Horn Matters | A French Horn and Brass Site and Resource | John Ericson and Bruce Hembd | John Ericson & Bruce Hembd on the French horn, brass related topics, and the field of classical music.

PSA: How to Position a Hand Strap on your Left Hand

Repairs & Modifications

John Ericson

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Sep 27, 2011

At least a half dozen or so times I have seen horn students use a strap-on type hand strap but position it incorrectly. This type of strap (the Fhrap is one example) is a very handy thing but used incorrectly it can’t help much.

In our first photo the strap is positioned correctly. Note that the strap is across the back of the hand, below the knuckles. This gives the best support of the horn and allows freedom of movement of the fingers. This position may require you to twist the strap a bit but is the place you want to hit. If you had a strap that was mounted on a button on the horn (such as a Clebsch Strap) you would want it to be in this same general position as well.

In our second photo we see the incorrect position. Note that the strap is over the fingers. This limits the motion of the fingers and just can’t be really comfortable either. I think people use this mostly because the strap sort of falls into this place if it is the strap on type. But, again, this is not the correct position and if you have a strap-on type strap you need to experiment with the correct position.

I personally prefer a strap that is mounted on the horn, it is more supportive and hits a better angle, but the strap-on type is handy and requires no special installation of a button. Just be sure you have it twisted back far enough to be around the hand below the knuckles!

Ask Dave: Water Keys 101

Ask Dave

Bruce Hembd

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Sep 24, 2011

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Water/spit. Key/valve.

Take any combination of those in order and that is likely what you, dear reader, refer to when I say “water key”. It’s that little device that you operate to dump water out of your horn quickly so that you can reduce or eliminate slide pulls and horn gymnastics.

Water accumulates in your horn because there is a lot of water vapor in your breath. As you play, the water vapor is exhaled into your horn at a fairly rapid rate. The metal of your horn is likely cooler than you are, so the water vapor condenses on the insides of the tubing much as water vapor in the air will condense on the side of a cold drink glass.

The “sweat” drips and gathers, running down to the lowest point and settles there. As it accumulates it begins to block the tubing somewhat and will often get pushed back and forth by the airflow or the sound wave standing in the instrument. Emptying the water becomes necessary.

Some players produce more water in the horn than others. Some players take more time to pull slides or rotate the horn than others. If you have difficulty getting the water out of your horn quickly you may want to install one or more water keys to facilitate the evacuation of the accumulated condensate.

The first question many ask is whether an installed water key will affect the horn’s sound at all. My general reaction is that, no, there will be no adverse affects on your horn either mechanically or acoustically, when properly installed and maintained. Any interruption to the internal dimension of the tubing will be so slight as to render its subsequent acoustic effect unnoticeable to the human ear.

Installation of a water key will involve some drilling through the tubing and soldering. An experience technician will have no trouble making a good job of this.

Water keys are usually installed at the lowest point of the leadpipe, on one of the F horn branches, and on the third Bb slide crook . I have seen them elsewhere, including the third F slide crook, and even on small return branches near the change valves in triple horns.

My next article, Water Keys 102, will explore the types of water keys and their relative merits.

Thoughts on Using a Mirror in Practice Sessions

Horn Practice

Bruce Hembd

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Sep 23, 2011

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Ever since my college days I have always used a mirror in my practice. When warming-up especially I like to stare into it and just observe what is going on.

In the corner of my current practice area is a large, full-length mirror. It is not an expensive piece of furniture; it is a cheap wall mirror that cost under $20.

Many high school and college practice rooms these days it seems come well-equipped with both pianos and wall mirrors, so I think that people are already familiar with the notion of practicing in front of a mirror.

What may not be so familiar is what to look for. A mirror can be a great tool for some, but for others it can be a mystery or worse, a source of frustration.

A tool for observation

I recommend to look for nothing when first using a mirror. The point in this exercise is just to observe and if possible, do so without making any judgements.

I think it is an important first step to look at what you are doing and catalog those observations either mentally or into a journal. Writing these observations down can be particularly helpful over time. It also makes for good material to talk about during private lessons.

A tool for change

Small observations over time can allow one to detect patterns, which in turn lead to more interesting insights.

Why do my shoulders go up when I play high notes?
Why do I furrow my brow when shifting from low to high?
My left hand looks a little awkward, maybe I should hold it like this…

Insights can lead to probing questions.

Do I need to move my lip like that?
Do I look calm and relaxed?
Do I look intense and focused, or spaced-out and dreamy?

