French Horn Playing Techniques

The French horn is one of the most melodious instruments in the orchestra, but it can also be one of the most difficult to master. There are a few basic techniques in horn playing. Hand placement, embouchure, breathing and articulation are the first, and most important, techniques to master.

Hand Placement

Originally, horns had no keys. Moving your hand in the bell of the horn created different tones. Horn players still use their hand to adjust the tone. To properly place your hand in the bell, reach your right hand out in front of you as if you were going to shake someone's hand. Bring your thumb down toward your fingers. Place your hand inside the bell with the outsides of your fingers lightly touching the inside of the bell. The weight of the horn should rest on your thumb and index finger. Always use your hand to support your horn. Never let it rest against your leg.

Embouchure

Embouchure refers to the placement of your lips, jaw and teeth while playing. Adjusting the tightness of your lips and the openness of your mouth creates different tones. French horns are finicky instruments and the slightest changes in embouchure can cause drastic differences in the sound produced, so horn players work hard on developing a strong embouchure. Start by tightening the corners of your mouth leaving your lips slightly puckered. According to the most common method, the Farkas embouchure, place the mouthpiece to your lips with about two-thirds of the upper lip and one-third of the lower lip covered. Keep a slight gap between your teeth and lips and be careful not to press the mouthpiece too firmly to your lips. Slightly moistening your lips helps.

Breathing

Breathing is something natural that you do without thinking. But in horn playing, good breathing techniques take some practice. It's important to breathe in from the diaphragm and blow air out in a steady, controlled stream. When playing, you will need to learn to take deep breaths quickly, either through your nose or through the side of your mouth without moving your lips from your mouth piece. Good posture also helps with your breathing, allowing more air into your diaphragm. Practice breathing exercises until breathing while you are playing becomes as natural as breathing while you are not.

Articulation

Horn players use their tongue to articulate, or separate, notes by stopping and starting the air flow. This is called tonguing. When you place your tongue against your teeth, the air can't pass through. Pull your tongue back and the air moves through, producing sound. "Ta" forms a sharper note; "da" is duller. Once you master simple tonguing, you can work on a technique called double-tonguing which allows you to articulate notes much faster. To double-tongue, rock your tongue back and forth as if you were forming the syllables "ta-ka-ta-ka."

Practice Schedule

Perfecting these playing techniques requires practice, so it's essential to set a practice schedule and stick to it. Beginning horn players may start with 20 to 30 minutes a day. As your commitment grows, so should the length of your practice session. Practicing these basic techniques will set a foundation on which you can build further playing techniques.