Ahaha, even though there seems to be no activity in this forum, I`ll try to contribute for more activity...

Well, first of all I`m thinking about playing the FH, and I play piano, clarinet, flute, oboe, and bassoon, meaning I have no brass experience. I like the FH because of it`s nice mellow warming tone, kinda like the bassoon. I`ve heard a lot about the FH a hard tuning instrument, but that will be okay because I`m pretty experienced in tuning and ear listening etc. from the oboe and such...

Do you think I should start on trumpet, or if I am willing enough, starting on the FH would be okay?

Thanks~!

If there`s no activity in this forum, you`d better start on horn and pronto.

haha and the funny thing is that I did start the horn.

I used to play the trumpet but I switched over to the french horn. Well I personally believe it`s easier to learn the trumpet, and then learn the FH. But I never did it any other way, so I can`t really say.

It was a bit tough the first 2 days, but after a lot of practice on long tones, it`s not so painful to play and I think my lips are more used to the buzzing instead of all the other embouchures I had with the other instruments. And luckily, I played instruments like flute, oboe, and bassoon which all need a lot of air, and that helped a lot in learning the FH.

What kind of horn player calls his instrument "the FRENCH horn"?

I do . . .

um... since it IS called the "French Horn" it`s my choice wether to say the right name, or to use the simpler way, "horn". I just don`t prefer "horn", and that`s just my preference. And since many people refer most instruments to "horn" I think calling it "French Horn" or "FH" is better.

You may think that, but it just so happens that the name of the instrument is "horn", NOT "French horn".

Hm. I hope you aren`t meaning this as bashing or anything.
I thought the brass was `French Horn` and the larger oboe was the `English Horn`.

Oh, and to add to that, it does say `French Horn` as a circular brass instrument etc. in the dictionary.

Hmmmmm.

There is such a thing a a "French Horn." It`s the circular instrument used in concert bands.

And there is such a thing known as the "B flat Horn." It`s more like a trumpet and is used in Marching Band.

Yet they have almost the exact same fingering, and the mouthpiece and instrument are for the most part, exactly the same . . .

If the French Horn was just horn, it could get confusing. Sometimes poeple refer to any brass as a "horn" (I could say I was a hornplayer, and I play trombone)

yess... ahaha some people even call woodwinds `horn`.
our band director calls the saxaphone horn, which isn`t that wierd,
but also calls the clarinets, oboes, bassoons horns as well...

It does get confusing that other instruments use the word horn and some people use the term horns to refer to instruments in general. The reality is the U.S. is one of the few countries that actually refer to our instrument as the French horn instead of the horn. The horn society is trying to get that changed since it doesn`t have a uniquely French origin.