French horn low register

Herb the Horn · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 8:12 am Post subject: French horn low register

Is there anyone out there who has experience with the low register on the French horn? I haven't seen any writing by Reinhardt on this subject.

The French horn has a small mouthpiece but plays well below the range of the tenor trombone without extension. Hornists generally drop their jaw for low notes and most have a break around G below the staff, concert C (horn music is in F). This is contrary to Reinhard's teachings. Indeed, dropping the jaw causes problems, including tonguing issues.

I have found that following the Reinhardt method has helped me a lot, and lessons from Dave have been invaluable. My high range has improved. However, while I do not have a break around G below the staff, it is not a stable note.

Anybody?
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Herb Foster

Olinhannum · Regular Member Joined: 02 Nov 2011 Posts: 34

Primary Horn player here. First off, I'll say that G below the staff is consistently one of the worst notes on the instrument. Not in the same way that certain notes are bad on trumpet. When a particular note is is a bad one on trumpet, it typically plays out of tune, but is otherwise a regular note. The written low G on horn, while also frequently out of tune, just feels unstable. You often times have to man-handle it with lip and air to get it not to play in tune necessarily, but just to get it to hold pitch at all, then use your hand to adjust pitch. If it's the tonic (as it often is because of old marches in concert C), I always suggest fingering it 13 on the Bb side, which is the compromise I've found works best for me.

Trouble that french horn is unlike trumpet, who's primary design characteristics have remained more or less the same for a century. Horns are made of all kinds of different wraps, that fall into different categories, and have different blows, feels, weak and strong notes. So what works great on my horn at my gigs may fall well short on and at yours.

Doug Elliott · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 9:16 am Post subject:

I have worked with a few horn players very successfully to get the low range to open up without dropping the jaw. But I'm not a horn player so I don't know the idiosynchrasies of the intrument.

One thing I've never understood is why horn players insist on the traditional size mouthpiece when the horn range is really no different from trombone range. It would be so much easier on a larger rim.

PivotBone · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 3:34 pm Post subject:

Doug, maybe you should make some "better" horn mouthpieces...

BTW, the XT mouthpiece you sent me is great! Much better for me than the LT!

Herb the Horn · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 1:27 pm Post subject:

Herb the Horn · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 1:40 pm Post subject:

airdyn · Heavyweight Member Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 579

Herb the Horn · Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 9:51 am Post subject:

razeontherock · Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 11:43 pm Post subject:

There's a LONG way between standard sizes of french horn and trombone mouthpieces. If you had a french horn shaped mouthpiece, on a larger ID, you might get a gorgeous sound and find it much easier to play everything except high notes?