Should you learn on the F or B flat horn?

F or B♭? That's the question?
from "Don't Fear the Horn" Chapter 8
00:29 Tradition of learning on the F horn
00:59 Difficulties of the F horn
01:35 Justification for learning on the F horn
02:17 B flat horn
02:55 The 'correct' answer
03:16 Starting on the Bb
03:26 Starting on the F
"Don't Fear the Horn: A comprehensive guide to the French horn for brass players and teachers"
To buy your copy go to:
www.richardsteggall.co.uk

[@raphaelhudson]

There is another aspect of enjoyment. We keep trying to play such a difficult instrument because of beauty. The old school motivation was directed to the richer harmonic overtones of the f side. I recall being forced for 6 months as a kid to play a (hoyer) resting Bb double horn by a teacher who played an alex in an orchestra, whose view was you could not get a position playing F horn style. I despised the sound it made and almost quit horn. It was not until the school replaced those hoyers with 6Ds that i started to enjoy horn playing again.

[@dontfearthehorn]

That’s interesting to read. I think you must have been very musically mature to have valued beauty of sound over ease of playing! (Valuing the quality of sound is not something that I always manage to instill in my pupils.) I think that’s also the reason that many adults turn to trying historical instruments (hand horns/piston horns etc) and Vienna horns to find that overtone-rich quality of sound. 📯❤️

[@quantumjim45]

We hornplayers are most often drawn to the horn because of its glorious sound. Thus, begiinning with an F horn is most generally a good idea - especially since C thru G on the staff are among the earliest notes a beginner learns and they sound much better on the F horn. I admit to bias as, not having money for a double, I played a Carl Geyer Chicago F single for several decades before acquiring a double.

[@davidunwin7868]

I started on the F side and only after playing for about 8 years started to introduce notes from the Bb side because I didn't want to get confused by different fingerings. Nowadays, I've been playing for 13 years and I'll interchange between both. If i have a solo or a prominant passage, during practice I'll experiment with both sides of the horn to find which fingering is easier, or if there's an alternate fingering to use. I can notice a much richer tone quality on the F side, so its definitely my preferred side up to C in the 3rd space. Beyond that, Bb is playing it safe.

[@dontfearthehorn]

Wow, 8 years is great going on just the F side. I remember being “allowed” to use the Bb side after about a year of learning, and was mightily relieved about how it made my higher notes easier!

[@georgH]

I played on F horn for 1 year before being allowed to use Bb. We had the shared horns with 4 students, and my favorite was a Yamaha single in Bb, light, responsive, just great!

[@Trombonemusic765]

I think F is better cause all the band music uses F horn

[@dontfearthehorn]

Hey, thanks for watching my video! I think you might be making a common mistake. Yes all band music is in F BUT you can play that on either horn. Both the F and Bb horns read music is F. I know this sounds very strange to non-horn players. Check out my videos on “Bb single horn”and “Horn in F and the Harmonic Series” for a full explanation. 🙏📯👍🏻