High Range for the Horw Player Text and Exercisey by Douglay Hill Published by KR Milf REALLY Goop music, Lic. G_ |] irs witon street Eau Chie, WIS4701What follows is a collection of exercises and etudes that are directed to aid in the development and strengthening of a high register on the hom. They are based on the assumption that one already has a relatively secure middle range embouchure and a basic ability to move one’s ar efficiently. Please note thatthe ideas and basie designs put forth within these studies are more important than the specific rhythms or pitches. They can and should be modified to suit the present abilities of each player. You do not necd to Play them all as you see them notated. Do as much as you can comfortably. You should {eam to understand what each exercise is attempting to accomplish and use that as your Suggested point of departure. Also, you must pace yourself. Don’t try to do these all at once. They are primarily developmental studies, not tests of one’s present abilities. It is important for each and every individual to find a balance between what can be done and what needs to done to progress. While developing strength and finesse in the high range you will have to push it, but don’t force: stretch it, don’t strain, Work with a plan past the point of fatigue, but then stop immediately and rest if there’s pain, Pain is a bane, not a gain! Initial Buzzing Exercise Exercise 1 begins with a simple melodic pattern without the mouthpiece. To be able to do this with a clear and centered tone can be very helpful in understanding the full functioning relationship between the many components of playing well in the middle and high registers. To successfully focus the aperture, and balance that with an appropriate air stream and a gradually fluctuating tongue position as you ascend and descend without the mouthpiece, is helpful but not absolutely necessary. Attempt this exercise (or one like id, & few times through. Then retur to it periodically, but do not get stuck on this particular technique if it is extraordinarily difficult for you. Feel free to move on to the mouthpiece exercises,’ ’ ’ » » » » » » » » » » » » » > » D » D D » dD dD >» >» » Dd D Mouthpiece Exercises Many benefits come from practicing on the mouthpiece alone. It requires that you focus the sound, fill it with “wind” and find ways to avoid the static-like noise that can come from an excessively pinched aperture. Without a horn attached to the mouthpiece, the resistance is less, so the buzz/air relationship is much freer. That can help to reinforce a strong air follow-through and requires that one create a centered sound without the aid of the hom resistance. (It helps to hold the mouthpiece by the end of the shank to avoid the tendency to press too hard against the lips.) Itis.also useful to perform these exercises using a form of resistance such as a B.ERP. attached to the shank of the mouthpiece. One can also simply place a finger partially over the end of the shank of the mouthpiece or place it within a pouch or thin cloth to ereate a resistance similar to that of the horn. Remember, however, that the ultimate goal is to improve one's horn playing. Thus, these exercises are to be considered developmental and, later, as supplemental to the later studies involving the horn. Asa bridge between buzzing alone and the proper placement of the mouthpiece, Exercises 2, 3, & 4 are to be performed by beginning with'the mouthpiece lodged securely on the bottom lip but tipped downward allowing no contact with the top lip off"). While buzzing the given pitch, gradually pivot the mouthpiece into position high on the top lip (“on”) while producing the second pitch. In Exercise #4 go only as high as you are comfortable. Notice the crescendos on each duplet. They are there to encourage the increase in the airflow as you ascend, aiding in the development of the higher pitches. Slowly oo og of=on, offen, oon, 2.Exercise 5 is for the mouthpiece alone. Focus a clear and resonant sound while producing the notated pitches. Concentrate on your air as you crescendo and diminuendo with the changes in range. Glissando freely, gliding through the pitches with an approximate timing. (72) aD fe yp a of = f af = nf =f = —_=f — af = f ———f =f — a ff Ff f= f f= a a f — f= f_ ———— of = F — af — f° of = fF =—wwwwwwwwwwwww~wwowwwewwewwwew www ewww ~~ - Exercise 6 is for mouthpiece alone, but requires that you do not glissando. Do, however, slur the given pitches with much greater control and metric clarity than in Exercise 5. Focus a clear and resonant sound while producing the notated pitches. Concentrate on your air as you crescendo and diminuendo with the changes in the range.Exercise 7 requires that the player attacks the upper note and descends without a diminuendo, on the mouthpiece alone. This demands a precise focus at the aperture and a clearly articulated release of a progressively faster air stream, Use'a tuner andlor a piano to accurately set the initial pitches. (=72) oe nf Exercise 8 requires the attack on an upper note while both slurring clear diatonic pitches and producing both ascending and descending glissandi. Play on the mouthpiece alone with a solid mezzo forte to forte dynamic level throughout. Also perform this exercise i tonguing all but the glissandi. (d=84) 8. elsExercise 9 is an ear training study for mouthpiece alone, which