Intonation can be a complicated subject to teach. Some students have the inherent ability to play in tune and others find this to be much more challenging. So, how do we go about teaching intonation?
There are two fantastic resources that I have found to be immensely helpful in thinking about intonation as a subject and how to teach it. The first is an article by Froydis Ree Wekre and Erja Joukamo-Ampuja titled “Teaching Intonation: Thoughts for Horn Players,” which can be found in the August 1999 issue of The Horn Call. The second resource is a book called A Study of Musical Intonation by Christopher Leuba.
First and foremost when it comes to teaching intonation, the student needs to be able to recognize if they are playing in tune or out of tune. Many students are unaware of the differences in intonation. As a teacher, you can demonstrate this by playing two drones slightly out of sync with each other at various levels of intonation. This allows the student to hear the different beats from the resultant tone, as well, as what it sounds like when the two drones are truly in tune.
Once the student is able to recognize good intonation, they are sometimes challenged to figure out how to solve any of these discrepancies in their playing. While the book on intonation by Chris Leuba, primarily discusses the physical aspects of solving intonation challenges, Wekre and Joukamo-Ampuja believe that good intonation starts with the development of excellent aural skills. The student needs to develop a strong aural perception of good sound and intonation. One of the easiest methods for doing this is through singing. Have the student sing various intervals, scales, and simple tunes to begin to develop a stronger sense of intonation. If the student is uncomfortable with singing, this can also be done with whistling. If this aspect of the student’s training is deficient, it will be an extreme challenge for them to play in tune on the instrument. It is never too early to start developing this skill.
The next step in creating excellent intonation is connecting the aural expectation of good sound and intonation with the body and instrument. To do this, the instrument slides must be in the correct position. To tune a double horn, I start on the F side open third space C and play it in tune with a tuner. If the note is flat, adjust the main tuning slide by pushing it in slightly. If this note is sharp, pull the main tuning slide out. Sometimes the main tuning slide belongs to the B flat side of the horn, so double check this prior to beginning this process. Next, you want to play that same note on the B flat side of the horn and tune it with the C that was just played on the F side of the instrument. The goal is to have these two notes as close together as possible when you switch between the two sides of the instrument. Repeat this process on both sides of the horn with the B natural (second valve) and B flat (first valve.) Play the A natural (first and second valve,) however, do not tune this note. The first and second valves were already tuned and the goal for playing the A natural is simply aural while moving down to the A flat. Finally, tune the A flat (second and third valve.) Since the second valve will have already been tuned with the B natural, the third slide will be the slide that needs adjusting on both sides of the instrument. The horn should now be in tune with itself and all other adjustments can be made with the hand and alternate fingerings.
Chris Leuba discusses the importance of understanding the physics of music through the knowledge of resultant tones and just intonation. This means that not every note should be played perfectly in tune with a tuner and some intervals will need to be adjusted to sound in tune. For example, the third of a chord should be played approximately 14 cents flat to play in tune. Our students should begin building an understanding of which notes will need to be adjusted and how they can make these adjustments.
One method of quickly adjust the pitch on the instrument is through the use of alternate fingerings. It is common knowledge that the fourth space D on the B flat side of the horn can be sharp with the first and second valve fingering. The student can lower this note by using the third valve on the B flat side of the instrument. This is especially important when playing an excerpt like the second horn part of the Trio in Beethoven Symphony No. 3. This is because D is the third of the chord and will need to be lowered. Students can learn alternate fingerings on the horn by playing different scales on one side of the instrument. It is best for these adjustments to be made automatically, so familiarity with key signatures is essential. To build this familiarity, playing modes on both sides of the horn can be immensely helpful.
Another method of physical adjustment that can be made is through the use of the right hand position in the bell. The right hand should be slightly cupped, similar to holding water in the hand (no gaps between the fingers) and at the “one o’clock” position in the bell. The wrist can then be used as a pivot point to slightly close or open the hand. If the note is sharp, the student can slightly close the hand to lower the pitch and if the note is flat, they can open the hand to raise the pitch. It is important to recognize that too many adjustments with the hand can manipulate the color and volume of the note. If this adjustment is made after the note has begun, it can create a scoop up or down into the note. Therefore, adjustment of the hand should be used minimally. This is one of the many methods that can be utilized for the right hand position in the bell and I will write another article very soon on the different varieties of right hand positions!
Drills to Build Better Intonation
Drones: Daily drone work will bring the students attention to the concept of intonation on a regular basis and bring awareness to what notes might be more problematic on their instrument. Students should do various scales, intervals, and simple tunes aurally over the drone. In addition, if the student is struggling with a particular note on the instrument, they should play that note in unison with a drone daily and bend the pitch above and below the note to build security over time.
Chamber Music: I also believe that students can build intonation skills by playing duets, trios, and quartets with other horn players. There are some materials available that directly address intonation, like the Long Tone Duets for Horns book by David Vining and the Reynolds Intonation Exercises for Two Horns. While playing duets with a student, it is important for the teacher to maintain good pitch and not adjust to the student. It is also important for the educator to allow the student to experiment with solving intonation discrepancies. If we tell the student if they are sharp or flat, the student will likely over adjust and think about making the adjustment physically, instead of aurally.
Games: Call and response games between the teacher and student can also assist in intonation development. One example is a teacher playing a note for two beats and the student plays the same note directly after the teacher. The teacher can also play a phrase and have the student aurally repeat this phrase. Not only does this help with intonation development, but it also helps with aural skills.
Excerpts: There are various excerpts that can be assigned to assist in building strong intonation skills. These excerpts can be played with a drone to help the student recognize the tonic pitch. Two contrasting excerpts that are helpful in tuning chords are the fourth horn part from the Weber, Overture to Der Freischutz and the second horn part from the trio in Beethoven, Symphony No. 3. If the student needs to work on clarity of articulation and octave intonation, a great excerpt is the first horn part from the Bach, Mass in B minor. The opportunities to address intonation in excerpts are endless!
Recording: Lastly, It is also helpful for the student to record themselves while playing any intonation exercise. Sometimes it can be difficult for students to hear the necessary adjustments while they are playing, so the use of a recorder is extremely helpful!
Resources
Leuba, Christopher. A Study of Musical Intonation. Vancouver, BC: Cherry Classics Music, 2004.
Joukamo-Ampuja, Erja, and Froydis Wekre. “Teaching Intonation: Thoughts for Horn Players.” The Horn Call XXIX, no. 4 (August 1, 1999): 47-53.