But one thing I've realized today relates to the title of this blog post today: my low range on horn isn't what it used to be. I have been having trouble today just getting all of my extreme low notes to speak. I mean, I didn't really warm-up today before recording, and I didn't play at all yesterday (shame on me...big-time). But still, if I don't exercise and work the low range every single day, it just loses some of it's capability. When I was studying at CWU, I practiced a lot every day, and played in many ensembles. In my practice, I played my low range probably more often than my high range, since I was addicted to the Rochut Trombone book and the first Neuling low horn book. On top of that, I was doing a ton of low range playing with the CWU Horn Ensemble, as well as with any horn chamber groups I was in. My low range was very reliable then...because I was using it every day. Even when I got to graduate school in Milwaukee, my low range suffered because I didn't use it as much. I didn't practice as much while I was there, for one thing, and there wasn't a horn ensemble. So my low range wasn't always getting used as much.
Now, I still don't get as much time on my low range...at least, I haven't been lately. I took some time off of the horn during the Christmas break, and a lot of the playing I've been doing has been with my students. So again, the low range just hasn't been getting enough attention.
So what I'm telling myself now is to get practicing on my low range a lot more, particularly if I expect to sail smoothly through recording low parts on horn ensemble pieces. Nearly all of my arrangements made for horn ensemble came at a time when I was very confident in my low range, and since I always write the difficulty of my horns parts to accommodate my level of playing, the low parts are pretty deep in the basement...and challenging, at that. There was a point when I could easily conquer those low parts...and it looks like I'm going to have to get back to that point. Wish me luck.
Take care and value music.