Basic Expansion Drill in D♭' -- F Inst.

Intonation is one of the most neglected subjects in current wind music pedagogy. Middle school and high school wind players may be aware they play out of tune, but rarely can explain how or why they are out of tune. Poor intonation is also a universal problem among university-level wind players. While undergoing high-level private instruction, students often miss out on learning proper dedicated practice techniques required to play “in tune.” Although historical temperaments are vital to the maintenance of historical performance practice, they do not address a student’s basic knowledge concerning with whom or to what to compare, intonation recognition, and how to physically adjust with precision. Horns (and all wind and string instruments) can make these adjustments while also keeping the ability to modulate with no detrimental fixed intonation problems when a new key is explored. It is knowing how to physically place the pitch that makes the understanding of just temperament vital. A predecessor to this project is an older method of daily horn fundamentals practice by Christopher Leuba, a former principal horn of the Chicago Symphony. While the “Leuba Routine” has fallen out of current pedagogical practice, my experience of practicing it daily led me to build upon Leuba’s principle of teaching intonation through intervallic relationships and recognition. There are many alternative versions of the Leuba Routine. What I wish to share with you starts with the initial approach taught to me by my mentor, Jack Herrick. While the theory of the routine is not cognitively simple, they are not technically difficult.