Horn

Using one or two words to improve your concentration or establish the character of a piece is not a new teaching technique. I know I’ve personally heard about using these kinds of “trigger words” for a couple of decades. These are especially useful to establish the mood or style of […]

Trigger Phrases to Improve Performance Recently updated !

18 Sep, 2019 in Horn tagged horn playing / horn practice / horn teaching / practice by Colin Dorman (updated 3 days ago)

samsung pro portrait mode with music — It’s no secret that I’m a fan of technology, and that I’ve enjoyed using my tablet as a music reader. While originally I was looking forward to the convenience of always having the music I needed at my fingertips, I didn’t anticipate one of the more unique use-cases for digital […]

Outdoors with a Tablet: Pros and Cons

11 Sep, 2019 in Horn tagged digital music / first world problems / horn equipment / horn playing / orchestra music by Colin Dorman (updated 11 days ago)

One of the first things I put on this site (way back in 2014) was my page on basic horn maintenance and cleaning. And in recommending it to a student, I realized that it was due for an update. So I’ve just recently overhauled almost all the text and some […]

Cleaning and Maintenance Page Updated

4 Sep, 2019 in Horn tagged horn cleaning / horn equipment / horn maintenance / horn teaching by Colin Dorman (updated 20 days ago)

It’s almost September, which means high school and band camps are well underway (or done). One of the hardest shifts that most brass players make is the switch between “summer chops” and “band camp chops”. Most brass players play very little from June-August. Even those that do practice usually don’t […]

Prepare for Fall Band Camp (and Auditions!)

28 Aug, 2019 in Horn tagged band / horn playing / horn practice / horn teaching / marching band / practice by Colin Dorman (updated 29 days ago)

One problem that comes up a lot with students, especially younger students or when there aren’t clear short-term goals, is what to practice. When the All-State music comes out, or if there are upcoming seating auditions, then the practice plan becomes clear. But one thing that separates the average students […]

Simplify Practice Decisions: The Practice Menu

21 Aug, 2019 in Horn by Colin Dorman (updated 33 days ago)

It’s mid-August, and that means that not only is summer winding down (and marching band is back in full swing), but the All-State and All-District etudes for Kentucky are out! Like the past few years, I’ve put together a page to help students get a jump-start on these etudes. Even […]

2019-20 KY All-State Etudes Up!

14 Aug, 2019 in Horn tagged all state / horn practice / horn teaching / kentucky all state / practice by Colin Dorman (updated 38 days ago)

While this almost certainly belongs on the tech part of my website, rather than the music portion, I just really love the phrase, probability-based drummer. I can think of a few probability-based musicians I’ve known in my life, and I think I’m going to start using that phrase instead of […]

It’s not just a punchline – the “Probability-Based Drummer” is ...

7 Aug, 2019 in Horn tagged amusing / digital music / funny / music by Colin Dorman (updated 51 days ago)

Although no one likes being nervous, it may actually be the best way to perform.

Calm vs. Nerves vs. Terror: Which is Best?

31 Jul, 2019 in Horn tagged horn playing / horn practice / horn teaching / practice by Colin Dorman (updated 59 days ago)