The Shofar Blower - A Maestro Prepares for Rosh Hashanah

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The Shofar Blower: A Maestro Prepares for Rosh Hashanah

World renowned trombonist, Haim Avitsur, demonstrates his technique for sounding the ram's horn instrument known as a shofar.

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Rosh Hashanah, Shofar

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3 Comments

Alex Carter San Jose Caliifornia April 14, 2024

Any "brass" instrument and I include the shofar since it requires buzzing the lips, is not a casual thing. It takes regular practice over years. Regular. Practice. Over. Years. Practice while watching your TV show. Practice before bed. Practice whenever works out for you but regular practice is the most powerful thing in the Universe. You may find it easier to obtain a vuvuzela, or make a Hosaphone(tm) from plans online, or buy a student trumpet and learn to play some simple tunes. BTW this guy as a trombone player is .... amazing. A master. I play trumpet myself but I love low brass. I love the trombone, but my arms are not long enough to manipulate it well nor are my lungs large enough to supply the air needed. Trumpet chose me. Oh, and if you're going to ease yourself into playing shofar, get one of those long Yemenite ones, they're a lot more beginner friendly. Reply

Anonymous December 15, 2014

Success in sounding the Shofar O.K., so you had a little problem. Now you have a whole year to practice and prepare. I'm certain you will do well next year. This video should help you to correct whatever you were not doing correctly and bring a Mitzah to all who hear and you who will be successfully sounding the Shofar. Reply

Sam Leon Dumfries September 15, 2014

Lucky. I can blow and blow and blow and all I'll ever get out of the accursed thing is half a squeak. (And that's if I'm lucky!) I remember when my grandmother, my cousin, and myself all went to shul on Rosh Hashanah about two years ago. One man, David Bruce, was huffing and puffing like a wolf. He and the others on our bima were getting a nice and strong sound out of their shofars. Poor David was turning purple! And there I was on the other end, huffing and puffing just like the others and turning purple, and I was barely getting a squeak out of it. Reply