Best French Horns for Marching Band

French horns are an incredible instrument They come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and materials, but they all have one thing in common: they sound great if played correctly. It’s not enough to find a horn that sounds good enough for you or your band. You need something that is both durable and versatile enough so you can use it in a wide array of musical situations, and has the tone and control capability you need. If you're in the market for a new horn, you‘ve come to the right place. Read on for everything you need to know to pick out the horn of your dreams.

What are some tips for getting the right french horn?

We‘ve included some tips to help you get the best sound out of your french horn. Be patient and focus on the pitch. Many beginners don“t understand why it”s important to focus. Just listen to the tone, and if you hear a “click" you're on target. Practice makes perfect. When you start to enjoy the horn, the next practice session will go much quicker. Pay attention to your breathing. If you are holding your breath, your pitch will suffer. Take short, deep breaths when you play. This will help keep your tone steady. Don t play louder than necessary. A horn is meant to be played softly. Play just a few notes at a time. You don't want to force the instrument to sound higher or lower than it is. Try slowing down your tempo to learn how the note is struck. It may take a little practice, but eventually, it will become second nature. Keep your horn clean. Inflate the air tank once a month. Air gets trapped in the cone, which is why you need to inflate it after each use. Dry your horns completely before putting them away. That will make the materials more durable.

What are things to consider when buying french horn?

There is no definitive best horn for all players, but the intensity of the sound and construction of each horn will have a major impact on the experience. If you’re a beginner playing in a casual group or a teacher looking to incorporate more intensity into lessons, choose a horn with lower frequencies and a softer sound. In a competitive group, you may want to focus on higher frequencies to overwhelm your opponents. A horn‘s size and weight can also have an impact. You don‹t want a lightweight horn that”s difficult to manage. To find the right horn, first measure your instrument and compare it to the maximum weight limit for the horn. Remember, the better the construction, such as a wood construction or thicker resin, weight, and durability, usually the greater the price point. The S-750N French Horn features the famous DEFIANCE design. It features three-piece brass construction, and includes French horns in six- and ten-gauge sizes. This horn is a high-end choice that comes with a lifetime warranty. For a mid-range horn, the SPM-170N Deluxe French horn features a wood-covered, heavy-duty construction. Customers love this horn for its rich sound, even at an exceptional price. Another good option for beginners is the BK-600 French Pony Horn. With its standard size and breathable design, this is an excellent choice for beginner horn players. We also like the JVC BV-250N Soprano Horn for those who want a horn that will not break the bank.

How expensive are french horns?

French horn prices range anywhere from $30 to $1000, depending on the manufacturer and quality of the horn.

Inexpensive

The most inexpensive French horns cost $40 to about $75. These are usually lower-quality horns, often made of cheaper metal or plastic, that are best suited to beginners. For about a $50 investment you can get an exceptional horn that will produce realistic brass or woodwind sounds.

Mid-range

If you spend $100 to $150, you should be able to find a horn in the $150 to 250 range. You’ll also find higher-end horns in this price range that should satisfy the needs of serious players.

Expensive

Horns in excess of $250 are generally made by professional horn players, so they”re usually made from the highest-grade brass and wood. If your desire is to own a professional-style horn, this could be the price to pay.

What are the features to look for in french horns?

Since we’re dealing with human-powered equipment, it”s vital that we buy from reputable brands that have proven to be reliable over time. Quality comes from a variety of things, but the most important thing is that the horn is constructed from durable materials.

Horn weight

When you re buying a horn, the weight of the instrument matters a great amount. Weight is measured in pounds and is referred to in both metric and English units. The heavier the French horn you buy, generally, is then the more you will be paying. You don't want a heavy French horn that's going to weigh you down.

Shape

The shape of a French guitar or horn generally matters as well. A hollow-body trumpet with a dome and a resonant chamber is going make a sound that isn t going be heard much outside of your home. If you have a bigger yard, you may want something that has a little more width in the body to offer a better sound.

Design

Some designs for the construction of French horns are very different than those used for musical instruments. It's all about the sound, after all. Design varies between models, so make sure you research the features offered.

Size

It is common for people to confuse size with sound quality. While size does affect the way the horn plays, sound is a much bigger consideration. Choose a size that works for your personal needs.

Materials Used

Horn materials and construction play a vital role in how great a trumpet sound it will produce. For the best sound and performance, choose materials that are durable and can withstand the pressures of playing.

Chrome-plated brass: This type of horn uses chromed brass. Brass in this form is made up of lots of tiny spheres that vibrate when a current passes through them. These spheres have enough inertia to vibrating enough to create the right tone. Spun brass is the next best option. This material is brass that was spun into a fine thread and then tempered. Once it is tempered, brass becomes a superior material that is very durable.

Epoxy resin: Epoxies are small tubes that can be made to hold a particular material. They are used in many construction projects.

Wood: Because of their construction, wood has an excellent sound when played properly. However, a wood horn is not going sound as great as a chrome-plate horn.

Titanium: Titanium is used as the resonator material in French horns. Because it has the same properties as chromium, which produces an impressive tone, titanium is also used to make musical equipment such as guitars.

Tubes

Air resistance plays a part in sound production. Choosing a tube is one way to overcome this, as it produces a lot less sound than other materials due to its low resistance.

About French Horns

French horn sounds are more complex than they appear at first glance. There are two basic components to creating a horn sound: the resonant chamber and the diaphragm.

The resonating chamber

This is the part of the horn that resonates. It is made of ceramic or a soft ceramic like quartz that can be polished to create a smooth, regular tone. This chamber is smaller than the chamber that produces the initial sound. In the case of a French horn, the final product is a larger chamber called the “diphragms” that have been tuned to sound like the original horn. Inside the larger resonator chamber are a series of four or five thin ‘dots’ that are the air valves. As air passes through the dots, it vibrates slightly, creating the sound you hear in the brass section of your horn. Air in this small chamber then passes out through a second valve, where it is blown back into the first chamber. A diapering process is then used to smooth the surface of each diatonic dot, resulting in a ’sawtooth‘ sound that is heard in French horns. When you play a clarinet, for example, you will hear the sawtooths that produce the hammer-on and hammer–off sounds. Diphrenes are less audible in clarinets than in horns, but they are still necessary to produce a clear, resonant horn tone.

The diatherm

The larger ‐and more important‐ diacritic chamber, or ”thermoacoustic chamber," is located in front of and above the internal resonators. Through this chamber the vibrations of air are amplified, giving you the distinctive brass ‛saw tooth.“ The main task of this metal is to block the vibration of sound from passing through it. Without the ability to vibrate, there would be no sound, and therefore no horn. Once the resonance chamber has been filled with air, a diathelete is placed over the top. If the desired sound is produced, air is introduced into this diathlete, blowing it back and forth. At the same time, small dots are placed in place to control the expansion and contraction of these air bubbles. Eventually, as the bubbles expand, they create the pitched sounds you see in brass instruments. All horn players use diaths, though the type you use in your instrument should be dictated by your desired level of clarity.