requires both ascending and descending slurs, as well as high range and middle range attacks. Strive always for a clear sound and accurate pitches with a solid air stream.Aperture Control Exercises with the Horn Opening up the size of one’s aperture in the middle range and sustaining the pitch by using a faster air stream are wonderful ways to eventually increase success in the high register. The size of one’s aperture on a third space C can be envisioned as twice the size of a high C. Octaves, in fact, have a 2:1 ratio of vibrations. Thus, the higher one can play with a large, relaxed aperture the higher one can play. The following exercises (and others like them) can help to develop just such a skill Exercise 10 requires the bending of pitches at the aperture in the middle range of the hom. Such aperture flexibility strengthens one’s ability to open and close the aperture at will for developing a stronger high register, while it also allows for various tone color options for musical purposes. Bend the pitches as far as possible down and up in the rhythm of quarter notes feeling the aperture open and close accordingly. Heel NITTT) mf (bend pitch as low as possible) FQ (Bb Side of horn) Bro SIFFS (BHI) 10, » » » » » » » » » » » d d » » » » > » > » » » » » » » » » Exercise 11 requires the bending of pitches at the aperture in the rhythm of quarter notes ending with the opening of the aperture as wide as possible without changing the pitch on each second measure in the rhythm of a half note. Increase your air support as you open the aperture to hold the pitch. Return to a normal aperture setting and air speed for every third measure. TY =ropen -+no1 al (pen) (normal) 11. nf bend pitch —= ——— (bend) a (open) (normal) = «> (simile) = a Exercise 12 requires that you begin with a normal aperture size, gradually opening it as wide as possible, then back to normal, then into a very pinched aperture allowing for a pinched sound. Continue in tempo back past your normal setting into a sustained, wide open aperture position crescendoing and diminuendoing on the final open tone. The three bass clef passages are to be played normally and are included to allow your lips a few moments of relaxation. (You will note that this idea of mixing the low range into high Tange studies occurs in many of the following exercises. One should not stress the lips to such extremes without also relaxing them.) it(d= 56-72) a 12.2 normal open _-+normal pinched --open normal open normal “pinched —-open a0 Oro) —— =H =p 0 eae Oe ol =p =o 12’ ’ ’ ’ ’ y » ’ ’ ’ » » » » » » » » U » » » » » » » » » » » » Overtone Exercises Some of the most successful high range exercises, and thus, those recommended by many other sources, involve the use of slurred overtone series configurations. They encourage the use of the air and require exact responses at the aperture. Philip Farkas suggests that one feel a “flick” at the aperture as one slurs from harmonic to harmonic. This flick is the aperture working precisely with the air in tandem with the horn’s various overtones. The following four exercises deal progressively with the normal double horn’s placement, utilizing the 14 possible valve combinations, within all 12 “keys”,or rather, all 12 possible harmonic series. Perform each exercise using only the fingerings suggested. In Exercise 13, the seventh harmonic is notated as a quartertone flat. This is how it will sound. The other three exercises are simply notated with the approximate pitches for the seventh, eleventh, thirteenth, and fourteenth partials. Perform these “out-of-tune” harmonics where they lie on the horn, without trying to bend them into a tempered tuning. (These pitches are notated as third line Bb, fifth line F#, high Ab, and high Bb when written in the “key” of C.) 13Exercise 13 should be played with a solid sound and a rhythmic flick across each harmonic. Use only the fingerings suggested and support the ascent with an increase of air and the descent with a decrease as appropriate. Always make a full, beautiful sound. a 13.3 de ee TN R=~ errr eww wwwwwww wwe wee ere eee eee ~~~ + | tcrremnmeiemeny stn me fl Exercise 14 is to be performed with a solid and beautiful sound, rhythmically flicking across each harmonic. Use only the suggested fingerings and make use of the rests as notated for your breaths. Play this exercise on all of the suggested harmonic series, beginning with born in Db (F23), progressing upward. At the end of each key bend the second harmonic downward into a “factitious tone” one fourth lower and back up without changing valves as a means of briefly relaxing the aperture. (72) F2 ‘epeat pattern) 15Begin Exercise 15 on the Db horn (F23) and work upward using a solid, even, and beautiful sound over the full three octaves. This exercise requires an exact rhythmic Precision, feeling the flicks at the aperture as each note sounds. Learn to play this slowly at first, increasing the tempo only as complete control develops. 