Shofar Playing

Boplicity · 05-06-2008, 11:37 PM

I've been asked to "blow the shofar" at a friends wedding. Any one with experience out there got any advice or suggestions? I'd like to go beyond just sounding a single tone.

Sterling · 05-07-2008, 01:12 PM

Like any brass instrument, it depends how long it is to see how many partials you can get out of it. i have a shofar that is quite small, about six inches long and I can get two, maybe three notes out of it. It takes a bit of trial and error to find out how to orient your lips to the instrument.

Boplicity · 05-07-2008, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sterling

Like any brass instrument, it depends how long it is to see how many partials you can get out of it. i have a shofar that is quite small, about six inches long and I can get two, maybe three notes out of it. It takes a bit of trial and error to find out how to orient your lips to the instrument.

Thanks for responding. The shofar I have is an actual ram's horn and I'd say it's something like 36''. I can get lots of partials from it but as you say it is hard to get the lips oriented to the small "mouthpiece". What have you tried to get a dependable sound? Do you know if there "traditional" melodies or forms?

Sterling · 05-07-2008, 02:21 PM

My shofar has no mouthpiece, just the flat small end of the horn. It is an oblong hole, so I orient it on my face to get as much buzzing as possible. As for tunes, got me! I grew up methodist. My Shofar came from one of my students who was having his Bar Mitzva in Israel and I told him to bring me back something!
As for melodies, hmmmmmmmmmmmm, ask at your local Synagogue, watch some epic movies The Ten Commandments, and try to fake something regal for a wedding? I'll bet that the congregation will not know the difference. A lot of it will be in the presentation. I have friends who play bagpipes(willingly!) and they are pretty much for show at weddings. I'm sure that they could play most anything and it would go over well. Pomp is pomp! (When done well).

Boplicity · 05-07-2008, 03:33 PM

Danke Schein!

stchasking · 07-08-2008, 01:06 AM

Try this link. It says you don't play music on a shophar (shofar).

A few short blasts is all you need. Don't play too many notes.
Talk to the rabbi and get approval of what you play.

Sounding the Shofar

Boplicity · 07-08-2008, 10:08 PM

Thanks stchasking! Much apppreciated.

Vulgano Brother · 07-09-2008, 12:54 AM

The Shofar had but two functions: to assemble the people or to sound an alarm. For the former a "Do-Sooooooooooooool", and for the latter a series of nine notes. Since it is a wedding, I presume that no alarm is needed. A long blast will suffice.

Have fun!

tromj · 07-15-2008, 03:01 PM

Vulgano, are you saying you shouldn't play the alarm at a wedding? :)

Seriously, make sure you play the Shofar you are going to use a few times. It's different enough from the trumpet that it can be a bit uncomfortable. I blow Shofar in my synagogue, and start practicing about a month before Rosh Hashana, when it is used traditionally. The sounds are varied by length, not pitch.

Vulgano Brother · 07-15-2008, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tromj

The sounds are varied by length, not pitch.

I got an interest in Jewish liturgical music and did find some shofar calls notated (for organ perhaps?). The "imitation" shofar call did have two notes--maybe to simulate a "frack?"

05-06-2008, 11:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
Boplicity New Friend Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Guilford, CT Posts: 10	Shofar Playing I've been asked to "blow the shofar" at a friends wedding. Any one with experience out there got any advice or suggestions? I'd like to go beyond just sounding a single tone.

05-07-2008, 01:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
Sterling Pianissimo User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Marcellus, NY Posts: 143	Re: Shofar Playing Like any brass instrument, it depends how long it is to see how many partials you can get out of it. i have a shofar that is quite small, about six inches long and I can get two, maybe three notes out of it. It takes a bit of trial and error to find out how to orient your lips to the instrument.

05-07-2008, 02:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
Sterling Pianissimo User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Marcellus, NY Posts: 143	Re: Shofar Playing My shofar has no mouthpiece, just the flat small end of the horn. It is an oblong hole, so I orient it on my face to get as much buzzing as possible. As for tunes, got me! I grew up methodist. My Shofar came from one of my students who was having his Bar Mitzva in Israel and I told him to bring me back something! As for melodies, hmmmmmmmmmmmm, ask at your local Synagogue, watch some epic movies The Ten Commandments, and try to fake something regal for a wedding? I'll bet that the congregation will not know the difference. A lot of it will be in the presentation. I have friends who play bagpipes(willingly!) and they are pretty much for show at weddings. I'm sure that they could play most anything and it would go over well. Pomp is pomp! (When done well).

05-07-2008, 03:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
Boplicity New Friend Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Guilford, CT Posts: 10	Re: Shofar Playing Danke Schein!

07-08-2008, 01:06 AM	#6 (permalink)
stchasking Forte User Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,366	Re: Shofar Playing Try this link. It says you don't play music on a shophar (shofar). A few short blasts is all you need. Don't play too many notes. Talk to the rabbi and get approval of what you play. Sounding the Shofar __________________ "I was performing professionally at age 17 and have never had a real job." Allen Vizzutti http://cdbaby.com/cd/mcking

07-08-2008, 10:08 PM	#7 (permalink)
Boplicity New Friend Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Guilford, CT Posts: 10	Re: Shofar Playing Thanks stchasking! Much apppreciated.

07-09-2008, 12:54 AM	#8 (permalink)
Vulgano Brother Moderator Fortissimo User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Home Posts: 3,265	Re: Shofar Playing The Shofar had but two functions: to assemble the people or to sound an alarm. For the former a "Do-Sooooooooooooool", and for the latter a series of nine notes. Since it is a wedding, I presume that no alarm is needed. A long blast will suffice. Have fun! __________________ "A tool good enough to be so used and not too good" C.S. Lewis That Hideous Strength www.letsbuildhope.org

07-15-2008, 03:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
tromj Piano User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Teaneck, NJ Posts: 319	Re: Shofar Playing Vulgano, are you saying you shouldn't play the alarm at a wedding? :) Seriously, make sure you play the Shofar you are going to use a few times. It's different enough from the trumpet that it can be a bit uncomfortable. I blow Shofar in my synagogue, and start practicing about a month before Rosh Hashana, when it is used traditionally. The sounds are varied by length, not pitch. __________________ Bach 37 Yamaha 8310Z Yamaha 631 Flugel Getzen 850 Cornet Yamaha Picc Yamaha Xeno C 8445 Monette B1-5M, B1-5F, B1-5D cornet, Stork 3P, Monette C1-5M

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