My student is quite young (14), and is playing a single F horn, and is not getting into the top 5th just yet with any strength. I would predict this is where she will need to use some hand. At that stage I expect she'll be a little more mature, and will be ready to accept that fact that she'll need to start using her prosthesis. That is to say, if the prosthetic hand turns out to be practical for intonation control to a sufficient degree.
Bob Dickow Lionel Hampton School of Music University of Idaho -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Wendell Rider Sent: Friday, January 21, 2011 12:19 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Hornlist] Horn Digest, Vol 97, Issue 20 On Jan 21, 2011, at 10:00 AM, [email protected] wrote: > From: "Robert Dickow" <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Hornlist] Right Arm > To: "'The Horn List'" <[email protected]> > Message-ID: <014601cbb948$b6563d00$2302b700$@edu> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Ralph, I think we're basically in agreement, but I don't think you > need feel > too ambivalent. Again, I think we overplay (;-) the right hand. As > for our > traditional right hand trick to adjust intonation, should that be > essential? > Do euphonium players use their right hand? Do Wagner tuba players? > (...I > wish they could!!). Back to the missing right arm thing, I would > suggest > that right-handed intonation control should still be quite possible > by a > player if they have an appropriate prosthetic hand. In fact, true > stopping > might very well be quite practical, though I have not explored this > yet with > my student. (Also, maybe I should have explained that the student in > question is not one of my university students, but rather a young > junior > high age student in our community.) She does have a prosthesis, and > can pick > up all sorts of objects, though she dislikes using it on a day to > day basis. > As for the 'false hopes' point, one need only frankly discuss the > realities > about the professional music world with the student and with the > parents, so > that nobody is under any illusions. If the student still wants to > play the > French horn, then by all means let the student pursue the joy of > playing an > instrument of her choice. The horn is a good selection since most of > the > action is in the left hand fingers (not forgetting the embouchure of > course). Not everyone who takes up an instrument plans to make it a > profession, nor should they, necessarily. > > Bob Dickow > Lionel Hampton School of Music > University of Idaho Hi Bob, I realize all the focus on this topic has been about intonation adjustments, but what about her upper register? I'm talking about from the top of the staff up. Maybe she is too young to be there yet, but the hand plays a huge part in focussing and stabilizing the notes above the staff. No valve horn is designed to play these notes well without the hand in the bell. I don't know how many hornists i have taught or watched who play with their hand too far out of the bell to really stabilize these notes, and many of them struggle because of it. Others are just moving the hand all over the place when they should find a good position and leave it there. There are several issues involved with hand position, not just intonation adjustments. I'm sure you will help her find solutions to this. For a demonstration of the effects of hand position on the upper register, one can look on the early part of the first DVD in my 2 DVD set about playing the horn using my book. A stable, effective hand position is one of the keys to playing the horn well. Many , many people are not that up on this subject. Sincerely, Wendell For info about my book, DVDs, and live video chat horn lessons, see my web site at www.wendellworld.com _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/dickow%40uidaho.edu _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
