Horn Tutor : An online learning resource for hornplayers
Many young students use a french horn that the school provides. Typically, this is a single F horn in grade school and a double horn in Bb/F in junior high or high school. With a school-provided horn, your band director makes the choices for you.
In some school systems, however, your band director will ask you to go to the local music dealer and rent an instrument through one of their school programs. The store will have a list of pre-approved models, and these will typically be a single F horn for beginners and a double horn in F/Bb for more advanced students.
For adult beginners, the choices are the same, except that you must do the choosing. Having the advice of a private teacher is very useful here, because adults may prefer to purchase a new horn rather than rent one.
Adults who are very serious about their french horn study may prefer to begin on the double horn so that they don't have to switch horns later on. This way, they avoid learning two different fingering systems and purchasing another horn as they become more advanced players.
Q. What's the difference between single horn and a double horn?
- A double horn has four valves instead of three.
(The double horn has a thumb valve.)
- A double horn has more slides to adjust.
- A double horn is a bit heavier, although not any larger in size.
- A double horn uses different fingerings in the high range.
(It can also use the single F horn fingerings, if desired.)
The double horn uses the same mouthpiece, uses the same accessories (ex., mutes), and plays the same music as the single F horn. You might prefer to think of it as a slightly heavier, somewhat more complex horn that is suitable for more advanced students. It is also more expensive to buy.
The double horn in F/Bb is the choice of most professionals as their own instrument.