r/horn

Ok, I know there's going to be a lot of "you can't learn quick" responses, but I'm looking for real advice:

So I used to play a different instrument way back in 2019, stopped when I graduated, and now I'm trying to get back into music (especially collegiate music). My fiance has a collegiate-grade horn that I'm borrowing to learn with since I no longer have my old instrument, but my issue is that auditions are within like January or February next year. I'm putting in roughly 1-2 hours of practice after work each day, but I feel like my chops are blown after the first hour or so, which is keeping me from being able to practice more and slowing my overall progress.

I'm taking lessons from a friend for a little cheaper than what most around me charge (he's a performance major at grad level, gives lessons to middle and high school kids regularly). He's been a huge help, but I feel like he's not pressuring me enough. My big question to Reddit is, how quick should I realistically be able to get to my goal of being audition-ready for a college music program? Context: I've been practicing for a couple of weeks now and have had a beginner lesson and a regular lesson.

I am going to a BBC Prom on Sunday to see Mozart's Haffner.

I was just checking the timings and seating and discovered that Mozart's 3rd Horn Concerto is on the programme! Felix Klieser is the soloist.

I am hoping that it helps me get my mojo back - I lost both my parents earlier this year and I have not felt like practicing in the last 5 months - although I am getting closer to doing so.

I may be in tears during the performance, but what a nice surprise!

I have been doing some research on custom horns for myself. Not sure if I’m thinking about this the right way, but many seem to incorporate specifically a certain type of German valves. I suppose I was surprised that a custom horn can include many premade parts, especially one that can sell for 20k+ USD like a medlin horn. Which based on what I saw, possibly, the flare, valves, and bell tail are premade? So what parts are actually being made by horn makers? It seems like 50% (or more) is someone else’s work so can they really be called handmade? And I know this is not something that affects playability at all but some custom horns are sterile in areas where they could have some artistic qualities like the valve caps. Berg has shown this with designs, but going back to medlin - smooth caps. If I’m paying the cost of a cheap car I would like some shiny bits. Like, a Yamaha even has a basic design. But above all, I’d like it to seem like it’s actually worth it in a way and not like rebadging parts already made. Again, I might be seeing it wrong or missing the point but I’m leaning more and more to other things.

Hello! I played French horn for about 3–4 years before deciding to quit in 8th grade. When I got to 9th grade, I realized how much I missed it and decided to start relearning.

My issue is that I’ve been trying to get back into playing for about a year now, but I still feel like I sound awful and I can’t remember how I improved so much the first time around.

Does anyone have any good practice tips or resources I could try? Anything from buzzing exercises, free apps, online lessons, or even good YouTube channels/videos would be really helpful!

After quitting, I realized that French horn is something I’m truly passionate about, and I really want to improve during the years I have left in high school so I can hopefully pursue music in college. Any advice or tips would mean a lot. Thank you!!

I wish this were satire.

>This week, the Trump administration declared tubas, trombones, trumpets, and French horns a national security threat.

>Yes, really. Brass instruments could soon face a 25% tariff on imports, parts, and accessories, as part of a wider push to expand tariffs on aluminium, steel, and copper.

>The six-page proposal, published this week by the Department of Commerce, uses the words “national security” nine times.

If you don't want the price of your brass instruments to rise 25%, please contact your representatives. You can input your address here and it will pull up the contact information for your federal, state, and local representatives. Just copy-pasting a quick email to all of them could go a long way!

https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/

The brass instrument repair person everyone used in Southern Maine just retired. Someone please move here who does instrument repair. :)

Maine is awesome. Portland is expensive, but lots of more rural nearby parts are much more doable.

Hello I have a problem with my sound in the higher register from c to high c my sound sometimes is very acceptable and sometimes (most of the time) trash. To that I sometimes get a metal noise in some notes while playing how can I fix these problems?

Info: I wear braces

Thanks for your help.

Hi all, I've been looking out for a good second hand double horn for a while now and one's popped onto my radar, interested in getting some opinions on it. It's a Hans Hoyer 803, unsure of manufacture date but it was made in the GDR, serial number 166737M. Seller is asking for 1800 euros. (I'm used to a Holton 177 from 1979.)

Hello, I’m in search of a professional Geyer wrapped horn. I’m not from anywhere large, so I’ve thought about driving to Seattle to play some horns to see what I like. I had played on an Alexander before and it was beautiful, but heard that not a lot of players in the states plays on them. I feel like I don’t know too much about what to look out for. I play on a Holten, but would love some recommendations. Never known anyone to have played a Yamaha, but I’ve been around people who play Holton, Conn, Rico Kuhn, and Paxman which I would consider those last two. Let me know what you guys think what brands I should consider and if there are any websites that would allow me to mail and try them out.

I’m trying to find a piece I played a few years ago, and I cannot remember the name of it! it was a symphonic band work based on I think Chinese legends, maybe Japanese legends. I played it in 2019, so it had to have been written before that, I would think within 20 years or so, as it felt pretty newer if I had to guess. I think it had multiple movements, and there was a really cool saxophone moment in the first movement or towards the beginning. This was a collegiate level group. I will be very pleased and surprised if someone can tell me the name of the piece!

Whenever I’m playing, especially in the higher range, my throat and side neck muscles always tense and lead to low endurance. My embouchure isn’t usually tired afterwards, just my throat because I can’t buzz high range. What exercises or strategies can I use to help with this problem?