INSTRUMENTS OF THE FRENCH HORN FAMILY Single Horn Double Horn Descant Horn Triple Horn www.johnbenzer.com Vienna Horn Marching Horn Mellophone www.johnbenzer.com INSTRUMENTS OF THE FRENCH HORN FAMILY Single Horn • Pitched either in F or Bb (this should be obvious when purchasing the horn) • In either case, the player will read music for Horn in F. • The single horn will sound a perfect 5th below concert pitch. • This horn is a common starter horn due to its light weight, especially for smaller students. • The single F horn will have a smoother sounding low register, but the high register will have many tuning, accuracy and general tone issues. • Tuning notes for the single F horn are written middle C and below the staff B, Bb, A, and Ab. • The single Bb horn has a quicker response and an easier, more in-tune and better sounding high register. • Tuning notes for the single Bb horn are written 1st space F, 2nd line E and Eb and below the staff D and Db. • As these instruments are typically starter instruments. The student will need to move to a double horn during the later middle school/early high school years. Double Horn • Pitched in both F and Bb ! For most American double horns, the top set of slides is the F side while the bottom set of slides is the Bb side. ! To use the Bb side, depress the thumb trigger. • The player will read music for Horn in F. • The descant horn will sound a perfect 5th below concert pitch. • Tuning notes for the double horn include tuning notes for both sides: ! Tuning notes for the F side are written middle C and below the staff B, Bb, A and Ab. ! Tuning notes for the Bb side are written 1st space F, 2nd line E and Eb and below the staff D and Db. www.johnbenzer.com • The double horn is the typical instrument of choice from middle school to the professional level. The combination of the secure high range of the Bb side and the smooth low range of the F side meets most of the needs of the horn player well. Descant Horn • Pitched in Bb and either high F or high Eb. ! Like the double horn, the top set of slides is the Bb side while the bottom set of slides is either the high F or high Eb side. ! Like the double horn, depress the trigger to use the high F or high Eb side. • The player will read music for Horn in F. • The descant horn will sound a perfect 5th below concert pitch. • Tuning notes for the descant horn include tuning notes for each of the sides: ! Tuning notes for the Bb side are written 1st space F, 2nd line E and Eb and below the staff D and Db. ! Tuning for the high F side are written 3rd space C, 3rd line B and Bb and 2nd line A and Ab. ! Tuning notes for the high Eb side are written 3rd line Bb, 2nd space A and Ab and 2nd line G and Gb. • The descant horn is used to assist a professional horn player who is required to play in the high register. ! The high F or high Eb side provides a more secure high register than the Bb side. • The descant horn is made for professional assistance, not to compensate for technical deficiencies in younger players. As such, this horn should not be used at the secondary level. Triple Horn • Pitched in F, Bb and either high F or high Eb. ! Just as the double horn, the top set of slides is the F side, the middle set is the Bb side, and the bottom set is either high F or high Eb. www.johnbenzer.com ! Like the double horn, depress either the top trigger for the Bb side or the bottom trigger for the high F or high Eb side. • The player will read music for Horn in F. • The triple horn will sound a perfect 5th below concert pitch. • Tuning notes for the triple horn include tuning notes for each of the three sides: ! Tuning notes for the F side are written middle C and below the staff B, Bb, A and Ab. ! Tuning notes for the Bb side are written 1st space F, 2nd line E and Eb and below the staff D and Db. ! Tuning notes for the high F side are written 3rd space C, 3rd line B and Bb and 2nd line A and Ab. ! Tuning notes for the high Eb side are written 3rd line Bb, 2nd space A and Ab and 2nd line G and Gb. • The triple horn is essentially a double horn with a descant side. Due to specific compensations in horn construction, each of the sides will not sound as resonant as on double horns with the particular sides. • The triple horn provides a more secure high register on the high F or high Eb side while maintaining the flexibility of range in the other two sides. • The triple horn, like the descant horn, is made to assist professional players, not to compensate for technical deficiencies in younger players. As such, this horn should not be used at the secondary level. Vienna Horn • The Vienna horn comes with a crook mechanism. As such, the player can play in all twelve chromatic keys, using particular crooks according to particular composer directions or particular keys. ! The most common crook is the F crook, so the horn is most often pitched in F. • The player will read music written for horn in any key. The player must read the music for the particular horn key printed. ! The most common crook is the F crook, so the player will usually read music for Horn in F. • As this horn can play in any key via the crook mechanism, its sounding pitch will vary according to the crook used. www.johnbenzer.com ! The rule for finding the transposition is, “C’s a C, sounds the key.” This means that a printed C in any octave will produce the key of the crook without any valves depressed. ! For example, a Vienna horn with an A crook would sound a 2nd space A if the printed note was 3rd space C. As such, the transposition for the A crook would be down a minor 3rd from concert pitch. ! The most common crook is the F crook, so the Vienna horn will sound a perfect 5th lower than concert pitch. • Tuning notes for the Vienna horn will vary according to the crook used. ! The most common crook is the F crook. Tuning notes for the Vienna horn with an F crook are written middle C and below the staff B, Bb, A and Ab. • While the Vienna horn still uses teardrop keys (like on all other horns), the horn uses the pump valve system. This system is essentially a double-piston valve system, where the pistons are activated with long rods attached to the teardrop keys. ! This system allows for the characteristic smooth legatos and slurs heard on the Vienna horn. • The Vienna horn is only used in Vienna, Austria, most famously in the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. • The Vienna horn will not be used at the secondary level. Marching Horn • Pitched in Bb • The player will read music for Horn in F. • The marching horn will sound a perfect 5th below concert pitch. • Tuning notes for the marching horn are written 1st space F, 2nd line E and Eb and below the staff D and Db. ! The marching horn was not necessarily designed to play in tune. Tuning will be a constant issue with this instrument. • The marching horn is one of the two marching band versions of French horns. This instrument is used in marching band because the bell faces toward the front rather than behind (as a normal French horn would). www.johnbenzer.com • The fact that the marching horn is pitched in Bb makes it easier and more accurate to play. Mellophone • Pitched in high F or high Eb • The player will read music for Horn in F or for Horn in Eb. • The mellophone will sound a perfect 5th below concert pitch if pitched in high F or a major 6th below concert pitch if pitched in high Eb. • Most marching bands will use mellophones pitch in high F. • Tuning notes the mellophone depend on its pitch. ! Tuning notes for a high F and high Eb mellophone are written 3rd space C, 3rd line B and Bb and 2nd line A and Ab. ! For the high F mellophone, these notes are concert F, E, Eb, D and Db. ! For the high Eb mellophone, these notes are concert Eb, D, Db, C and B. ! Like the marching horn, the mellophone was not necessarily designed to play in tune. Tuning will be a constant issue with this instrument. • The mellophone is the second of the two marching band versions of French horns. This instrument is used in marching band because the bell faces toward the front rather than behind (as a normal French horn would). • The fact that the mellophone is pitched in F gives the player a more secure high register. www.johnbenzer.com RECOMMENDED FRENCH HORN BRANDS Beginner: Brand: Conn Model: 6D Pricing: MSRP $3299.00 @ wwbw.com Description: • Brass, more compact and lighter than the Conn 8D • Durable • Have a tendency to play below pitch center • Very acceptable for beginners Professional: Brand: Conn Model: 8D Pricing: MSRP $4349.00 - $4559.00 @ wwbw.com Description: • Nickel silver large bore horn-typically darker sound with less defined grooves for the notes • Requires more air control and more strength to play • Heavier than other brands • Not recommended for small beginning students or older students that have bad pitch distinction • Very durable • Watch 3rd space C# and 4th line D on this horn.