Pedagogy Column—“Fast is Fine…
compiled and edited by Mike Harcrow
…but accuracy is everything.” I have used this famous Wyatt Earp quote for decades with my students as a reminder to build, without haste or impatience, the physical coordination accuracy requires. To use lips, tongue, and fingers perfectly in tandem, supported by excellent airflow and well-practiced audiation skills, comes at different rates for different players—but I doubt even our horn-world superstars would say that flawless accuracy comes quickly.
I grew up with the Philip Farkas warm-ups, including the love-it-or-hate-it page 69 from The Art of French Horn Playing, an exercise designed to improve accuracy. Clyde Miller, my [very patient] teacher from 7th-12th grades, a Farkas contemporary, often exhorted me to “hear” with my lips. I confess that this instruction made no sense to me in my initial years of study, but I understand it now as audiation + muscle memory (and, at some level, this is how string players relate to their physical contact with a fingerboard).
What follows are some approaches to the issue of accuracy, some short and some longer, some thought-provoking and some to the point, but all helpful. These have been contributed by various players and professors who serve the International Horn Society in some administrative or content-producing role. The ideas, while by no means an exhaustive list, represent decades of information passed from teacher to student as well as personal experiences honed by inquiry, application, and success.
With a well-prepared tongue, you will never miss a note.
Austris Apenis, Horn and More Europe Desk Editor
In accuracy of playing, I am especially helped by focusing on air usage and core support, as well as being aware of tongue position or vowel shape. Accuracy is very much about timing and good coordination of the different aspects of playing technique. Focusing on air use keeps my attention both in the present moment and on the most essential element of playing technique at the same time.
Tommi Hyytinen, International Horn Society Advisory Council
Try these two very helpful resources on accuracy:
- Read Nicholas Smith's book Don't Miss
- Download and use the app Farkas 2.0. Available on the App Store.
James Boldin, Editor, The Horn Call
Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast—a great sentiment to hold for both horn and life.
Rusty Holmes, “Mental Fitness” column, The Horn Call
Over the years, I've become convinced that a fair percentage of accuracy issues relate to synchronization of the fingers as we change notes. If you could see your fingers in slow motion as they move, for example, from 0 to T23, I suspect you might see them roll into place, with the third finger going down first and the thumb going down last.I find that passages in written E major are particularly important to master in this regard, and I often return to Pares Scales no. 99 (an E major exercise) to recheck the synchronization of my fingers.Be sure that your valve levers are adjusted so that they are in an ideal location to reach them. This may involve adjusting heights, adding lever extenders (like small coins), etc.I offer this final tip: My former colleague, tubist Sam Pilafian, was always reminding people to use fast fingers in slow passages. Fingers need to move into place quickly and with total synchronization.
John Ericson, “Equipment Notes” column, The Horn Call (see also Horn Matters)
Record yourself: One thing often forgotten in our efforts to increase accuracy is that we must be relaxed and confident. Our modern smartphone is our secret weapon in this matter. Record yourself early and often in your practice sessions. Not only will you discover issues about which you were unaware, but hearing yourself perform something will serve to build your confidence and remove the physical tension that causes “chips” and missed notes. Your performance will become exactly what you expect it to be, not just something that you hope it will be. Tuning and accuracy: A friend of mine once said a missed note is a note that was going to be out of tune. Tune your horn carefully, play daily with tuning drones, and be sure you can play in the center of each and every note. Any note that has to be bent to be played in tune is a note that you are likely to miss.
Brad Tatum, “Cor Values” column, The Horn Call
When working on accuracy, I recommend singing through the passage you are practicing to be sure you are hearing pitches correctly. Then, make sure your instrument is in tune. Finally, simply “sing” through the horn.
Susan McCollough, Executive Director, International Horn Society
