarter rather than a newer bi-metal version.)
Cutting and moving the entire thumb paddle to a more comfortable position, which requires brazing.
Or, some combination of the above.

For a large handed person, my first inclination would be both to move and extend the thumb paddle. I don’t believe that modifying the mechanical linkage armature will accomplish much.

I do not recommend simply bending the thumb paddle unless you are prepared to replace the part should it break during bending.