Most common method for converting to a horn in a new key

[jmerring]

I have a reverse problem, sort of. I play BBb in a couple concert bands and sometimes have to watch fingerings the player next to me, to keep in place. This is fine with one band, wherein the player I'm referencing is in BBb also, but in one band the guy is in CC. I have started mentally picturing the music as played in CC, then I screw up my own! Thank God it doesn't happen too often.

[corbasse]

My take on "old stuff:"

Trying to tear through the Blazhevich or Kopprasch (or the like) etudes that you've been playing for years as soon as you get a new horn in a different key is going to just frustrate the crap out of you because you won't have the background to do it.
.....you'll still fight those muscle memory issues and you'll still find yourself having fingering slip ups...I know I did for a while. It just takes time and practice. Talking about all of this makes it seem way worse than it really is too.

I don't think Blazhevich or Kopprasch are considered really easy. They're not very technical, but if you can play those really well you can play about anything. I was thinking more in the lines of tune a day, Mary had a little lamb etc... Thereby, "tearing" through studies you've done a zillion times before never accomplished anything. Carefull, slow, concentraded, 200% focussed practice of a study you've done a zillion times before can accomplish a great deal

I think you're maybe a bit too concerned about the muscle memory issue. I'm a french horn player, and we get told regulary by our teachers "right. Next week the same study in Eb, C and Bb" (or D, Ab and B nat. if you're more advanced) We're not going to learn three new different fingering patterns that week...

It's only four fingers, and all the patterns stay the same. If you start with Tune A Day book one, you're not going to be messing up your fingerings too often

[djwesp]

as crazy as this may sound...

1.get yourself a ring that fits on at least two fingers on your hand...

2. when you play cc put the ring on one finger...

3. when you play the other key... put the ring on the other finger...



although this method sounds absolutely crazy, if you give your mind a physical association to one key... it is much easier to switch back and forth... i currently play on Bflat sousa, CC horn, Eb Besson, and an occaisional F horn, and that has been the method that works best for me...

take any college psych course

[Billy M.]

((slaps self with metal object))

Oooh! Can I do that too!?

Seriously, I think if you spend enough time going back over fundamentals when converting, such as scales and yes even writing in fingerings all the time, it'll become more natural. Usually takes 1 month with practice most every day to get familiar and about 3 months to get comfortable.