Valparaiso, Indiana

The lower register notes on the English horn span from low “F” to low “B” natural.  It is important that you pay attention to your thumb position when playing in the lower register on the English horn.  The weight of the English horn should be resting on your neck strap, not your right thumb.  Be sure the nail of our right thumb is under the thumb rest and not the first knuckle of your thumb.  Your hand position should be rounded and open by placing your thumb nail under the thumb rest.  There are exciting sounds from the English horn in the lower register; thus, it is important that these notes are easy to tongue and easy to connect when slurring.

# 1

Start on low “F” and play down the scale to low “C” and back up the scale to low “F.”  You are playing the first four notes of a “C” major scale.  Slur this sequence of notes first with whole notes, then half notes, followed by quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes.  Repeat this exercise slurring each note starting on low “C.”  You are listening for a smooth connection between the notes.  If the notes choke and hiccup the reed opening is too open or the top of the reed to thick.  You need to first close down the opening of the reed. However, if that does not help you may have to shave down gently a small amount of cane from each blade at the tip of the reed.  Try slurring the scale pattern after closing the reed tip.  If you you hear and feel an improvement at this point do not shave down the tip of the reed; however, if the notes do not smoothly connect shaving down the tip on both blades gently is the next step.

# 2

Next you want to play a slurred chromatic scale from low “F’ to low “B” natural and back to low “F.”  Again, you are listening for the connections between the notes.  There should be no choking of hiccups in the sound from note to note.  Follow the same chromatic exercise tonguing each note with a “Du” tongue rather than tonguing with a “Ta” or “T” movement of the tongue.

# 3

Trying playing patterns both tongued and slurred in thirds starting on low “C” and going up to low “G” noting that you will need to play forked “F” in this pattern.End each pattern by going down to low “B” natural and back to low “C.”

# 4

If you are struggling to obtain the desired tone quality adjust the amount of reed in your mouth until you find the “sweet spot” on the English horn reed that works best for you.  Your embouchure in the lower register needs to be more  relaxed with very little pressure on the English horn reed.  Dropping your lower lip like you are yawning with both lips on the reed works best.  As you expand your embouchure, you can increase your breath support for the best sound in all dynamic ranges and on all pitches of the lower register.