I've always used Steve's first method. You're just trying to get the
low notes held before going back to the muted section, and there really
isn't enough time (at least for me) to drop or grab from a strap (which
of course I also use). The two octave interval is enough to be trying
to set up in that split second.
Warren Van Camp.
At 10:00 AM 10/6/2009, [email protected] wrote:
Date: Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:50:48 -0700
From: Steve Haflich <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Hornlist] Barber Summer Music muted low notes
To: The Horn List <[email protected]>
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Lawrence Yates <[email protected]> wrote:
How do people cope with the muted/open passages in this piece
where there is
only a quaver rest to change?
I have two different suggestions.
The first is simplest. Play the unmuted notes holding the mute in
the
bell about where your hand would be, inserting fully only for the
muted
notes. The mute won't substitute for a proper hand in the high
range,
but it can be made to work well enough in the low range. You'll
need to
practice to be confident about pitch adjustment.
The second is only slightly more complicated but requires a capital
expense somewhere between 15 and 25 cents US. The idea is to add a
short strap to the mute so that you can hang it on your wrist while
doing unmuted playing, but grab and insert it in something much less
than a second. This can be done nondestructively to almost any
mute, so
you don't need to worry about trashing your $200 mute hand-crafted
from
virgin organic birch harvested by skilled native craftsmen in the
Canadian northwoods. Requires no drilling, gluing, soldering, or
brazing. I've put three photos online showing the construction:
[1]http://www.franz.com/~smh/mute1.jpg
The first shows construction details. From plastic cable ties
construct
a continuous loop just large enough to fit around the base of the
mute.
(Three ties, 3-4 pence each. Of course, if you don't already have
some
in your toolbox the initial purchase of a hundred or so might cost
you a
couple pounds. But these are incredibly useful things to have
around
the house.)
Adjust the ties so that the continuous loop can be wedged tightly
onto
the mute. Details may be different for different mutes, but you
want
the fit to be tight enough that it won't come off inadvertently, but
so
you can remove it when you want.
Next, tie the two ends of about 1/3 meter cord onto the cable-tie
band
at roughly opposite positions. Note the overhand knot in the center
of
the cord loop that can adjust the precise length of the cord.
[2]http://www.franz.com/~smh/mute2.jpg
When playing open, the mute hangs out of the way. But by adjusting
the
precise length of the cord, you can hang it where your right hand
(that's the one at the end of your right arm, usually positioned in
the
bell) can instantly rotate downward to grab the mue, shown in the
final
photo:
[3]http://www.franz.com/~smh/mute3.jpg
Having grabbed the mute, it is a quick move to insert it in the
bell.
When it is time to remove the mUte, just pull it out, drop it, and
reposition the right hand for proper playing. Lather, rinse, and
releat
as necessary.
Like everything else about horn playing, these moves require
practice,
including gradual adjustment of the loop length. The tricky part is
inserting the mute quickly without making a lot of noise, or worse,
without denting you bell. Practice slowly and figure out what works
for
you.
References
1. http://www.franz.com/~smh/mute1.jpg
2. http://www.franz.com/~smh/mute2.jpg
3. http://www.franz.com/~smh/mute3.jpg
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