4 Exercises For Your High Register

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I’ve gotten a lot of questions lately on social media about playing in higher registers, so here’s a little video about some specific exercises you can do to get better! And it’s for all brass players WOO.
Hope this helps you out and gives you some ideas for your practice routine. Let me know what you think!
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[@grumpymonk9908]

Finally a french horn player I can watch

[@grumpymonk9908]

Oh and btw im a french horn player myself

[@alyssawidener8669]

Nice! It's always good to hear from other horn players!

[@carawoodell8940]

Yass I play French Horn too they are so under rated

[@dakker5292]

I used to play trumpet, now French horn. While trumpet has a beauty of its own (and is probably THE instrument most appropriate for church), the French horn I now think is more beautiful then the trumpet.

[@ThePeaterBeater]

bless this video, I’m in college rn and I love my low register but my high register isn’t close to as strong… I’ve been looking for some new exercises and now I have some! now I can feel ready to finally tackle some mozart ;)

[@alyssawidener8669]

Glad I could help! Good luck practicing and taking on Mozart!

[@olivesalpeter756]

Would you be able to talk about how to work on the lower register? Being a trumpet player switching to horn I struggle with hitting anything on the bass cleff.

[@alyssawidener8669]

Definitely! I've been thinking about doing more videos like this generally anyhow. Can't promise how soon it'll come, but I'd love to talk about the low register!

[@angieb.1956]

OH MY GOSH! I tried these excerises and they actually worked! I'm a beginner and I have trouble with high d and e and I played them much easier when I did the excerises! Thank you so much! Liked and subscribed! ❤

[@frenchhorn4947]

You're gonna do amazing I swear

[@ashebryant4616]

0:42 omg i still cant free buzz xD

[@xxwhylovemenowxx9486]

omg same my band teacher made everyone try the very first day but me T-T

[@sokritlun1624]

I don’t understand how I can play but I can barely buzz 🐝

[@tiredowalkin]

It tickles my face and I cant stand that

[@hyphen8d725]

@@tiredowalkin Use the corners, and stiffen the sides around the middle of your lips

[@tiredowalkin]

@@hyphen8d725, will give it a try. Thank you!

[@mariusleuthold8360]

Your tips are very precious. I have not used your techniques for a long time, but I played those high notes for me today with a lightness like never before.

[@robertoguillenvela7392]

I've been playing french horn in my middle school for two years and i can play from a flat below the bass cleff to a high b sharp above the treble cleff. This video really helped me.

[@jacds]

Great video, Alyssa! I'm been getting the hang of the horn, after switching from the clarinet. I think I'm going pretty well, but there's a long way to walk... These kind of videos sure help when practicing! Thanks :D

[@alyssawidener8669]

Happy that the video is able to help! Best of luck with practicing too! :)

[@thebiasslayer8244]

Thank you very much for this lesson it helped me a lot 😊😊

[@Showtunez]

Well done - Thanks!

[@robertoprocopio2784]

Thanks Alyssa. It help me

[@KarlBonner1982]

One good long tone exercise for high horn is to slowly slur in minor (or major) thirds, working up chromatically. So for example, slur between treble C & Eb several times, then C#/E, etc. until you're as high as you can get. Make sure you're using the tongue and throat position to help you get up high.

[@GustavMahlerHorn]

I like this one more than the tips she had haha

[@dgrjazz]

I play the overtones every day on flute and sax great stuff

[@RaymondMarx]

When doing the buzzing on the mouthpiece I would advise using only 2 fingers Your thumb and index and spread the other ones so you can not add pressure.. and hold it loosely Helped me a lot against pressure in higher register!

[@parkergent9206]

Wow thank you I needed this I’ve had a problem with this I’ve recently discovered it’s like my hand does it on its own

[@david1973km]

When you freebuzz can i leave my tuner in transpose mode to F? Or do I set it to C. To see that I"am buzzing the right pitch

[@batjargalenkhbaatar170]

Would you be able to talk about choosing new mouthpiece for french horn?

[@minerveeyamba8978]

I'm a french horn and I started playing it at my school in September. It's going very well for me but I can't do a high G. I hope your exercises can help me for a high G

[@lawrencewingfield2438]

Can you go over how to form your face for free buzzing? I’m about 4 months into the horn and I still feel like I can’t buzz high pitches. Everytime I buzz it just sounds low

[@evanpeirce401]

What is that black Velcro thing attached to your left hand on the horn?? Sorry I’m so new to French horn

[@cmw12]

You mention that the face should be somewhat relaxed some/all of the time. Can you elaborate on this? Where should I feel tension and where shouldn’t I? My teacher gets on me for relaxing my embouchure too much, particularly in descending passages. I fact she says it should NEVER truly relax when in use. I suspect your answer will be that the corners should be tense. What about the cheeks? Is that a sign I may be trying to hold back too much air for the note? Thanks!

