Suggested course of study for a returning player?

[Greg_R]

Hi everyone,
Is there a post somewhere suggesting a course of study for the returning euphonium player? I've been working on my long tones, scales, and arpeggios out of Arbans and I've ordered the Brass Gym book. Would Dr. Bowman's videos or other books be a good option? Most beginning texts spend a lot of time teaching musical notation and I don't need that. I'm looking for a good course to build my chops back up with technique reminders (e.g. jaw and tongue positions, things to look & listen for, etc.).

I have ordered the bass clef version of Arbans to get the added commentary.

[davewerden]

You're on the right track already. I'm not sure how much (more) you can expect from books, though. An in-person teacher, especially who is accustomed to working with returning brass players, would be you best bet.

[davewerden]

But getting back to what you are currently trying, here's my best advice for a teacher-less experience.

Find some good recordings of professional euphonium players doing pieces you are able to play technically. Do not push that "able to" envelope too far - I'd suggest slow pieces for now. Focus on one piece and listen several times to the recording to get the overall idea. Then do back-to-back comparisons of the recording vs. your own playing. Do one phrase at a time (a few bars only) and keep working until you are sounding like the recording. Then build on that as you work through the rest of the piece. If you are getting a good tone, good intonation, good attacks, good dynamics, good rubato when called for - which all sound like the recording - you are doing something right.

[RickF]

Welcome back to the world of Brass playing Greg. Dave Werden offers great advice.

I just started using 'Chickowitz Flow Studies' after watching a video of Terry Everson (trumpet) of Boston Univ.. This video was suggested by JVickers in the "Range and Tone" thread on proper warmup. I think from your first post above you might read treble clef. Here's a link to PDFs of Chicowitz if interested: http://www.gregwingtrumpet.com/uploa..._july_2013.pdf

[JVickers]

Great suggestions above, and I would agree that the Cichowicz material is great and I do his flow studies daily. If you'd like them notated in bass clef, you can find them in the "Practice Resources" section of my website at jacevickers.com along with some other exercises I use with my college students. I add a 'tag' that takes advantage of the extended low range the euphonium has compared to the trumpet as well. The site's kind of a work in progress, but maybe you'll find some of the material helpful.

Jace

[enhite]

The Vincent Chicowitz Flow Studies look useful for every brass player. What is the approximate metronome marking that you use?

[JVickers]

I play them as slowly as I can (or as fast as I need to) to play the whole line with a beautiful sound in one breath.

[Greg_R]

Thank you for the suggestions everyone.

David, how would you suggest going about finding a good teacher? The local music conservatory seems to be in between low brass instructors. I agree that having a teacher will accelerate my learning... maybe Santa can help out .

[davewerden]

David, how would you suggest going about finding a good teacher? The local music conservatory seems to be in between low brass instructors. I agree that having a teacher will accelerate my learning... maybe Santa can help out .

In this day of Googling everything, there are a few holes! Personal networking is probably the most effective way to find a teacher. Is there a local community band? Talk to some of the brass players there. Some may have gone through what you are now in the midst of. For some of what you want, a French horn player could help. But for more complete help, my order of preference among the brass teachers would be euphonium, trumpet, tuba, trombone (and then French horn).

[John Morgan]

Great suggestions above, and I would agree that the Cichowicz material is great and I do his flow studies daily. If you'd like them notated in bass clef, you can find them in the "Practice Resources" section of my website at jacevickers.com along with some other exercises I use with my college students. I add a 'tag' that takes advantage of the extended low range the euphonium has compared to the trumpet as well. The site's kind of a work in progress, but maybe you'll find some of the material helpful.

Jace

Jace,

Tried getting to the exercises on your site. Ran into Google messages and frame messages and a mess. Could not get to it. Have you checked it out?

[JVickers]

I tweaked the way the Google sharing settings operate-- hopefully it will work now.

[John Morgan]

I tweaked the way the Google sharing settings operate-- hopefully it will work now.

That did it. Thanks!