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Tips on Auditioning Horns, Part II: Mouthpieces, Leadpipes, Hybrids and the Schmid Double

PUBLISHED: January 20, 2012, Bruce Hembd

At the Southwest Horn Conference (SWHC) a variety of Kruspe and Geyer type horns were available to try out. I currently play on a hybrid Geyer-wrap horn and not wanting to miss out on playing some great Kruspe-wrap horns, I came prepared with an agenda. This agenda began with a pocket full of mouthpieces. Bring more [...]

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Tips

From the Mailbag:”What Can I Do About Mouthpiece Pressure?”

PUBLISHED: January 11, 2012, Bruce Hembd

K. asks: I have been working with my horn teacher over the last few months on changing my embouchure. The problem I had in the past was I used too much upper lip pressure. I have been trying to change it, but no matter how hard or long I work at it (hours, days, weeks, [...]

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Tips

Scale Goals: High School

PUBLISHED: December 27, 2011, John Ericson

Depending on the state you are in, regional honor band auditions at the high school level may have either recently happened or are coming very soon. Besides music that you are required to prepare you will be asked to play scales, and it should at the audition never sound like a surprise. “F# major! AAAK!” [...]

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Tips

Embouchure 101: A Video on Brass Embouchures

PUBLISHED: December 16, 2011, Bruce Hembd

David Wilken has put together a superb 50-minute video on embouchure basics that should be required watching for both teachers and players. The topic of embouchure can be a hot-button topic among horn players especially, one than can ignite passionate opinion. Mr. Wilken does an excellent job of myth-busting; he separates the fact from fiction [...]

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Beginners, Brass players, Breathing, Tips

A Garland on Your Bell: Not Just Bling

PUBLISHED: November 24, 2011, John Ericson

One option out there from a few horn makers is a garland, an extra band of metal added to the edge of the bell near the rim. The idea is an old one; in this first photo is the garland on my Seraphinoff natural horn. Typical of older style garlands, it is over an inch [...]

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Tips

Setting Goals: 3 Tips for ‘Keeping it Real’

PUBLISHED: October 19, 2011, Bruce Hembd

Are you are feeling a little lost in the woods with your music-making? A great way to reign yourself in is to set specific goals. Goal setting is a great tool to plan for the future, and for motivating oneself to do the necessary work in order to achieve the goal. From the Mind Tools [...]

Re-Writing Bach: The Trio from Brandenburg Concerto No. 1

PUBLISHED: October 5, 2011, Bruce Hembd

I have been working on the final Trio section from Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 1, not for a specific performance but rather as an exercise for technical improvement in tonguing, the high range and endurance. While working on this excerpt I remembered a neat performance trick – one that can be very helpful to a first [...]

John Ericson & Bruce Hembd
on the French horn, brass related topics, and the field of classical music.