Staying in the zone

In my own mirror practice for example, I look for two basic things: a relaxed body posture, and a focused look in my eyes.

Sometimes after a long day at work, I catch myself zoning out when practicing. One look to myself into the mirror changes that. A look that says “come on, wake up, we have work to do” usually does the trick.

When to walk away

For some people I would offer a final note of caution. A mirror can be a great tool for observing and changing practice behaviors but for obsessive personality types especially, using a mirror may trigger negative thoughts and behaviors.

This being the case, it may not be a bad idea to put down the horn, walk away for a while and think more deeply about what is going on inside.

While a mirror is a great tool for looking at exteriors, it does very little for a deep-rooted issue that might be buzzing inside your head.

On Holding the Horn and Tendinitis

Horn Performance

John Ericson

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Sep 22, 2011

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Bruce Richards posted an article very recently to Living the Dream on the topic of horn player tendinitis. Richards and I go way back to Aspen in 1983 (more in this article); we are the same age and share it turns out some similar problems.

For him four of the keys to working with his tendinitis over the years have been playing with the horn off the leg, practicing standing, stretching, and varying instruments. The following is an excerpt from his article [UPDATE: no longer online].

I have considered going back to playing on the leg but the thought of losing the freedom of movement scares me. Playing a large wrap Geyer horn (Rauch or Hill) also means that the lead-pipe is badly positioned when the bell is on the leg. All of these considerations have led to my reflecting on standing vs. sitting when practicing. Since I will play around 4 hours sitting during a days orchestra rehearsals I have always practiced standing (except when practicing complicated muting or stopping sections). The variation of position is vital to keep from blocking my joints and muscles in one static position which leads to tendinitis. My practice sessions are usually broken into 45 minute segments of intense work, and then after a 5-15 minute rest I start again. I have found that stretching during these breaks helps reduce pain and mobility problems.

One change which has come about concerns my new single B-flat Karl Hill horn. It is easily 35% lighter than my Rauch horn. Since I have just recently taken delivery of the horn I have spent a lot of time playing the horn and switching between the two horns. The difference is very noticeable, and alternating between the instruments I reduce the strain on my shoulder joints.

In my own case, when I was playing Third Horn in Nashville I began to experience a tight numbness in my left hand and wrist, to the point that I started warming up often holding the horn backwards to reduce my time holding it with my left hand. Actually in my case it is a carpal tunnel problem rather than tendinitis. I was able to ease the problem then considerably by putting a “ducks foot” support on my horn and by holding the bell off the leg.

Since that time I have switched horns a couple times, and one goal with each has been to make each one as natural and ergonomic to hold as possible, which has mostly kept things under control. My big Paxman double was probably best of all in that regard, but with finger pads and a strap the Willson Geyer is quite comfortable to hold. Also in recent years, unless there is an important performance coming very soon, I have taken to practicing a different horn at home than at school. Often that has actually been a single B-flat, as Richards has done as well. It sure is a lot easier to hold than my triple, and I agree with him that varying horns can be of help–especially if they are all pretty comfortable to hold. Plus, as a bonus, I don’t have to carry a horn to the car and back.

These past few weeks, however, I have been practicing a lot of Wagner tuba and other oddball middle brass for my upcoming MIM recital. I try to space out the practice on them but in the end now, as I gear up, my left hand is really not in great shape. In particular I have again resorted to warming-up backwards when I can and I try not to use the left hand more than needed in my daily life to not irritate things further. Thankfully, in a week I will be able to rest the arm a bit and get back into a normal routine, the problem should pass again then.

Many horn players will have issues related to the holding and performing position of the horn deal with; thank you Bruce Richards for presenting a helpful resource on the topic.

Five Tips for Staying Focused When Freaking Out in College

Lists & FAQs

Bruce Hembd

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Sep 21, 2011

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I have fairly fond memories of my experiences in both graduate and undergraduate school. That being said I did have the occasional odd and frustrating experience and sometimes, it was a challenge to turn those experiences around into positive learning. Some lessons are not learned until many years later.

College is for many students the first time away from home, and from parental supervision. While testing out the real world is all part of growing up, it can get in the way of the main purpose of college – to learn and receive training, to get a degree and to use that degree to gain employment.

Probably the biggest detractor for myself was the amount of distractions there can be as a student in college.

