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Thread: Help Appreciated

  1. #11

    Help Appreciated

    Originally posted by: uieuph

    I think the best CD I have that has given me the best example of tone is Steve Mead's Belle Italia. He displays remarkable tone one each and every note no matter how small which is quite an achievement.
    Good choice! Note-to-note consistency is certainly one of Steve's strong suits. He is a great example for that. Actually, that is an area where the British players seem to have an edge. It may have something to do with the very, very high level of contests that exist in England (such contests have been around for over a hundred years). Their brass bands display the same kind of consistency, which makes their chords sound very full from the top to the bottom. An interesting point is that the fullness the British players strive for on every note can sometimes cause them to play short notes that are a little more "square-shaped" than is the custom in the USA (not tapered on the end-side).

    Now that we are well into the 21st century, you can even buy Steven Mead recordings via iTunes (so you can get them right away, and so you can pick and choose songs from his various albums). You'll find his iTunes albums listed on:

    The Euphonium CD Page

    On that page you will find nearly 20 euphonium or euphonium-related albums you can download from iTunes!
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  2. #12

    Help Appreciated

    I was wondering what kind of things I could do to improve my tone. I've heard that the practice of long tones supposedly helps, but is there any way? I find it (no offense) kind of dull, but i do want to improve my tone. Any suggestions on excercises that can help my tone without putting me to sleep?

  3. Help Appreciated

    hah, dont forget recordings of David Werden. i sit in front of a tuner doing long tones, and then play to drones. helps my intonation and overall tone.
    i would recommend etudes on slurring #11,13,15 from the new arbans method by encore music.

  4. #14

    Help Appreciated

    Also remember that it's not just surviving long tones that is the goal. You must strive to make them sound really good. Keep the tone supported no matter what the volume. If you are doing crescendo/decrescendo exercises, make the volume changes just as smooth and gradual as possible. Treat the exercises as though they were a piece of music.
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853

    Help Appreciated

    Originally posted by: dwerden
    ...Treat the exercises as though they were a piece of music.
    That is good advice for sure. I remember when Roger Behrand was holding a master class at ITEC 2002 where he had a student play something from from a page. The student was doing okay, but it did not flow. His breathing wasn't quite right for phrasing, little breath support, and didn't quite sound like music. Roger said, "now play it again like you're performing". So the student did and it sounded much better. "Practice like you're performing -- then perform like you practiced".

    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  6. #16

    Help Appreciated

    Ok, thanks for all the advice. I'll get started working on it.

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