gdp's Comments

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : Hornmasters: Farkas on Right Hand Position

Sat, 1 Jan 2011 14:27:53 +0000

I was rereading the chapter closely again this fall and actually was also wondering if I had understood that element correctly when I wrote this article. Bottom line though is this chapter should have been rewritten. It is a shame that Farkas never could produce a new edition of this book, there are flaws that should be corrected, elements of it have confused horn students for generations.

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : Introducing the Marching Natural Horn

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:37:02 +0000

Nancy Schick wrote: "Ummm - isn't a marching natural horn a bugle... as in "dumb and bungle corps"? Seriously, that's very creative."

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : A Nutcracker from the Audience

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:36:06 +0000

Perhaps I was not clear. At the peak moments in particular the effect was muted to my perspective in the hall I was in. Maybe this is in part because I have experienced this score in the pit so many times. In no way was I suggesting amplification of the orchestra.

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : A Nutcracker from the Audience

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:34:10 +0000

George Lloyd wrote: "I have an objection with asking for more sound. That request results in electronic amplification, and then it becomes unbearably loud like in the movies. I don't like sound or amplification of any kind in live music and I will not buy a ticket to anything if I know that electronic sound will be occurring, organ rectals being an exception. If it sounds muted, then the acoustics need to be fixed because the place wasn't built properly in the beginning, in which case I won't buy a ticket no matter what. They didn't need to increase the volume when Tchaikovsky wrote it, and you shouldn't need to do so now."

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : Orchestra 101 Bonus: Wi-Fi in Rehearsal

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 20:46:03 +0000

From George Lloyd: "OMG, does that apply during the Super Bowl? - LOL (I recall way back in high school when the teacher suspended our class and all of us listened to the World Series on radio right there in class. So I never saw Bill Mazeroski hit that famous home run, but I heard it in class in high school on the radio. So maybe I can interpret that as the teacher teaching us that it's OK to do that! - Just kidding!)"

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : The Wikipedia List of Horn Players

Tue, 7 Dec 2010 20:41:08 +0000

Not notable enough to be there, no worries on that.

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : 'Radical' Embouchure Experiments, IV - Using a Visualizer

Sat, 4 Dec 2010 14:30:22 +0000

Three comments related to this comment thread, directed mainly at Wendell. 1) Suggesting “I don't think there have to be embouchure breaks” borders on dangerous advice. We have been down this road in pervious comment threads; I think part of where this starts is you and I must have different personal definitions of what a break actually is. I am very skeptical that anyone can play the French horn well in all registers with the same embouchure setup, which is the implication some could read into your comment. Take G on the second line, play a great one, then try to play an octave lower without shifting at least subtly jaw and tongue and lip position. Then try to play another octave lower. It can’t be done well without something that resembles a break as I would define it. 2) While everyone is for a “natural” approach, tell that to the player with serious playing problems such as an embouchure dystonia. The way they are playing seems totally natural to them even if it is not working well at all. This is why working one-on-one with experienced teachers is extremely valuable; they can actually tell what seems to be a natural and relaxed approach compared to what seems normal to the player struggling with problems. Or turning back to the low range example, one could play the lowest notes with a “fish lips” rolling out, it seems natural, but the sound will be poor with no power. 3) For an article that really is only focused on making and using an embouchure visualizer the rest of this thread is beginning to veer badly off topic. Don’t take me wrong, we are happy to see thoughtful comments and these are all thoughtful comments, but take this also as a gentle reminder of why people make their own websites or use the horn list or discussion boards.

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : 'Radical' Embouchure Experiments, IV - Using a Visualizer

Fri, 3 Dec 2010 23:18:05 +0000

The visualizer I use in the photo in this article: http://hornmatters.com/2010/08/hornmasters-on-mou... is a great one. I bought it off a table at a horn workshop from either Ken Pope or Brass Arts or?? You have inspired me to get it out again and use it in my pre-warm-up again.

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : Tips on Surviving Very Long Concerts

Thu, 2 Dec 2010 16:15:02 +0000

From Molly White: "I play as much pit music theater gigs as I can (amateur). I love pit gigs! But I am so inattentive as a general rule, I have devised a drastic system for keeping up with the key changes in modern musicals. I will actually photocopy (sorry!) my entire book and color code the key changes with highlighter pen! In my system, B-natural is the loudest flourescent lime green highlighter I can find. (Why are singers perpetually in the key of concert E? Have they no consideration for us French and English horn players???) (The photocopy also makes cuts and re-arrangements much easier to manager. I don't worry about clips and page turns and sticky notes. I just move the page as needed!)."

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : A Dissertation Should Look Like This

Thu, 2 Dec 2010 16:14:11 +0000

The idea is that the DM is more academic than the DMA but in practice the difference is small, the big picture being both are 90 credit hours beyond the bachelors degree.

