Posted by Mary Ann (horn player) on July 31, 2001 at 13:00:42:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Dumb question posted by French Horn question on July 31, 2001 at 07:30:06:
The double horn exists because in the high range of the F horn (which is, of course, the same tubing length as an F tuba) the notes are so close together that it is extremely easy to miss them and "clam." Clam is a horn technical term for missed note.
But I digress.
There are "preferences" of different teachers at which point you hit the thumb trigger to change horns. I'll talk concert pitch: I play up through middle C on the F horn. C# and up I play on the Bb horn. Usually!! This is a very common "break point." Others will break at the F above middle C. I will switch horns at odd places if the fingering is easier or if the slur works better. I also will use one horn over the other if the intonation of that note works better with whatever I'm blending with. For example, if I am playing an A below middle C with the 1st horn who is playing the A an octave above that, I'm likely to use the Bb horn with 2nd valve instead of the open F horn, because that A on the open F horn is flat, and I'm more likely to miss it if I have to lip it up. For G above middle C, the open F horn has a stable, in tune, and beautiful sound, compared to T12 for that same note on the Bb horn.
One of the technique problems that horn players encounter is learning to match the tone of the shorter, brighter Bb horn with the longer, darker F horn. If you learn to make the Bb side sound like the F side, you can switch away with impunity in otherwise more difficult passages.
MA