I am a flute player, and I want to switch to the french horn. How much does a relatively good french horn cost? And how much it gonna cost if I rent one? Also, how much do I need to pay for a frech horn private lesson? I am in high school band, and I've already heared that it's hard to play it. But, I am so exciting! What I need to do be a good french horn player?

Presumably for can promise read can't promise?

<YOu need a good Ear. You need patience. You need a Good private teacher. And you need to spend time on the instrument practically every day.>

John's right. Both the ear and the patience can be developed. I started a student last year who had been playing horn in a public school program for 18 months. She didn't have a clue what note she was playing when she came to her first lesson. I asked her to play a scale and she fingered it all correctly, but nothing even close to a scale emerged from her bell.

I taught her to orient herself to find the first note of each piece by playing the open C triad -- C E G E C. If she was supposed to start on an A, I taught her to play C E G then go one step up to A. If she was supposed to start on a D, I taught her to play C E G E then D. And so on.. She came back to her next lesson excited because she had a new skill she could find the starting pitch to each piece by herself. But she still couldn't tell when she played a wrong note like an F instead of an F #. But.... she continued to be a good practicer and in a couple of weeks, she was correcting her own mistakes instead of having to have me point them out to her. She continued practicing and this past February she totally rocked at solo ensemble festival with a superior rating! She's a darn formidable horn player now, with good range, facility and best of all, good intonation! So... a good ear and good chops aren't necessarily gifts from God or accidents of nature, they are developed by good practice habits and patience.

BTW, I write a lot of exercises for my horn students and share them for free via the internet. If you would like copies of my exercises, just email me. ValerieW78 "at" Gmail "dot" com

Because I don't have a college degree in horn, I only charge $15 for a 30 minute lesson. I teach piano, horn & trumpet and I love it. I'm not getting rich, but it sure beats what I used to do -- nursing!

Valerie Wells
The Balanced Embouchure Method
http://bebabe.wordpress.com/
http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/

Thank you all so much. That really helps. I know Johnlovemusic is in California. And Ms.wells, where do you live? I am in Houston,TX. I really want a good teacher.

Here are two names in the Houston area. I don't know either of them but Pamela did study with a good friend of mine in Cincinnatti. And he and I studied with the same people, so she she have some basics similar to what we teach. If you don't like her then try Marie.


Pamela Kiesling
513-290-4127

Marie Lickwar
323-243-7753

I'm in Washington state. Sorry. I'd love to be your teacher.

Val

Thank you all so much! I should have found this website earlier!
And I am so glad to meet you all.
Tomorrow, I am gonna try the French horn for the first time! So excited!
\(~^o^~)/
I believe I am gonna love it---French Horn!

Pleased keep us posted about your progress. While you're working towards your horn playing goals, you might enjoy Steve Park's library of horn literature. http://youtu.be/n2J9cvNRs1U Check out all of them. Some are serious, some are funny, all are great!

Valerie Wells
The Balanced Embouchure Method
http://bebabe.wordpress.com/
http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/

I should have tried the French horn last friday, but since my teacher wasn't here. I tried it today!!
(@_@) Honestly, i think it is a little bit hard. I feel like I don't have enough air. I can't keep the sound smoothly. Today, I play the low C D E, sometimes F, but I can't reach to the G at all!
I didn't buy my own horn, it's school's. And I love it. I will try tomorrow, again. Hope it gonna be better.

If you can play flute you have enough air for Horn.

Just try doing chromatic scales and add a 1/2 step each couple of days. Patience.If you learn or add a note each week you will have a full 4 and 1/2 octave range in a year. That's 52 notes. One a week. For much of the school music you run into you only need 21 notes.

I think that's pretty darn good for a first try. I know people whose first attempt at horn got them nothing more than an air hiss or "raspberries"! You go girl, you're going to do just fine!

Valerie Wells
The Balanced Embouchure Method
http://bebabe.wordpress.com/
http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/

Thank you all so much!
Although I play the piano, but I sometimes still can't identify what note I am playing.....
I mean I can hear whether the note is harmonious or not when I going up, simply like C D E F G, no half note. But honestly, I don't know I am playing C-G or F-C. Today is my second day, I can finally reach to what I think is F and G which I couldn't make yesterday.

I took the advice that Johnlovemusic gave to the "Beginner" in Mexico. I brought the Mouthpiece home today since I don't have my own horn.

Can we play out the note, the tune by the mouthpiece?
And when I play the higher note, how does my Embouchure look like? Do I move my mouthpiece up or down? Do I use more of my Upper lip or lower lip in the mouthpiece? Please give me some tips about this, and I am buzzing frequently to try to get a feeling.

My grandpa had a heart attack,and my mom take care of him. I don't want to bother my mom so I didn't tell her I started the French horn which she disagreed when I asked her earlier. Therefore I don't have private lesson yet. My music teacher just told me how to hold the horn and printed the fingering for me. That's all. But I know I have you all can help me!(~^0^~)

Now, I think I need someone to play the scales for me. Like some easy major scales-C or F or all. I want to listen to those, and then I can find my notes. I will figure it out. I tried to find in Youtube but there's just a fast-playing chromatic scales and some wonderful players playing the whole music.So if you can record when you play the scales or something I can listen to, please send it to my e-mail:
bluemelody999@yahoo.com I appreciate. (~*.*~)