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- Written by: Ricardo Matosinhos
Every horn student is different, and each one improves faster on some aspects and slower on others. Conditioned Practice is a concept that guides my way of teaching and composing, because my compositions are mostly pedagogical. No one can improve if everything if too difficult nor if everything is too easy! So, the idea of conditioned practice consists in making one aspect more difficult and other easier on the same time. This way, over time, different students will be able to practice the same exercise, on a conditioned way, improving every aspect, but respecting their own learning sequence.
For english subtitles, please press the button below the video.
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- Written by: Ricardo Matosinhos
Horn players use a relatively small mouthpiece for playing on a very large range. By doing some buzzing exercises with and without the mouthpiece we will better understand how it works. It isn't rocket science, but isn't easy to understand either. These exercises help to better understand how it works, and by doing yourself, you will explore your own embouchure, and then try to apply those discoveries while playing. As I say on the end of the video, there are different approaches. Some teachers recommend only doing mouthpiece exercises, because buzzing on the lips is different. Then there is an other approach: Doing lip buzzing but assuming that is different! An athlete doesn't necessarily needs to practice how to do a slip, because won't need to do a split while running. But, by doing it, will increase his flexibility and better understand how the muscles work.
For english subtitles, please press the button below the video.
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- Written by: Ricardo Matosinhos
If you don't take care of your Horn, the bell might get suck. This little trick helps on preventing it, by using a dry lubricant, but unfortunatelly doesn't help if it is already stuck! If that happens, I highly discourage you to force the bell or the result might be even worse than your deepest nightmare... Considere yourself advised and take your horn to a specialized technician AFAP. I've seen small students taking a horn to complete ruing just by forcing the bell, believe or not, it is very easy to twist your horn like if it was a sheet of paper...
English subtitles available by pressing the button below the video!
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- Written by: Ricardo Matosinhos
Due to lack of regular tuning slide lubrication or fast climate changes, horn's tuning slides might get stuck. The tip presented on this video can solve most of the situations. If the slide doesn't come out at the first try, please don't force or you might get a broken joint. For serious situations do not try to be super man... take your instrument to a specialized repair technician that will easily solve your problem.
English subtitles available, just press the "cc" button bellow the video!
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- Written by: Ricardo Matosinhos
Back in my old website there was a Horn Mouthpiece chart. Some people asked me if it would be available in my new website. Well, here it is: an improved version, allowing now to compare, side by side, different horn mouthpiece makers.
click here