[@NC-ff2pv]

Thank you :) Could you make a video about dynamics too?

[@AndrewMerideth]

Lots of good ideas here. Harmonics/overtones is what I primarily use. I start from 1&2 A below the treble clef going up 2 octaves and back down, adding in the lower E and A at the end. From there I go up each fingering to trigger open, F to F. Focus being on to not tighten up too much and keep everything relaxed as much as possible and keeping the air solid. At the end of the day, I think just playing the notes every day, shooting for the best sound is the best option. “Don’t hurt yourself”! Oh yes, I see this way too often in lessons. I very much agree with your approach here

[@alyssawidener8669]

And it's always good to get ideas to vary a routine or switch things up too--thanks for the input!

[@MarcelO_Simple_Note]

You're Videos are very good. Do you have one Mouthpiece or do you change sometimes when the Notes extremly high or low?, or you have one Mouthpiece for all and thats Training? What for a Mouthpiece you take? Lovely Regards to You and can't wait for more Music.

[@alyssawidener8669]

Thanks! I do use one mouthpiece for playing of all styles and all ranges, and that's just a personal preference. I do know switching mouthpieces for that reason is a thing, but I just don't prefer it, haha. Sometimes playing an entirely different horn (like a triple or a descant) is used for extremely high playing, but it all depends on the player. You'll figure out what works for you with experimenting and practice. :)

[@thedailytoast4872]

You have any tips for people braces, they are causing a lot of cuts in my mouth, is there a way I can apply less pressure or something? I play French horn and recently switched from trumpet.

[@calebb293]

You've gotta put wax on them

[@johnkjr7063]

I have a problem. The highest note i can currently play is F but i can sort of feel like i can play G and A. Problem is that when i hit the high G my instrument (single horn in F) gets blocked for the rest of the piece.

[@pohyokelo]

I wish there is a video that teaches newbies how to free buzz one note by one note chromatic scale. I have spent the whole day looking for a video 💔

[@terrancer.7687]

I’m a French horn and I can play from a low b natural all the way to a high d I can’t go past those two notes

[@steph3479]

Same!!

[@yuh2237]

Every brass player I know has smaller lips than me which makes me think that maybe that’s my problem

[@carlw]

The patreon page has no content. It says creators not supported at this time. Whatever that means.

[@cwooly007]

YAS High long tones!

[@GooberNumber9]

This is a very helpful video. I just wish there were no music in the background while she’s talking because it’s so hard to focus on her talking.

[@cwooly007]

I free buzz on my car ride home from work before I actually have to practice. LOL . Just sayin'...and yes I get some interesting looks...oh wells. :P

[@KarlBonner1982]

Don't just practice major triad arpeggios. There are minor triads, major 7ths, natural (dominant) 7ths, minor 7ths, and diminished 7ths. All of these help with your melodic skills and can improve the high range.

[@herbalhealing39]

Why play a horn when you can do free buzzing?

[@dcallendar7294]

Hey ......uh......... what's a arpeggio? I've only played horn 3 years but I'm really trying to get better I've just never heard of it same with overtone

[@noarthebower610]

An areggio is like a scale that skips every other note.

[@dcallendar7294]

Oh so from f to a to c to e to g?

[@AA-gw7hd]

d callendar an arpeggio, does not skip every other note of a scale, it’s the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 8th not of a scale

[@kristenmacqueen5935]

An arpeggio is the root, 3rd, 5th and octave of a scale. Any scale, not just major.

[@parkergent9206]

Yea those are the concert pitches but pretty much I know I’m late for this comment lol how’s you playing now?

[@Nikita-ez4ko]

About to take a playing test and I’m not good with high notes. Wish me luck.

[@steph3479]

Omg good luck I get so scared when I have to do a test I can’t breathe properly 🤦‍♀️

[@Nikita-ez4ko]

I just did the test on Thursday. Went “well”. Usually I lose my breath during test and turn red, but I was lucky this time. Getting late for me so goodnight Stepho

[@lilidawes1553]

You play great but if you adjust your poster then you will do even better