the art of french horn playing by philip farkas pdf

The result, when properly done, produces a slur from note to note which jumps into place so easily that there is almost no effort connected with it…. A folksy analogyįarkas was a firm believer in this approach and explains it further with a typical folksy analogy later in the chapter, where he statesįinally, but very important to the success of obtaining high notes easily, there is the knack of lipping the notes up or down with almost a “flick” of the lip … inside the mouthpiece … a “mouthing” such as a goldfish makes a “mouthing” similar to saying a series of the letter “P”, P-P-P-P-P, however, without ever closing the lips entirely. At this time, good use can also be made of the definite striving to allow the air to escape through the lips with very little impedance. This is accomplished by steadily increasing the pressure underneath the diaphragm. Therefore, in ascending to the highest notes, one has almost to make a crescendo with the air in order to avoid making a diminuendo in sound. The lip opening is of such small size and the tension of the lips so strong that there is considerably more resistance to the air-stream than is found in the middle register. The diaphragm is very important in this high register. Therefore, the first requisite of a good high register is to play in it often enough and long enough.īesides reminders about avoiding mouthpiece pressure and to use plenty of air, he presents the following as his central embouchure related idea.Īs it is of utmost importance in obtaining a free sound in the high notes, let me again reiterate that the tension comes in toward the center from the corners of the mouth and not from a clamping together of the upper and lower lips. This muscular strength is gained, as in all physical endeavor, by constant exercise of the muscles involved.

The very highest notes demand, above all else, a strong, well-developed embouchure. Philip Farkas in The Art of French Horn Playing felt that the most critical element in developing the high range was the embouchure.

There are a lot of approaches out there to consider carefully. High range development is nearly universally a major goal of students of the horn.

The art of french horn playing by philip farkas pdf