How to Play the Alphorn

The well-known instrument of the Swiss Alps, the alphorn has been played by mountain shepherds and used to call soldiers to battle. Evidence of the alphorn exists from Roman times, and popular music was written for the instrument by Johannes Bach, Leopold Mozart and others. Revival efforts in recent times have expanded the use of the traditional horn, resulting in alphorn professionals, recordings and schools to teach the alphorn.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Play the alphorn standing upright and holding the mouthpiece end. An alphorn is traditionally about 3.4 meters long. The bell end will rest on the ground while you hold the mouthpiece end and blow into it.
2. Create the sound by buzzing your lips together. If you are unfamiliar with how to play a brass instrument, practice buzzing before you put your lips on the mouthpiece of the alphorn to get the correct technique.
3. Avoid pressing your lips too tightly against the mouthpiece, as this will stifle your sound.
4. Keep your cheeks taut and don't allow them to puff out with air. This is inefficient for your sound and can permanently damage the muscles of your cheeks.
5. Alter the pitch with the embouchure and the tongue. By tightening the lips and raising the tongue in the mouth, you can narrow your airstream and play higher notes. By loosening the lips and lowering the tongue, you can widen your airstream and play lower notes. Practice lip slurs, moving up and down through the intervals at a regular pace to practice switching notes.
6. Breathe deeply and control your breathing with the diaphragm. Push your air from below your lungs with the diaphragm, rather than using shallow breathing from the top of the lungs and the mouth. The alphorn is a long horn and requires a lot of air to create a good sound.
7. Concentrate on the many aspects of music besides pitch. While the alphorn has no holes or buttons to produce different notes, and thus limits the amount of technical expertise you must learn, there are many aspects of music such as dynamics, phrasing, tone and tempo that you should devote your attention to when learning the alphorn.
8. Know the key of your alphorn when buying music or performing with a group. The traditional alphorn in Switzerland is in the key of F sharp, but they may be made in a variety of keys depending on the length.