Here you will find a comprehensive introduction to alphorn blowing. I show you the way to a stable blowing technique, with a focus on easy and relaxed playing. At the same time I give you a lot of basic and background knowledge about the alphorn on the way.
This introduction is “modern” because it is based on the current state of research and systematically uses the possibilities of the Internet. In addition to my contributions, I will often refer to further information in the literature, resources on the internet and helpful or interesting videos. The ten progressive lessons are organized so you can work through them sequentially:
- In lessons 1 & 2 you will learn how to play the alphorn. You play first sounds and simple sequences by ear. You will also read about the history and present of the alphorn.
- In lessons 3 – 5 you will learn the technical basis of blowing the alphorn – embouchure, breathing, posture. You work on sound and accuracy, and expand your range. By the end of this part you will be familiar with musical notation and the natural scale.
- Lessons 6 – 10 are about developing your skills on the alphorn. You will deal with topics such as expression, flexibility and range and learn how you can continuously improve with deliberate practice.
If you prefer to pick out individual topics, you will find here a thematic table of content.
A website cannot replace ongoing feedback from an experienced alphorn teacher. That’s why I recommend that you take a one-on-one lesson or attend a workshop at least from time to time (here my continuously updated list). If you have any questions, I am available via my contact page. Please note that this is a translation of the german original. As most of the research on alphorn has been published in german, the english version does not contain all the links to further information. If you read german, you will find additional information in the original version.
About me: This course is the result of my own journey. I started playing the alphorn when in my earyl fourties. At first I took weekly lessons, later I attended numerous workshops and practiced a lot in self-study. Over the years, the alphorn has become my passion: I extensively research into its background, maintain this blog naturtoene.ch, and pursue an unprofitable alphorn career as a beggar blower and tourist attraction on Mount Pilatus. In 2022 I completed a certificate of advanced studies in music research at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences. Since 2023 I’m owned by my startup company alphorninthealps.ch.
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