Category: Horn

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Bubbles and Clicks and Bumps (and Mouthpieces), Oh My!

Although I don’t use these terms at all in my teaching, bubbles, clicks, and bumps are an important thing for teachers and students to be aware of. These terms are used by horn player (and composer/conductor) Gunther Schuller to describe various imperfections in articulations, slurs and the slotting of notes. Over on the Horn Matters…
Trigger Phrases to Improve Performance

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 an orchestral excerpt. In most…
Outdoors with a Tablet: Pros and Cons

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 music reader – outdoor gigs.…
Prepare for Fall Band Camp (and Auditions!)

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 practice a lot. Definitely not…
Simplify Practice Decisions: The Practice Menu

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 from the outstanding students is…
It’s not just a punchline – the “Probability-Based Drummer” is a real thing.

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 saying they have “bad rhythm”…
Calm vs. Nerves vs. Terror: Which is Best?

Although no one likes being nervous, it may actually be the best way to perform.
Book Review: Horn Technique by Jeffery Agrell

A look inside Jeffery Agrell’s book about the ins and outs of horn playing.
Need to Rise and Shine? Reset Your Sleep

Just because you’re a musician doesn’t mean that you are destined to wake up at noon!
Self-Talk: Criticism vs. Compassion

It’s no secret that the increasing development and research into sports psychology has trickled down into the performing arts fields. Books from authors like Don Greene, Timothy Gallwey and Barry Green have brought many aspects of the mental preparation done by elite athletes (and others in high-stress jobs) into the open for musicians. Many conservatories…