It certainly helps to have a caring studio teacher who emphasizes specific goals and benchmarks but ultimately, college is the time to learn how to discipline yourself. Studying to be a professional is a serious business and in our current economic climes especially, it pays to think deeply and seriously about future prospects.

This aside, academic study itself can act as an internal pressure cooker on one’s spirit and emotional state. When the pot boils over, it helps to stop and think about what you are doing.

1. Think about self-improvement

Think about turning those hundreds of hours in the practice room into something bigger and more life-altering.

2. Focus on basic techniques

College is a great time to really work on the basic techniques that are needed in the professional realm. The sooner things like these get worked on, the better.

3. Work out issues with yourself and others

Academically-based performing ensembles – both large and small – are a good place to start learning about what it means to be a professional. There are no hard-and-fast rules written down anywhere, but here are some helpful guidelines to think about.

A list of what not to do as illustrated by a jaded pro.
On dealing with criticism.
Professionalism starts with rehearsal behavior.
If you are a student new to a certain college and studio, think about being a newbie. Observe and respect the status quo before trying to set fire to it.
Avoid drama whenever possible.

4. Dive into new repertoire

A supportive private studio teacher will help a student spread their wings, exploring new music to both study and perform.

5. Look at the big picture

Outside of the practice room there can be other issues and questions to think about, such as:

Am I studying with the right teacher?
How am I going to pay for this?
How can I work smarter and not harder?
Do I spend too much time online?

Hornmasters on Legato Tonguing

Hornmasters

John Ericson

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Sep 20, 2011

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As a prelude to his general discussion of tonguing in Chapter 9 of The Art of French Horn Playing, at the end of Chapter 8 Philip Farkas kicks things off with a brief discussion of legato tonguing. Legato tonguing involves making a connection between the notes. In a legato phrase the player

… must keep the air pressure going almost continuously in order to keep each note sounding until the start of the next note. But the very act of starting another note with the tongue interferes with the air-column for the moment of time required to prepare the “attack,” which is, after all, only a pulling away of the tongue in order to let the air flow. Therefore, we are faced with this problem: legato tonguing consists of starting each note with an attack and yet keeping each note connected to the next with no space occurring between. But the act of tonguing stops the air-flow for the time that the tongue is in position for attack. Obviously, then, the tongue must not get in the way of the air-stream any longer than necessary to produce the attack. It must be flicked into place just the instant before the attack and out of the way again immediately…. The articulation “doo” should be very carefully defined by the tongue, as the articulation “too” hermetically seals off the air column, completely disrupting its even flow.

Developing a range of articulations that facilitate musical expression

Gunther Schuller also devotes a short chapter of Horn Technique to the topic of legato tonguing. His focus is on developing the full range of articulations for the sake of musical expression.

In essence, tonguing is nothing more than a musical ‘decoration’ of a note. It should not be just a means of ‘getting’ the note. This is most important to remember if one aspires to any degree of sensitivity in phrasing. I feel that graduations in tonguing should be developed as early as possible, since limited tonguing abilities can quickly become a serious handicap, and make the proper performance of a great deal of the repertory well-nigh impossible.

Toward the goal of developing that full range of articulations he makes reference to breath attacks.

…tonguing is a variable decoration of a note or a phrase, dependent entirely on the musical context. If any doubt remains as to the validity of this theory, the player can easily convince himself, by placing the mouthpiece on the lip for any given pitch, and without using the tongue, blow air into the horn in increasing volume until the note starts vibrating. It is axiomatic that the amount of air necessary to start the note is a minimum amount. If the player can learn to guarantee this minimum air support, he can then be free to ‘decorate’ the beginning of a note with any degree or variety of attack possible.

For general legato performance Schuller recommends “articulating a ‘dah’ or ‘doo’ instead of the ‘tah’ or ‘too’ of normal tonguing.” Also he notes that when legato tonguing “it is essential that the air be sustained exactly as in pure legato playing.”

“Doo” is good

Farkas returns to the topic of legato tonguing in The Art of Brass Playing and again recommends the syllable “doo” as ideal for legato attacks. He summarizes his thoughts on producing a fine legato as follows.

1. Keep the lips buzzing between the slurred notes.
2. Carefully time the up or down glissando buzz so that the slurs are smooth. If the glissando is made too slowly, intervening notes will have time to sound, spoiling the legato. If made too fast, slurs will be dry and hard.
3. Support the continuous buzz with a steady air-column, one which does not sag or weaken between the slurred notes.
4. By the subtle use of vowel formations in the oral cavity, aid upward slurs with “oh-ee” and downward slurs with “ee-oh”.

