Choosing a French Horn

When looking at horns, there are several things you should test and consider before making a final decision.

Buzzing

It is important to play through the entire range of the horn at all dynamic levels. When playing loudly, you should listen carefully for any rattles or buzzing in the horn. Sometimes this is something that is felt by the player, but not heard. However, you want a horn that will play smoothly. While you are doing this, try some slurs to see if it is easy to move between notes.

Resistance

Play chromatically from high C to C above the staff, or as high as you can comfortably play. Take note of any notes that are particularly hard to hit on the horn you are trying. Listen to see if the partials are appropriately positioned. This is best done while playing loudly. However, if you are planning to try several horns, be careful not to wear out your lip. Listen for the tuning between notes and try alternate fingers if you feel they are needed.

Tuning

Check the relative tuning between octaves. Do this on several pitches. If the horn you are trying is a double, you should also tune both sides of the horn. A chromatic tuner is very useful for this. Be certain that both sides of the horn can be tuned to each other and to the tuner. If this can't be done, you will constantly be fighting the tuning of the horn. No matter how nice the horn sounds, that tends to more trouble than its worth.

Slides

Check to see that all the slides on the horn move freely and that none are frozen. When you pull them out, take note of how much clearance there is. If you are trying a double horn, be sure to look for a slide by the trigger. Not all horns have these slides, but they often freeze.

Valves

There are several tests you should run on the valves. First put your ear next to the mouthpiece and slowly raise and depress each key individually. Listen for any grinding or clicking, as this indicated something in the valve, oftentimes corrosion or metal shavings from prior valve work. Also feel to be certain the valves move smoothly.

Next check the valves for air leaks. There are two ways to do this. Remove the first valve slide and the valve cap. Blow through the horn to determine which of the two pipes the air comes out of. Once you have figured this out, press the pad of your thumb against the end of the pipe, creating a seal. Now that the pipe is stopped, blow as hard as you can through the mouthpiece while holding down the first valve key. Look for bubbles coming out of the valve. If the valve seals well, this should be very hard and there should be very few bubble. You can repeat this on the other valves if you like, but it usually is not necessary because the first valve tends to be the worst.

In the second method, you also begin by removing the first valve slide. Make sure the slide is well greased and that it will not stick. Without holding the valve key down, push the slide back quickly. Make sure it goes in as far as it will go. Count slowly to ten, then depress the valve key. You should hear a good popping sound. Most horns with minor valve issues will still have a good pop after counting to five, even if they don't when counting to ten. If a horn doesn't pop, either you are doing the test incorrectly or it needs a valve job. This should be considered in the final price of the instrument.

Checking the Outside

Look carefully at the outside of the horn. Check for any dents or scratches. Large dents should be avoided, but small dings will not affect the playability of the instrument. Also look for corrosion. Sometimes this is the result of an air leak in the horn, but sometimes it is due to other factors. If you suspect an air leak, it can be patched, but this is probably not something you want to deal with. Look for any prior patches or signs of other work. These can either be signs that the horn was taken care of, or may be indicators that the horn may develop other issues in the future.