108-120 15. Fo nf (continue pattern) Beis 2302 ° R210 2 23 13 am 16Exercise 16 is definitely for an advanced high range. Avoid the temptation to blast these alissandi. However, a strong dynamic is recommended. Try to control the glissandi to sound even and well-timed to the pulse chosen. After the double bar at measure 16, one should glissando up to the notated pitches (fingerings given) outside of the glissandi’s set of partials. This helps to develop coordination for such gestures as they occur in music. The exercise concludes with descending glissandi down to the second harmonic by rolling the valves. Perform the last seven measures with all the normal fingerings, as low as you are able, for the simple purpose of loosening up. J = 88.96 16.3 Fo Fa ike wD) b: 5 (Balhae (2) Fa Fa be te, ft fe, oe? aaa eee} = Sep oe i= = =F (Brn ee Braker Gro) Seanaae! @x12) be Guile’ oa) 1 F Bin) (er2dy rake Briye" BHD) Goll valves) (wri Aerie, ’ ’ ’ ’ » » » » » » » » » » » U » » U » » » » » » » » »( { Exercise 17 can be practiced on the suggested overtone series fingerings, but perform them more often with your preferred normal fingerings to develop coordination and to exercise the harmonics which will be used in actual performance situations. Alternate the dynamics and articulations in a creative manner. What you see is only one option. Feel ( the “flick” between the slurred passages as suggested by Philip Farkas. (This study is a modified version of the Farkas high range exercise found in his book The Art of French Horn Playing.) 171 EE SS ess Se 23) P t ps 2 s a~ewwrwr ww www wee ewe eee ee eee eee wee eee eeTrill Exercises To perform a trill successfully, be relaxed and loose, especially at the aperture. The air flows freely and quickly, just as it does to acquire a confident and secure high range. To then glissando upward or to administer large intervallic leaps upward from that relaxed setting provides another useful high range exercise. Returning frequently to the lower register pitches continues to take advantage of the more relaxed and open aperture and embouchure, thus avoiding accumulated tension. Perform Exercise 18 on the partials of the notated trill fingerings, glissandoing through the overtones, or, perhaps even more effectively, by rolling the valves as you glissando up and back. Either way, do administer the crescendos and diminuendos as notated and make a full and beautiful sound, ‘ 20~~ rrr rer weww www ewww eee wee we www we ew ewe Exercise 19 requires clean slurs after each trill with no overtones sounding between the given pitches. Follow the dynamic indications carefully. Bend the low C’s (three measures from the end) with the aperture into the “factitious tone” G, relaxing your aperture as needed, ending the exercise as low as possible to loosen up. 21Exercise 20 can be found in my previous publication: Warm-ups and Maintenance Sessions for the Horn Player. It deals with trlls, tremolos, glissandi, extreme slurs, and extreme ranges, while largely focusing on the high register. This is a demanding exercise and, without question, requires that one relaxes into the lower pedal notes to loosen up. f=> ro te ie = <> wow 6 SF yo FG (23) (13) y (123) @3) 3) (123) (42) 23) ==> Ss "Es SS «Aes 22Quieting Exercises Exercises 21 & 22 require that the player performs the lower pitches much louder than the higher ones. These are focusing exercises that test the balance between the sensitivity of the aperture and the required intensity of the air as it administers softer dynamics on high range pitches. For further growth, freely modify these simple exercises. Slowly (23. Exercise 23 continues the concept of a loud, more open aperture on the lower notes, focusing gradually as you ascend, this time with a crisp and shortened articulation: The aperture responds to the tonguing as you ascend, The use of an additional slight focusing a the aperture, tonguing with both a“p” and at” (ie. “pt”) simultaneously, helps to quicken the vibrational response beers op — nf —— mp =—p = pp p? 2 pp re) sabe St 3 sha b> nf —— mp —p = pps p* = 3 pp 2 oie — nf —— mp ——p = pp p§ 2 pp : a OBS sh, tf = af mp ——p — ppt ap p?— 2 ps 3 —— fap ——p = pp p * 3 pp a em tba cans fo = nf mp ——p = pp p > 2 pp os —=s. nf ———— 1p ————— 5 => Exercise 24 requires a soft attack in the high range, sustained, with a slurred descent and no change in the soft dynamic.Power Exercises The following exercises are for those whose high registers are already quite advanced! Practice Exercises 25, 26, 27 & 28 with the dynamics indicated and with relatively fresh lips. Such extremely loud dynamics are definitely not the best way to develop a high range. However, this is a successful way to further strengthen an already strong and flexible embouchure. These are to be played aggressively but not be “blasted” out of Control. Stop if there is pain, but do continue to work even if you begin to feel fatigued. Remember to play a few low register pitches at the end of a session of power exercises. SF marcato60 a (bend) —_ Slowly (at first) 27. wf 26wwewwww www ww ww wo w w w w w w w w ww Ow Ow Ow Ow Ow ww den mises ate: aise ba be cc (rity ft ———| senize SS 27Accuracy Exercises The last two exercises test the control at the aperture of varied attacks in primarily the high range at all dynamics. Exercise 29 addresses the basics of hearing and solidly producing briefly sustained pitches. This requires total control. Alternate the extreme dynamics reversing the specifics on the repeat. 28 @a2a&@ @ @ @ @2 @ @2 2 2 2 2 @ 2 @ 2 2 2 2 2 22 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 |Exercise 30 is a very demanding etude emphasizing high range attacks of all shapes and powers. The atonal character of this etude tests one’s ability to both hear and “taste” the seemingly unrelated pitches.