Harry Berv takes a simple and direct approach to teaching legato in A Creative Approach to the French Horn.

I use the following method for perfecting legato tonguing. It is simple but provides the player with excellent results and helps to determine the length of the notes for any give legato style of playing.

Slur a C major scale starting on middle C up one octave and slur back down again. Do the same thing again, but this time tongue the notes of the scale so that the space between them is negligible. This simple exercise can perfect the legato tonguing to its highest degree. It will help you to coordinate the tongue, air intensity, and embouchure to perfect the tongued legato style of horn playing.

Airflow unaffected by the tongue’s motion

Verne Reynolds offers a solid discussion of legato tonguing in The Horn Handbook.

This tongue stroke is used to connect notes rather than to separate them, as in staccato playing. Most horn players feel that the legato tongue is closer to “du” than to “tu.” Saying “du tu du tu du tu” rather slowly demonstrates the more explosive quality of “tu.” Speeding up the tempo reveals that at faster speeds the “du” becomes more like “tu.”

A true legato tongue requires that the air flow be constant and unaffected by the tongue’s motion. Since the legato tongue is often used in phrases with slow-moving note values, the temptation is great to move the tongue forward too soon and too slowly. If the tongue starts too soon and remains against the teeth for even a short time, the vibration stops, a space is created, and the legato is destroyed. Even the most gentle of tongue strokes must consist of a continuous action, as fast as possible, and at the exact moment the note is to arrive. A slow tongue stroke causes a space between the notes; a fast tongue stroke allows the air to remain constant so that the vibration may continue.

After further discussion of the importance of avoiding a slow tongue stroke, Reynolds also notes that,

Beginning players with undeveloped embouchures must use the “tu” stroke almost exclusively until their lips will respond to the more gentle “du.” A more advanced player will want to start using “du” on notes after silence and not confine its use to connecting notes within a phrase.

Rapid legato tonguing

Reynolds also has a note about rapid legato tonguing.

The legato tongue is very effective in fast-moving notes. Its use is mainly a matter of stylistic choice; a legato tongue is not appropriate for the third movement of the Mozart Fourth Horn Concerto, but seems just right for the last page of the Hindemith Alto Horn Sonata.

Connecting the dots — legato tonguing and tongue pulsations

A final, context item should be repeated at this point. Earlier in this series we noted that in the MRI horn studies you can see the pulsations of the tongue that occur in slurs. Legato tonguing is a very similar action, actually, the difference being that the pulsations of the tongue are slightly more pronounced to generate an articulation. Harry Berv in this case gets the prize for the most simple and direct way to communicate this to a student: “Slur a C major scale starting on middle C up one octave and slur back down again. Do the same thing again, but this time tongue the notes of the scale so that the space between them is negligible.”

Continue in Hornmasters Series

Using a Stop Mute for Mouthpiece Practice

Horn Practice

Bruce Hembd

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Sep 16, 2011

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Ever since reading about using a brass stopping mute for mouthpiece practice on Julia Rose’s site, I have wanted to try it out. I had given it a few half-hearted attempts but it wasn’t until recently that I decided to concentrate on a more serious effort.

Why buzz?

Mouthpiece and lip buzzing are great techniques for:

detecting and fixing problems
a good lip work-out or quick warm-up
simplifying music study by eliminating the horn
practicing in general, when it is not possible to otherwise play the horn itself

I have always been an advocator of mouthpiece practice and its benefits, but with the caveat that it is really easy to blow your chops out if you do it mindlessly. What sounds like mezzo-forte on a mouthpiece actually translates to something more a fortissimo dynamic on the instrument.

A perfect megaphone

Here is where using a stop mute for mouthpiece practice really excels. With the mouthpiece inserted into the small end, the mute acts as a megaphone. It makes the mouthpiece buzzing much louder than with other buzzing aids.

100_1954 — My old Tom Crown stop mute has seen better days. The soldering in the stem deteriorated years ago and so I can assemble and re-assemble it at will.

Comparing decibels

Comparing volume levels (at less than 1ft. range) on a single sustained note:

lip buzz = about 70db
mouthpiece alone = about 80db
mouthpiece + buzzing aid = about 82db
mouthpiece + stop mute = about 92db

Louder is better

These results are completely unscientific of course but the general point is fairly clear. The mouthpiece/stop mute combo is much louder than other buzzing aids. This factor alone makes it a superior tool to use for mouthpiece practice as louder dynamics come much more naturally (instead of through force).

