Low Range for the

Horn Player

R E
O L
P
Douglas Hill
E
M
A
S
C
S

International Horn Society

www.hornsociety.org
 Contents
Introduction........................................................................................................................................1

Detailed Checklist for the Low Register �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������3

Quick-fix Checklist.............................................................................................................................5

Mouthpiece/Leadpipe/Buzz Pipe/BERP ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6

Pitch Perfect Centers......................................................................................................................... 9

Vowel Validations............................................................................................................................. 11

R E
The Pivot and the Shift..................................................................................................................... 12

To Shift or Not to Shift..................................................................................................................... 15

O L
Solid, Secure Sounds........................................................................................................................ 17
P
E
Power Playing...................................................................................................................................18
M

Stop It............................................................................................................................................... 22
A

Facility and Flexibility .....................................................................................................................25

Pushing the Pedals........................................................................................................................... 28

S
C

Accurate Attacks .............................................................................................................................. 31

S

Low Long Tones ...............................................................................................................................32

Mid-Low Tremolos............................................................................................................................ 33

Additive Articulations......................................................................................................................35

Flutter Tongue It............................................................................................................................... 37

Sing It................................................................................................................................................38

Considerations and Concerns........................................................................................................ 40

Alternate Fingerings................................................................................................................ 40

Playing 2nd and 4th Horn........................................................................................................ 41

 Mutes......................................................................................................................................... 41

Warm-ups and Maintenance Sessions �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������43

Cool-down Exercises.................................................................................................................43

Old-notation Bass Clef..............................................................................................................43

Mouthpieces and Horns...........................................................................................................43

Low-Range Literature.......................................................................................................................45

Etudes........................................................................................................................................45

Solos...........................................................................................................................................45

R E
Orchestral Excerpts..................................................................................................................46
O L
Books..........................................................................................................................................46
P
E
M
A
S
C
S
 [1]
Introduction

The low range, those pitches found below the written treble clef staff, are often the most difficult
to be administered. The length of the horn’s tubing certainly allows for pitches to be produced as
low as the lower range of the tuba. But then the diameter of a horn mouthpiece is much smaller than
most all of the other brass instruments which limits the size of the aperture opening. The diameter

R E
of the leadpipe on the horn is smaller than the trumpet’s, which helps to support the higher, but
not the lower pitches. Then too, most of the orchestral, band, and chamber music horn parts, solos,
O L
and etudes emphasize the upper two octaves so players tend to practice and perform the lower two
octaves far less often. Thus, when it is time to perform in these octaves, players often exaggerate
P
E
what it takes to produce such pitches, or they simply administer ineffective techniques in a desper-
M

ate attempt to perform in the low range.

Producing a secure, centered, and resonant low range on the horn requires first, that one be able
to control an open, relaxed, well-centered middle register, the written “middle c” to the top of the
A

treble clef staff. From such a secure foundation there are some basic deviations that typically occur
with success in the low range. As one descends, air compression lessens, it gradually slows down in
S
C

speed while still requiring a substantial constancy. The oral cavity becomes more open as the tongue
lowers from the vowel shape “ah”, towards “awe” and “oh”. The lower tongue position consequently
S

lowers the jaw as well with a gradual downward shift and a jutting forward. With this beneficial
change in jaw configuration (down and forward), the leadpipe will need to pivot upward to allow for
the mouthpiece pressure to remain equal on the top and bottom lips. This allows for the inside of
the bottom lip to come forward and be more active in the production of the lower vibrations without
curling outward. It also makes it unnecessary to slide or reset the mouthpiece lower on or into the
bottom lip. As the player shifts into the lower pitches, the chin muscles remain flat and firm and the
corners of the mouth remain firm and secure. With these changes it becomes easier to intention-
ally direct the air flow upward into the nodal center of each pitch as one descends which also helps
to secure and focus the sound within the lower two octaves. Regarding all aspects of the above, the
player should do as little as possible, but as much as necessary to make it work.
What follows is a set of exercises, suggestions, and recommendations that I sincerely hope will
help in the development of low register control and improvement for intermediate level to advanced
horn players. Of course, there are no short cuts or instant remedies, but these are the basic tenets
1
2  |  Low Range for the Horn Player

