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Performance Tips

  1. Cure for Dry Mouth During Performance

    I was reminded of a tip I heard several years ago to help cope with dry mouth during a performance. Some people don't like to have a water bottle on stage for reasons of appearance, and sometimes there just is no good way to do that anyway. But the Childs Brothers figured out a method of coping, and David Childs has learned the same technique.


    They fasten a small piece of sponge to the rear of the euphonium, just where the bell meets the next piece of large tubing (roughly on ...
  2. Knowing When to Breathe and When Not To Breathe

    Wind players must always deal with the issue of breathing. Actually, all musicians must breathe in order to stay alive, but for wind players and singers our breathing must be fit around the music. This is fairly easy in many solos in quite difficult in others.


    A common tendency with low brass players is to take too many breaths because we are trained to take in air whenever we have the chance. While this is good practice, one has to be careful not to disrupt the musical flow while ...
  3. Dynamics within the Dynamics

    Many players I hear don't seem to be very concerned with really observing the dynamics written on their music. Sections marked p are usually played somewhat softer and those marked f are played louder, but the range is not large and the in-between dynamics are not well defined. And when they encounter a ff or pp they don't seem to make a full effort. I nag my students about it and myself as well - it's all too easy to get lazy if we aren't careful.


    But let's make the challenge ...
  4. Researching a Performance

    One of the best ways for students to learn how to play well is by listening to great artists perform. Unfortunately, many students seem to listen only to euphonium recordings in preparing some pieces. In the case of music from another medium, such as voice, strings, piano, etc. it can be instructive (and even inspiring) to hear artists outside the warm fuzzy world of the euphonium.


    A terrific piece to prepare is Schubert Serenade D. 957, No. 4, which is also called Standchen. ...
  5. Running with Boots On

    As brass players we face a pair of challenges that are in opposition to each other.

    On the one hand we strive to do things efficiently. We want to convert our efforts into the maximum effect, so for each cubic inch of air that comes out of our lungs we want to get the most sound. We work to develop each extra decibel of sound so that we have a great dynamic range.

    On the other hand our bodies keep telling us to do less. Brass playing is not a very natural act. We take in ...

    Updated 05-16-2020 at 07:56 PM by davewerden

    Categories
    Euphonium-Tuba Blog , Performance Tips
  6. Have You Hugged Your Horn Today?

    For almost all of us it is necessary sometimes to wait for a while in a performance venue (i.e. on stage, in a church pew, etc.) before our "turn" comes around. In most cases this means the horn is going to get a bit cold. There is generally not an opportunity to warm up again just before you play, so you end up starting out on a cold horn, which gradually gets warmer as you play. This means the pitch will change during your playing and the response may also be different. Also, a cold horn will ...
  7. No Dog and Pony Show in Church

    Many years ago I had the good fortune to be able to buy a double-bell euphonium. Its uses are somewhat limited. I own an excellent professional-quality euphonium, which does a better job in most cases. But now and then it is nice to play the double-bell euphonium, either as an educational tool or because its qualities are appropriate to the medium at hand.


    I have used it a few times for solos like Carnival of Venice. In this setting it is very effective when I switch quickly between ...
  8. Have the Music Inside You - Then Let It Out!

    We spend so much time discussing horns, mouthpieces, techniques, etc. that sometimes we forget that playing euphonium is ultimately about making music. Playing tuba is ultimately about making music. Playing trombone is ultimately about making music. See where I'm going?


    During lessons I give I often play recordings to demonstrate something or other. I haven't kept track, but I think that my students hear other instruments (or voice) much more often than euphonium recordings during ...
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