The mute’s natural shape acts as a mini-horn and it amplifies mouthpiece buzzing in a way that feels more like the French horn. The low range in particular is substantially louder and more natural-feeling than any of the buzzing aids I own.

My concern expressed earlier in this article (with playing too loud on the mouthpiece and causing injury) is now greatly reduced, if not entirely eliminated.

One drawback…

100_1957 — Looks cool, but this did not work very well.

The only fault with using a stop mute for mouthpiece practice is that high notes back up and are not really usable. This happens with practice tubes too –

One drawback of this homemade version on the B.E.R.P is that at some point in the high range (depending on length), the buzzing lips crash into what I presume are the fundamental overtones of the tube itself.

I imagine that if I were to drill a relief hole into the mute stem this would be remedied, but I still use this mute now and then so I am not going to do that any time soon. For now, high notes are kaput on my mini-horn.

Conclusion

While I imagine that I will always use my other tricks for buzzing practice, I have been migrating more and more towards using a stop mute. It acts and feels like a mini-horn, and I seem to get more mileage out of it than with more traditional buzzing aids.

Give it a try! You might be surprised.

A practical way to see if you need a European Shank Mouthpiece

Mouthpieces

John Ericson

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Sep 15, 2011

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In my earlier article on European [Alexander] shank horn mouthpieces I noted that mouthpieces of this type have a larger shank and are designed to fit European make horns (especially [UPDATE] more specifically to fit Alexander horns; they are not going to work well on every European brand! It ends up being variable horn to horn).

And (2025) UPDATE: A key item to remember is that the actual difference has to do with the rate of taper of the shank. European makers generally (but not always!) use a different type of taper, which results in the tip end being larger than that of a typical mouthpiece made for horns made in the USA. Which is why it does not fit in correctly. If your mouthpiece wobbles at all in the receiver, it is not the correct taper for your horn, time to try something else.

In the other article I quote the [old] Laskey website and their brief note on what this shank type will do for you on some models of horn.

This modification adds more “presence” to the sound, increases the quality of attack and improves intonation and response.

That all sounds good! I noted how this element made a huge difference on a horn I recently purchased, how on a standard shank mouthpiece the horn felt average only and how it played much better with the Euro shank.

Is there a way to test it without buying?

Let’s say though that you don’t have a European shank mouthpiece laying around to try out. How can you find out if it would be a good investment?

There is an easy way to tell; the paper trick. What you do is wrap a single layer of paper around the shank of your mouthpiece and put it in the horn with that paper adding just a bit more size to the shank. The first photo is of a European shank version of my mouthpiece, the second is of the standard shank version in the same horn, and the third is of that standard shank mouthpiece with paper added to get it up to the size of the European shank.

It will make a difference and using this trick recently in several lessons it was pretty impressive actually how much positive difference it can make on some horns.

Give it a try if you play a European instrument and are curious if it will help. It really might and can also potentially help an older US instrument with a worn receiver. There is no way to know though but by trying, and if you discover that you have been playing the wrong type of mouthpiece for your horn for years at least you can make the change now.

Playing it Smart: Three Phone Apps for Metering Success

Technology & Digital

Bruce Hembd

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Sep 14, 2011

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This morning my car needed some repairs and so while at home waiting for it to get fixed, I decided to get some practicing done before writing this post.

I pulled out my handy little smart-phone, turned on the apps and got to work.

Years ago when I was a back-packing student in the big city, I used to carry around a much larger and more cumbersome array of practice tools. By itself alone for example, my relic Korg AT-12 tuner is more than three times the weight of the average smart phone.

These days a smart-phone is the activity hub for hundreds of different things beyond a single device, so carrying around an antique like this today would be impractical – if not somewhat sadomasochistic.

This aging dinosaur still survives in the home office, but away from home I use three software applications (apps) and because they are so convenient and handy – housed on the iPhone that I carry with me at all times – I use them frequently.

I rely on these three apps for getting accurate feedback – in the practice room, in the car, and even at gigs and concerts.

[Brief update — all of the below seem to still be on the market, but the app that seems more widely used now (2021) is the Tonal Energy app, which functions as a tuner, a drone, and a metronome. JE]

ClearTune

I am never sure what to call it but I have semi-perfect or really good relative pitch. Even so, I use tuners while practicing to keep my ears in shape. Since playing in tune with other people is relative, I do not use the calibrating meter of this app so much as the built-in wave forms.

