French Horn

The French Horn is a member of the brass family. It has a round, velvety tone that that can be heard over other instruments without overpowering them. The French Horn is a conical brass instrument(the inside is shaped like a cone) that uses a mouth piece to create sound. The French Horn is played by blowing into the mouthpiece and making a "buzzing" sound. There are three keys called valves that the player can press to assist changing the pitch while playing. We normally have between 10 - 12 students selected to play the French Horn in our 6th grade Wiley band! The majority of our French Horn players take private lessons although it is not required for this instrument. French Horn players read the treble clef and can have the melody (or the lead parts) in music. The French Horn can play a large range from low to high notes! The French Horn color is very important to the band sound! Listen to the 3 short videos below to see if the French Horn could be one of your top picks for band next year!