that have helped hundreds of students develop their low range control and proficiency. No one way
will work for everyone, but investigating what is presented here with an open mind and creative
attitude, adjusting as appropriate for every learning style and set of experiences should point the
way towards significant improvement and greater efficiency within that warm and wonderful low
register of the horn.
Each exercise below suggests a pattern and manner of work. It is assumed that you will creatively
expand upon each of the inclusions to fit your own needs and preferences. Some sections will work
for you, some may not. Some may be too simple or advanced, feel free to modify. This book is not
a typical, progressively arranged set of etudes, but presents various ways and means to reach your
goal of having a more accessible, flexible, substantial, and powerful low range. The avid use of a
mirror, a chromatic tuner, a metronome, a BERP and/or Buzz Pipe, and a recording device can reap
many benefits and is highly recommended.

R E
O L
P
E
M
A
S
C
S
 [2]
Detailed Checklist for the Low Register

If you presently perform with an open, relaxed, well centered and controlled middle register
(middle c’ to f’’), then the following recommendations are important activities to consider toward
the development of a secure and effective low range.

R E
1. Execute a maximum inhale, sounding the whispered word “How”, filling the lungs from the
bottom upward, allowing the abdominal area to drop down and forward, feeling full.
O L
2. Create a steady release of warm air through an open, relaxed throat, beginning at the lungs
P
allowing the abdomen to follow with a gradual motion, eventually feeling empty.

E
3. Allow for a gradual lowering of the tongue position as one descends, changing the vowel for-
M

mation from the “AH” of the third octave, through “AWE” within the second octave, toward
“OH” only in the lowest octave.1
4. Allow the jaw to gradually drop both down and forward while retaining the general position of
A

the embouchure muscles, corners tucked but not tense or moving towards a frown, and the
chin flat with no bunching upward. This gradual motion is the “pivot”.
S
C

5. As you descend, allow the leadpipe angle to ascend proportionally as part of the pivot, retain-
ing equal mouthpiece pressure on both lips, with perhaps a bit more mouthpiece pressure on
S

the bottom lip as the jaw gradually protrudes forward.

6. Allow for a very gradual ascending of the air-stream through the aperture, feeling as if
it is going straighter into the mouthpiece around middle c’ and moving upward as you de-
scend into the second octave. The air-stream continues to ascend to more of an extreme in
the first octave especially into the lowest fundamentals.
7. At some point, while descending through the second octave, the aperture response may be-
come congested, or less responsive. This most often is the spot where one should make a
more sudden, larger, balanced shifting of aspects described in 3, 4, 5 and 6, above. This is
called a “shift”. (You may need to do another shift in the first octave.)

1
For written Horn in F, the first octave begins at the pedal C below the bass clef staff, the second begins at the second space
low c and ascends to the third octave beginning at middle c’, with the fourth beginning at third space c’’ ascending to high c’”.

3
4  |  Low Range for the Horn Player

8. As one descends into the second and first octaves, be aware of the right hand position in
the bell contributing to an increased stuffiness in sound, especially from a distance, and the
acoustical tendency to lower the pitch more and more as you descend. Open your hand posi-
tion as you descend.
9. Always be aware of the tendency for the mouthpiece to slide downward on your lips as you
descend. Keep that position as high as needed for the top two octaves and consider the open-
ing of the vowels inside your mouth (#3), the pivot of the leadpipe upwards (#4 & #5), and the
“shift” of the jaw down and forward (#7) as the most appropriate ways to enlarge your aper-
ture and produce the lower pitches.
10. Administer all of the above adjustments as little as possible, but as much as necessary.

R E
O L
P
E
M
A
S
C
S
 [3]
Quick-fix Checklist

As one descends from an efficient mid-range:

1. A near maximum inhale, sounding the word “HOW”, filling the lungs and feeling full.

R E
2. A steady, constant release of warm air gradually decreasing in speed, eventually feeling empty.
3. Gradually lower the tongue position descending from AH through AWE towards OH.
4.
5.
O L
Pivot the jaw position down and forward with a flattened chin and firm corner muscles.
Allow leadpipe angle to gradually rise horizontally, matching mouthpiece pressure on both
P
lips.

