all about beginners and getting started
screening beginners
Things to do if you have a student that wants to play horn (or you need horn players in your band):
1. pitch matching and the ear, test them
-are pitches higher or lower than…?
-can you sing the same pitch?
-can you buzz the same pitch?
2. dominate hand, ask them
-are you left-handed?
3. check out their dentals
-how are your teeth?
-are there any sharp edges?
-do they have a severe overbite or underbite? - are they wearing, or will need braces?
**none of these preclude becoming a horn player, but all will be things to address!
moving to horn from another instrument
Things to consider if you are moving a student to horn from something else:
1. moving from other brass
-the number one thing to stress is mouthpiece placement, it is NOT the same
-horn mouthpiece placement must be higher on the lip than halfway
-other considerations: range, left-handed, good ear
2. moving from woodwinds and anything else
-start a completely NEW embouchure from scratch
-my biggest observation is surprise at quantity of air/overblowing from WW’s, brass is more resistant that flute, but less than oboe therefore breathing and use of air will change
-same “other considerations”: also range and clef reading, left-handed, good ear and the ability to match pitch since we are now dealing with the overtone series
5 Steps for the beginner on Day 1
The first 5 things every beginner needs to know:
1.how to open the case
2.how to pick up the horn
3.how sit and hold the horn
4.how to breathe/buzz/play/make a sound
5.how to empty the spit and put it back in the case
**check back soon for attachments and videos on this - subscribers only!!**
A simple guide to spit and condensation
Water (spit or condensation) needs to be emptied carefully every day!
1.When in doubt, pull it OUT!
-slides are either directly to valve, F or B flat tuning only, or main tuning slide
-If you don’t know what it goes to, pull it out and try to play something on both sides of the horn (F or B flat/without trigger or with)
2. the FIRST slide from mouthpiece is ALWAYS the MAIN TUNING slide and where all of the spit is, everything else is condensation and must be removed by individual slides or by rolling out
**check back soon for attachments and videos on this - subscribers only!!**
Quick Troubleshooting
E.H.R.for Troubleshooting sound problems
(Emergency Horn Response)
***NOT JUST FOR BEGINNERS***
1.it all comes back to buzzing – is the aperture free to vibrate?
2.is the mouthpiece in the right place?
3.is the chin flat?
4.is there air moving through?
5.and what about that tongue? (more on this coming..)
6.is the right hand too covered?
**still no luck? start at top of list in front of a mirror, with your teacher, or send me a sound/video example so I can help you!!**