Shofar+Practice+Guide


 *  Shofar Practice Guide **

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Or in writing []     Arthur L. Finkle   **Preparations One Whole Month Before Rosh Hashanah **   **Tisha B’av signals to me that there are 7-weeks before Rosh HaShanah. Therefore, I ****spiritually ****prepare myself ****by practicing ****the shofar at the beginning of the next month - Elul. ****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">During Elul, ****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">we ****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">customarily ****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">sound the shofar at the end of morning services. **  == == <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 5.4pt 0in 0.05in; text-indent: 0in;">** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">Sounding the shofar at services is a practical way of preparing for the “real deal” on Rosh HaShanah. In addition, this period serves as a reminder to orient my attention to appropriate repentance. ** == == <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 5.4pt 0in 0.05in; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">Being a Shofar Sounder and Shofar teacher for 30+ years, I want to share a routine is based on sound musical principals expressed (hopefully) in plain English. ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">If you have any questions or concerns, contact me at: ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **Shofar221@lycos.com** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">Or any of the websites below: **

**<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Joint Effort with Michael Chusid, an expert Shofar sounder and commentator **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">[|http://www.hearingshofar.com] **<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Shofar Sounders WebPage **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">[|http://shofar221.com] **<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Shofar WebPage ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">[|http://shofar-sounders.com] **<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">BLOGS ** [|**http://shofar-sounders.blogspot.com/**] [|**http://hearingshofar.blogspot.com/**] <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> == == <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> ** Warm-Up ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">WE MUST WARM-UP! This should not be left to chance nor treated lightly by a serious musician on any instrument. If I do not warm-up properly, my performance certainly suffers. Most brass players have several routines. For Shofar sounding, I suggest warming up on the fundamental note. In simple terms, a noise from a musical instrument plays more than one note, called Harmonics, but the principal musical tone produced by **[|**vibration**]**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;"> (as of a string or column of air) is the fundamental or most prominent tone. ** [|**http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fundamental**] <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">Then, focus on your attack (how you articulate the note). Then play the Tekiah, Shevorim, Shevorim-Teruah, and Tekiah. Your warm up should be at home because the shul does not offer privacy. In shul, you should hold the Shofar between your arms so that the horn will become the same temperature as your body because the instrument should be the same temperature or more than the room. A cold note becomes flat (off-tune or atonal). ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">The shofar’s sound is similar to creation as that of a brass instrument (Trumpet, French horn, trombone, tuba, etc) in that the lips vibrate creating a “buzzing.” ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">You should practice buzzing; (brass players do this by playing the mouthpiece alone. In the case of Shofar playing, you can buzz by shaping your thumb and forefinger in the shape of a mouthpiece and blowing into it to stimulate your embouchure. (See The Art of French Horn Playing by Philip Farkas, The Complete Method by Milan Yancich, and Embouchure Building by Joseph Singer; there are many good resources out there.) ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 18pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">When Should I Warm-Up? How Much Should I Practice? ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">Professional brass players warm-up **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">every **time they get the instrument out of the case to play. The first warm-up in the morning is the most important, as it sets up your embouchure for the rest of the day. The second and third warm-ups are usually shorter, but need to be there to maintain and build the embouchure.** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">Related issues are how much to practice, and when. I feel, if time allows, the serious brass student or professional usually practices three times a day for no more than one hour apiece. A Shofar sounder, not being a professional in the brass instrumentalist sense of the word, should practice each day at the same time of day. Practice standing up; sitting down will change your embouchure. ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">Initially, practice the fundamental note until you feel your muscles get adjusted. Do not play too much beyond this level. If they tire, your muscles are telling you that they have had enough. By repeated playing, however, your musculature will develop into high quality sound and endurance. Ten minutes is the usual limit. ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">Once, you have mastered the one fundamental note, you should concentrate on the attack. The quality of an attack is determined by the position of the tongue’s touching the lips. In some cases, the tip of the front of the tongue can be the part of the tongue used to tongue the attack. In other cases, you can use the side of your tongue. Some use the side of their side tongue and move it back. The technique that is most effective for the Sounder – and still allows maintenance of the correct embouchure -- is the correct way. ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Week 1 ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** During the first week, work on your embouchure (muscle tone of your lip and surrounding facial muscles) by sounding the most prominent note (fundamental). ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** How long – start with no more than 5-minutes per day; gradually increase this practice time so you will build and tone your embouchure. ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** SHOFAR RANGE ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Week 2 ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** You should begin with phrase 1. ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** The tekiah is one blast – some end it with a small ‘up’ not (but is not necessary) ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** The shevarim is three moaning sounds. In music we call these slurs. They begin with a low note and slide up to the dominant note. You accomplish this by tightening the lips. ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** The Teruah – nine staccato notes. To avoid confusion, count the nine notes as three triplets, thus: xxx xxx xxx. The notes are articulated by touching the tongue to the tip of the shofar for nine times. ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Tonguing needs practice and repetition to become natural. ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Begin the play the sets ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Phrase 2 - T-SH-T (3X) Tekiah-SHevarim -Tekiah ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Phrase 3 - T-R-T (3X) Tekiah- teRuah-Tekiah ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** You may sustain ‘lip fatigue’ – your lip will tire and will not respond the way you desire. **  <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Week 3 ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Continue practicing the phrases for as many times as you can In doing so, you will memorize the association of the sounds and their names. Also, you will build stamina and embouchure definition. Note that you are focusing on endurance athletics but you do need a certain amount of stamina and lip strength to beat fatigue. ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Learn Prayer To Be Recited On Rosh Hashanah ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Praised are You, O Lord, Master of the Universe who has commanded us to hear the shofar ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Ha-olam, asher kid-shanu b-mitz-votav ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Vi-tzi-vanu Lish-moa Kol Shofar. ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** First Day Only ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Week 4 ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** Work from the prayer book to practice each series of sounds. Some congregations sound thirty note; others, ninety; most, 100 sounds. ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** On a couple of the days, I suggest you work with the kri’ah (the one who pronounces the sounds so you can coordinate your activities. You also will ‘feel each other out,’ as so often happens in musical schemes. ** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> ** On the day before Rosh HaShanah – do not practice. Although Jewish law forbids such practice, the musical reason is to enable your embouchure to rest on the day prior to performance, such as soloists do prior to musical recitals. **  <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; height: 155.25pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt; visibility: visible; width: 230.25pt;">

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% #fde9d9; display: block; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">Special thanks for significant input of premier shofar Sounder ****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">Michael Chusid, RA FCSI **