I have seen colleagues on rare occasion pull out tuners in rehearsals and this is something I personally avoid. This action can send a mixed message and ultimately with intonation being relative to circumstance, a tuner’s meter is irrelevant.

This particular app produces a decent tone from which I can buzz or play scales and arpeggios to, and yet still hear as rendered by the phone’s tiny speakers. It has the four basic sound options – sine, triangle, sawtooth and square – and the sawtooth waveform seems to work the best.

A side effect of my semi-hemi-perfect pitch is that I always am thinking in horn pitch – one fifth above concert pitch. My first musical instrument was not the piano, and to this day my musical mind still operates in F.

One thing that I truly appreciate about the ClearTune app is that it can be tempered. I have mine pitched in F and so the meter both sounds and reads as Horn in F. That is nifty!

The ClearTune app is available for iPhone and Android devices for under $5 USD.

Metronome

http://thezistudios.com/products.php

There are probably better metronome apps out there, but this is one that I have picked up. A metronome app would be a fairly easy thing to create and program I imagine, and this company does a reasonable job at it.

I do get occasional freezes and hiccups – which can really throw me off when I am concentrating – but it seem like once it happens a few times, it goes away. I do like its Tap feature which allows for tapping a beat into the app and it telling me what that is in metronome beats.

I think this app was a freebie or was priced cheaply around $2 USD. If you can suggest a better alternative I am very open for ideas.

Decibel

http://www.gadgetfrontier.com/

This app is the least used in the trio but when I do need it, it sure comes in handy. The aptly named Decibel app simply does what the name says. Using the built-in microphone feature of the iPhone, it reads sound levels and outputs it into an easy-to-read decibel meter.

I use mine for two purposes:

to gauge loud and soft dynamics on the French horn
to gauge how loud something is in general

For general purposes – in gigs and at concerts for example – this app has been very useful. I am very attentive to loud sounds and how they might affect long-term hearing. Checking in with a metered decibel reader shows me how loud something actually is, as opposed to how I might imagine or think it to be.

This, I would argue, is the final argument as to why we use mechanical practice tools in the first place.

Why use tuners and metronomes?

For many of the basics of playing music most people need to rely on metered feedback. While the imagination is really great for shaping phrases and being creative, it isn’t so great at remembering how to stay in time and play in tune with other people.

Coloring with crayons requires that we stay within the lines on the page. Smart phone apps like these can certainly help to maintain that standard.

How about yourself?

Do you use any smart phone apps in your practice or teaching? Please share your apps and tips in the comments section below.

Secrets to setting your French horn slides correctly

Horn Performance

John Ericson

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Sep 13, 2011

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An article from the original HTML Horn Notes Blog, dated 2/3/05, on a timeless topic.

One of the advantages of studying with a competent horn teacher is that they know how to put the slides right on a double horn. Myself, I have tried many models of horn and while I try to not hold preconceived notions, I can immediately tell by looking if a horn is somewhere close to it having the slides set up so that it can be played in tune with itself.

Many horn players that I come in contact with are playing horns set up in a manner such that they can’t possibly be playing in tune in ensembles. When the player is not my student I try to only mention this in the most gentle of ways, but if they do enter my studio I certainly make sure to address this issue. I always hope to in the process reach beyond that of me telling them how to tune their horn, looking instead toward an understanding on their part of why the slides need to be set up as they are.

Band directors, orchestra conductors, and other non horn players coaching horn sectionals can be forgiven. They may know that the horns are out of tune but don’t know how the slides function–they just know that the horns need to pull out something!

Horn players should be inquisitive enough to figure out where the main slide is and what the other slides do. However, many players seem to on certain models of horn think that slides which control the F horn only are actually controlling notes on the B-flat horn. If you know that the B-flat horn is high and inadvertently pull a F horn tuning slide this will only make things worse, making the F and B-flat sides even more out of tune with each other! “If in doubt, pull it out” of the horn and blow air through the slide to double check when air is actually going through the slide to determine when it is functioning acoustically.

I used to have a long article on tuning the horn in the Horn Articles Online site, but that text is now found in my high horn book (Playing Descant and Triple Horns), in a section titled “My High Register is Sharp,” and also in a final section of my warmup book, both of which are described further at www.hornnotes.com. I would, however, point to these Horn Matters articles for more practical information on the topic.