French Horn Maintenance

One of the most versatile and popular instruments in classical music, the French horn has a long career in orchestral music. This member of the brass family has evolved from a simple series of tubes into a complicated piece of musical machinery. Proper care and handling of the French horn requires a number of maintenance practices to preserve the instrument and its function.

Valve Oiling

The rotor valves of the French horn must be regularly oiled using a special oil solution. Apply the oil by opening the tuning slides that connect most directly to the valves and holding the horn so the oil will drip into the valves. Also, remove the valve caps and place a few drops of oil beneath them.

Slide Maintenance

The tuning slides also require regular lubrication. Their depth is changed regularly to adjust the tuning of the instrument. They are also removed to empty condensation that gathers in the instrument during playing. A player must regularly coat the tuning slides with a special thick grease, similar in consistency to the grease used to coat automotive wheel bearings.

Common Repairs

Normal wear and tear results in the need for common repairs, such as reattaching braces (metal pieces that hold the the piping in its wrapped shape), replacing worn-out strings and springs, and smoothing out dents and bent pipes.

Cleaning

A player must regularly clean the French horn to remove grime from body grease and oil. This cleaning requires taking apart the instrument and washing it with water and soap (or stronger solvents). Use a snake---two stiff brushes attached to the ends of a strong coiled wire---to clean out the twisted pipes. Push the snake through the tubing to remove grime from the pipe walls.

Handling

The horn should be treated as a fragile object and kept in a protective case when it is not being played. Store the horn with its mouthpiece removed. The valves of the instrument must be compressed when attaching and removing the tuning slides to avoid creating pressure inside the valves.