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Before turning to all these topics, I would like to remind readers that this series is based on a list of fundamentals found in the Douglas Hill book (page 92-93). The title of each article is the prompt from his list.
Which is also to say that everything to do with the embouchure is a massive topic that I simply can’t hope to cover in this article. But there are several basics that I have some perspective to offer readers. Speaking of perspective,
There are three things that all relate, that we should not separate so much
Three things? I would propose that breathing, embouchure, and tonguing are all very substantially related. They are all part of the process of playing any note on the horn. Especially for first notes (which we play a lot!) these three elements must synchronize effortlessly. But how?
A horn resource from way back in 1939 suggests a simple way to synchronize your breathing, embouchure, and tonguing. The quote is found on page 4 of Primary Studies for the French Horn by Anton Horner, where it may be found right before study No. 1.
Attack each note with your tongue as though you had a small hair or tiny piece of thread on the end of your tongue and wanted to force it out of your mouth.
Anton Horner (1877-1971) was a big name teacher of that time, Principal horn in the Philadelphia Orchestra, horn faculty at Curtis, and he is the man behind the Kruspe design that became the Conn 8D.
Notice how his simple instruction is in a way all that you need to think about. You set up your face, inhale, and tongue the note all in one motion, effortlessly synchronized! Try it.
Mouthpiece placement
The short version, that should be mentioned especially to people who may be starting new beginners, is that the mouthpiece really should be placed more on the upper lip. In my own case, I played into college 2/3 lower lip, which limited my ability to play into the low range.
I’ll add this as well. Conventional wisdom is that the horn embouchure is 2/3 upper lip, but if you actually look at a number of fine horn players you will find that many if not most play closer to 3/4 upper lip — and many of those more than 3/4 upper lip. Check out the photo of my embouchure, for example. Food for thought. More upper lip is really better.
Muscular focus
Among the topics in the prompt from Hill there is one final one I would like to highlight today. Take your mouthpiece and buzz up and down. As you go higher, the sensation that you feel is of your lips rolling in. That is a feeling you would be wise to cultivate in your playing.
Although not mentioned in his main publications, horn embouchure icon Philip Farkas in his later years was experimenting with the idea of lip “curling,” which is just another way to say lip rolling. If you want to read more of his take on this topic, check this article.
When the series continues we will look at another giant topic (already touched on in this installment), tonguing.
Continue in the Fundamentals Series
