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  1. Video: Extend the Arban Book for Free

    In this how-to video I show you FREE ways to double the scope of your Arban book with simple techniques. This will be good for your chops, fingers, and brain. (The same approach can be used with any method book, but I consider Arban a "universal language.")

    Especially with an aging population, we are all aware that it is important to exercise your brain. The techniques I discuss here do that...and they are fun! There are also some very practical real-world applications in some cases. ...
  2. Video: When Is an Easy Piece Hard?

    One would ordinarily think a piece in 4/4, named "Romance," marked "Moderato," where the quickest rhythm is in a few dotted-eighth/sixteenth figures would be pretty easy, right? Well, OK, it's in A concert, but that is one of the standard scales taught in school and used in high school band pieces (sometimes, anyway).

    There are two harder things about this piece. One is the upper range, which goes to a high C# concert (D# treble). That's a bit tough. But I find the hardest facet by ...
  3. Discussing the Adams Custom Euphonium

    Ever since I switched to Adams in 2012, I have answered many, many questions from other players regarding the choices among all the Adams options as well as customization. Finally it seemed like time to create a video where I can express these out loud instead of in print on my forum, other forums, or Facebook. The video doesn't cover everything, but I think it gives a good overview.

    Within the video description are links to my article about the Adams Adjustable Gap Receiver, the Adams ...

    Updated 02-22-2018 at 10:58 AM by davewerden

    Tags: adams, agr, video
    Categories
    Euphonium-Tuba Blog , Instruments and Equipment
  4. Video: Exploring Double-Bell Techniques with Gershwin's It Ain't Necessarily So

    I often wonder what the original double-bell euphonium artists did in the early 1900's. I read that they used the little bell for echo effects, and one would assume they would alternate between the bells per phrase or even per note. But I think if the instrument had gained mainstream popularity and kept it through the 20th century, new techniques would have evolved.

    I'm going to offer a couple different double-bell techniques in this video, plus two rarely-used conventional techniques. ...
  5. Morning Song by Roger Kellaway - New Video

    This is from my recital in March, 2015, at the University of Iowa. Morning Song was written for tuba virtuoso Roger Bobo and recorded by him a few decades ago. (The original LP has been remade into a CD, so you can hear Bobo play it here: Roger Bobo, tuba, playing Morning Song)

    I fell in love with the piece when I first heard it. Later, when I saw the sheet music, I saw that is was right in the prime euphonium range and set very high for the average tubist (it goes a step higher than ...
  6. Bydlo from Pictures at an Exhibition - Video and Sheet Music

    On a recent recital at the University of Iowa I performed Bydlo, from Pictures at an Exhibition. In the orchestral version (orchestrated by Ravel) this solo part is played on either tuba or euphonium. It was probably first played on a high-C French tuba (a step above the Bb euphonium), so among common instruments today the euphonium is a very logical choice to play it.

    Much as I did with my arrangement of the March from Holst's Second Suite, I have arranged Bydlo for euphonium and piano ...
  7. Video: Bless This House - Euphonium Duet

    Here is my newest video. Tim Morris and I are playing a duet, my arrangement of "Bless This House." This is from a rehearsal for a church service where the piece became the offertory. Tim is playing the first part, although I wrote the duet so both players have a chance for some of the melody. The recording is a little hampered by the bell angles; Tim is pointing much more toward the mic and I am pointing about 90 degrees from the mic, but the effect is still mostly there. See what you think! ...
  8. Video: Holy Holy Holy, arr. by Philip Sparke - Dave Werden, Euphonium

    Here is a video of a special arrangement of John Dykes' famous hymn "Holy Holy Holy" that we did for church on Sept. 14. This is from Philip Sparke's wonderful book of hymns set in special arrangements. This one is at the end of the book and is the hardest, but it is still not beyond most decent players. Range only goes up to a concert G and no multiple tonguing is required (although it can be used to "spark" thinks up a bit). There are two publications:

    Solo part and accompaniment ...
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