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : A Dissertation Should Look Like This

Thu, 2 Dec 2010 16:12:42 +0000

From Molly White: "I would like to hear from you about the difference between a DM and a DMA. I appreciate your combination of diplomacy and frankness in this post! (This is my second comment in a short period of time, during business hours. Normally I work for a living but am home today suffering whatever contagion has circulated thru my office. In my dreams though I'm a big-shot horn player and professor like you! Hence my request. Hopefully this is something that would be of interest to other of your readers too.)"

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : A Brief Look at the Dauprat Méthode

Thu, 2 Dec 2010 15:20:08 +0000

It is an expensive but beautiful edition, check the publisher website for the current price.

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : A Brief Look at the Dauprat Méthode

Thu, 2 Dec 2010 15:19:13 +0000

From Molly White: "Did you omit the price of this book? If there are any copies for sale, I think they would be prohibitively expensive for most individuals. Maybe the publisher and editors don't want this idea shared, but I was able to get access to the copy I think that ASU owns, through my local library's involvement with MOBIUS (?) or some similar inter-library loan program. Not the same as buying your own copy to keep forever, but I was grateful to be able to look at the book for a while for myself. So, I suggest that as a resource for your readers to explore. (I have also enjoyed access to several other books that are historically significant but no longer readily available for sale, like Moreley-Pegg's book, which I found to contain one of the most laugh-out-loud funny sentences I have ever read in an acedemic horn book!)"

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : The Vintage Conn 8D

Thu, 2 Dec 2010 15:04:47 +0000

Yes, the 28D changed over the years as you describe. As to cutting thin bells, any bell can be cut. My 500,000 series 8D had a very thin bell and I had the bell cut, which at the time I felt helped the horn as it seemed to tighten things up a bit. I know however there are players that firmly believe the thinner bells should not be cut due to the impact on playing qualities.

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : The Vintage Conn 8D

Thu, 2 Dec 2010 15:04:25 +0000

From John A. Putnam: "In regards to your comments on the Conn 28D. Over the years the bell flair came in two sizes over the years. I own and use two 28D's, one 401,601 Elkhart does have a narrower throat as you have described. However, I also own a N series which has a larger throat. Also the later horn ( N series) flare is much thicker and thus has been converted to a screw bell. Where as the older horns bell is much thinner and could not hold up the cutting process."

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : The Vintage Conn 8D | Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource

Thu, 2 Dec 2010 14:58:52 +0000

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : Thoughts on Choosing a School for Advanced Horn Study

Thu, 2 Dec 2010 12:31:51 +0000

Nothing specific to ask but questions such as will there be openings in the studio and scholarship opportunities are always good ones.

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : A Dissertation Should Look Like This

Wed, 1 Dec 2010 21:28:38 +0000

From Joanne Filkins: "That's certainly an interesting comparison! Not all DMA papers are so scanty, but there does seem to be a trend toward reducing the writing requirements for the DMA . My DMA document (so-called because the recitals were considered another component of the dissertation requirement) was also over 250 pages and included program notes for all of the degree recitals in addition to the actual paper, which is called a "monograph" by the Graduate School. At that time there was no minimum number of pages required, but it was expected that that topic would be substantial and the paper would be sufficiently lengthy to cover it adequately. Now some schools have DMA options with minimum paper lengths of 25-75 pages and additional recitals required for those who opt to do the shorter papers. One rationale I have heard for the change is the increasing number of international students who have difficulty writing in English, but it also seems to cater to students who are interested in performing but want to keep academic work to a minimum. I'm not a fan of the shorter documents, which in some case are little more than term papers. In my view the DMA, though it emphasizes performance, is an academic degree and those who do not want to do the academic component should be in an artist diploma or performer's certificate program. The academics who look down on DMA and MM holders are no doubt responding to the mindset of the latter type of student and painting all of us with the same brush. Documentation is another big issue. A doctoral candidate at a major university did his dissertation on a topic similar to mine (but involving a different instrument) using basically the same format and failed to list my paper in his bibliography. Ultimately it's up to the student and the faculty member(s) involved to ensure the quality and integrity of the work. It's always sad to me when students in any discipline are interested only in the minimum requirements of the degree rather than what they might learn or contribute in the process."

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : A Dissertation Should Look Like This

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:12:40 +0000

The title was "The Development of Valved Horn Technique in Early Nineteenth-Century Germany: A Survey of Performers and Works Before 1850 With Respect to the use of Crooks, Right-Hand Technique, Transposition, and Valves." I should add that the exact requirements of DMA degree programs out there vary more than prospective students might suspect. Usually though if the requirement is a dissertation the implication is that it should be a substantial project. At Arizona State the requirement is a "research paper" and the project will be quite a bit shorter than a dissertation but always much more substantial than the paper in the photo.

Horn Matters - A French Horn & Brass Site and Resource : 'Radical' Embouchure Experiments, III - Lip Buzzing

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 00:09:53 +0000

I am enjoying these articles too, you are putting ideas out there than need to be in wider circulation.