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Ranges are fundamental. This prompt from the Douglas Hill book is pretty broad, but focuses on two elements; extreme ranges and good control in every range.
By the way, check his book
I have mentioned elsewhere that this semester I have switched things up at ASU in our pedagogy class. Instead of following the University of Horn Matters series, we are focusing on the Farkas book and the Hill Collected Thoughts book. His section on range development (high and low) on pages 31-37 really is quite a bit better than the discussion of the same topics in the Farkas book. This was the topic in our pedagogy class last week, and I suggest anyone working on range development would benefit from reading his discussion.
Extremes
Returning however to the prompt for this week and the context of the prompt, what Hill is asking is for you to reflect on your current status in terms of extreme ranges and your horn playing.
A related question worth considering would be how high and low do you need to be able to play? In terms of standard orchestral literature, there is a definite answer.
- The lowest note seen in standard orchestral works (Mahler 3 and 6, and Shost. 5) is the low E two octaves below treble clef
- The highest note seen in standard works – too numerous to mention!—is high C
Of course we know we should practice lower and higher than that. Myself, I know I’m warmed up when I can comfortably play a low D below that low E, but I can only barely hit the double low C. As to high notes, honestly, I rarely practice above high C, and many/most advanced players really hit a wall at high C. But facts are you need to be able to play up to around high E or F, those higher notes do come up more often than you would like. Skillsets vary from player to player; I can hit a high D relatively comfortably if really needed. But I’d rather not play above high C.
Clear controlled sounds (high, middle, mid-low, low)
In the previous article of this series we touched on tone color, but here Hill is looking beyond that. There is an entire package that involves tone and articulations, leading toward a tone that sounds controlled and easy. Like you are not straining and grasping at high or low notes that are really not in your comfortable range.
This goes beyond keeping the same tone color. There is kind of an “X Factor” that you develop over years of practice that contributes to clear and controlled sounds. There may or may not be quick fixes that can help; hopefully an experienced teacher can help with insights in this area.
When the series continues the topic is dynamics
Continue reading the Fundamentals series
