Hi,

I played French Horn at college but have not been playing for a number of years (tenor horn instead). I play in a relatively recently formed 10 piece and really want to get back to French Horn playing. Has anybody any ideas as to a suitable horn for 10-piece playing or any general ideas about good 2nd hand horns as horn playing seems to have progressed immeasurably since my 1990s heyday (!)

Well a lot depends on you. You could use the tenor horn and it wouldn't bother me in most pieces especially if you used a deep cup mouthpiece but if you don't have one with an F slide maybe you don't like transposing, but then I like a tenor horn. It does kind of depend on the type of music you are playing.

For smaller groups, generally works best to stay away from the bigger throat models like the Conn 8D. Something in a Geyer wrap tends to blend really well in smaller ensembles, like a Conn 10D, but if you have a huge hand and can play softly, then personal preference might still be for a bigger throat.

You don't say your budget, a Conn 6D isn't top of the line but would likely do well and if you picked up a used one would likely be able to find one in good shape relatively inexpensively.

I just use the Conn as examples because I am familiar enough with them to know I'm not screwing up. Nothing says it can't be other brands.

No better scratch that, I think it's actually rotating the bar, but I can't see how.

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posted by mistak

Hey Old Horn Player!
I played roughly from 13 to 24. Got good enough to do 3 years with a local community orchestra that had paid principals for each section and 1/2 time conductor. Then, life happened, working more, moving to place with no music scene, and graduate school. 16 years later picked up the horn for the second time, and now've been playing for about 4 years. Had an old Holton 181 custom and Conn 8D. Hated the 8D it was a Texas one. Yuck, loved the Holton, but the valves are beyond nasty. Lucky enough to have sold the 8D while they were still selling well (and for good money) and put it in the bank for another horn. Meanwhile, as a Christmas gift, my father just got me a used Paxman 25AY. Outstanding horn. But, if I had my choice, now that I've played other Paxmans, I would have gotten the Europa. I've played some of those and nice! A couple years after the sale of the 8D ran into an estate clearing of a local horn teacher and performer of a Paxman F/F Alto with a Medium-Europa bell, hand hammered, made by Bob Paxman, full on custom, valves in great shape, for almost less than I sold the 8D for. There are some great horns out there and I personally prefer the smaller throat, longer lead pipe taper of the F/F than the 25AY. Both great, but the big horn takes a ton of air. Some other nice second hand horns that are just starting to get the recognition they deserve, Olds nickel Geyer model (played one, nice!), the Reynolds Pottag played one that projected, sounded great, and outdid the 8D sound, but was responsive and light when necessary.

When I started playing again, I bought a Yamaha 567. Loved it. But having a medium throat, playing loud in the high register was like trying to play a straw. But for a small group, it might be just the thing.

KateP, in many situations, I prefer those smaller throats, one of them being high and loud. I don't recall who it was I was reading about his teaching methods, but said basically that in America we all think of lots of air as loud, where we can accomplish a lot more with cutting power, which those smaller bore/throat horns have. But, I find I have to use a deep cup with those smaller horns. Big horns, small mouthpiece, and vice versa. Something about resistance I think. But I can get those high notes like nothing on a small horn and push the sound to cut. My single F Carl Geyer is a tiny bore and a tiny throat (early in his career, sometime around 1930) and I think the high C is better than my big Paxman 25A. If you get a chance, try a small horn again with a deep mouthpiece. I'm considering letting go of my custom H181 so I can buy a small, horn.