E
M

6. Gradually direct the feeling of the air projection into the horn toward an upward angle.
7. Know specifically where your “shift” occurs, be prepared to administer it quickly.
8. Open the right hand position in the bell as appropriate for best intonation and response.
A

9. Retain the optimum top-two-octave position of the mouthpiece as you descend.

S
C

Administer all of the above adjustments as little as possible, but as much as necessary.
S

5
 [4]
Mouthpiece/Leadpipe/Buzz Pipe/BERP

Mouthpiece practice is a wonderful way to work on many basic playing techniques. It requires
that you focus the sound, fill it with “wind” and find ways to avoid the static-like or excessively airy
noises that can come from an inefficiently formed aperture. Cleaning up those impurities alone
makes mouthpiece practicing worth the effort.

R E
To practice on the mouthpiece alone, the resistance is negligible, which can cause inappropriate
response issues, which in turn, may cause one to resort to extreme embouchure adjustments while
O L
attempting the low range pitches. So while practicing with just the mouthpiece, partially place your
P
little finger across the shank end of the mouthpiece or place it within a pouch or thin cloth to simu-

E
late the resistance similar to that of the horn.
M

I find low range work on the mouthpiece alone is much less effective than high range, thus I
suggest supplementing such horn-free mouthpiece practice with a Buzz Pipe2 or a BERP3. Also, on
many full double horns with attached water keys on the leadpipes, pulling out the second half of the
A

main tuning slide while opening the water key allows for a similar response to a Buzz Pipe, and a
full range of glissando possibilities, without the breaks across harmonics. (This use of the leadpipe
S
C

may not work on every horn.)

The goal is to improve one’s low register on the horn, so the following “mouthpiece exercises”
S

should be done, but not overdone. Consider them as developmental and, later, as supplemental to
the other low range exercises that directly involve the horn.
For Exercise 1, use any or all of the suggested devices, including the mouthpiece alone. Begin
blowing any comfortable midrange pitch. Buzz a clear and centered long tone. From that pitch be-
gin to glissando down and back, gradually extending your range. Attempt to match the sound qual-
ity throughout each glissando. Allow the jaw to drop as needed. Simply observe what happens. Try

2
Buzz Pipes are telescopic, vented brass cylinders that accept horn mouthpieces and allow for one to glissan-
do smoothly through an entire range without the inconvenience of breaks across harmonics. Highly recommended.
www.emobuchures.com.
3
The BERP (Buzz Extension and Resistance Piece) is a hard plastic cylinder shaped devise that accepts a mouthpiece,
attaches to the beginning of the leadpipe, and provides adjustable degrees of resistance through four possible exit holes.
www.berp.com.

6
 Mouthpiece/Leadpipe/Buzz Pipe/BERP   |  7

not to allow the bottom lip to curl outward. Stop if that becomes necessary. Try not to allow the chin
to bunch upward or for a frown to form on the corners of your mouth. Stop if that becomes neces-
sary. Go no lower than possible while keeping the mouthpiece placement and basic embouchure
formation the same as in your successful third octave.

Exercise 1

R E
O L
P
Use a chromatic tuner for Exercises 2 and 3. Produce clear and centered specific pitches on the

E
mouthpiece alone, or rather on any or all of the suggested devices. Practice both exercises slowly at
M

first, listening closely and noticing all responses. Ending both exercises by ascending to the mid-
high range is important for noticing if the mouthpiece has slipped down unintentionally.
A

Exercise 2
S
C
S
8  |  Low Range for the Horn Player

Exercise 3

R E
O L
P
E
M

Again, using a chromatic tuner, work on extreme “glides” through the mid-low and low range of
A

the horn in Exercise 4. Play the notated pitches, descending for each repetition, as slowly as possible
in one breath.
S
C

Exercise 4
S