This has been one of my dirty little secrets for years. (OK, not technically a secret since I would tell anyone that would listen.)
Whenever I start beginners on horn we start singing and playing natural horn on their beat up old single. They 'earn' the right to start using their valves when they can accurately start on the right partial and play a recognizable tune with just lip and a tiny bit of right hand (if they can reach). For most of them that happens the first week, a few struggle for 2 or 3 weeks and a few get it during their first lesson, but none of them lag behind the rest of the band in basic skill acquisition by Halloween and most are slightly ahead. I do this in private lessons and did it when I taught in the public schools, lo these many years ago. If the student is able to achieve a good buzz I think this early focus on finding your place on the horn before you complicate the issue by constantly changing the length of the horn is sound. (The singing is also important.) I don't call it natural horn or make a big deal out of it with the students, it's just another step in isolating the various skills we develop in beginners. Bill Schaffer Dr. William R. Schaffer B.M.E., M.M., D.M.A. Associate Professor Horn/Theory Department of Music Auburn University Auburn, AL 36849-5420 [email protected] http://www.auburn.edu/~schafwr Studio - (334) 844-3187 _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
