I’d call it a trick, but there are situations where you could use it and call it an extended technique. And you can only do it on a Kruspe style double horn — which is maybe why the trick seems not so well known today as it was in the past.
The easiest high C ever!
What you do is play a third space C on the F horn, then slowly push down the first valve and, magically, a high C will appear. You don’t change your lips at all to do this. The sensation is that of playing a third space C, with the octave higher harmonic sounding strongly. NOTE: It only works on the F horn side; on the Bb horn, you won’t get the octave change.
How?!?
You may have at some point observed that if, for example, you pluck a guitar string touching your finger right in the middle of it, you will get the note an octave higher, it changes the vibration from one that is over the entire string to one that vibrates on both sides of the middle. Sounding a note an octave higher.
On the horn, acoustically, something like that is happening inside the horn. The exact location of the first valve relative to the nodal points in the air column makes a high C come out.
It will be more clearly audible on some brands of Kruspe horns. My postwar Kruspe (made by Kruspe!) has a great half-valve high C. On a typical 8D it will be at least OK; I suspect somewhat better on an Elkhart 8D than on more recently produced horns.
But, it won’t work at all on a Geyer style horn! Sorry.
Try it!
Amuse yourself and your friends! And maybe you will find an actual musical situation to use it in as well.
