Let’s Talk About Dynamics and Your Horn
Is it your horn? A recent article focused on the topic of dynamics in large ensembles. But there is a proverbial “elephant in the room” related to this topic — it just may not be possible to play loud...
View ArticleThe Heldenhorn
As Horn Matters author Bruce Hembd and I were both students at Eastman at the same time, we both had contact with a specific model of horn, made by Alexander in (mostly) the 1970s for Milan Yancich,...
View ArticleWhat Makes a Horn a Bad Horn?
Often, I see listings of horns for sale that emphasize that the horn would be a good horn for a student. And some of them probably would be, but others are in reality substandard or even bad horns you...
View ArticleCould the Kruspe style horn come back?
At one time Kruspe style double horns (especially the Conn 8D) were a dominant horn type among professional hornists in the USA. That market has dramatically shifted in recent years to Geyer style...
View ArticleSpun Bell? Hand-Hammered Bell?
I have mentioned hand-hammered bells a number of times in this site, but surprisingly I have never really explained what the term means. All Bells are Spun A first point to make is that all bells are...
View ArticleRevisiting the Ascending Third Valve
As part of my most recent horn building project I realized that I could set up that horn as an ascending third valve instrument. Ascending third valve?!? Back nearly 10 years ago I posted in this site...
View ArticleA closer look at a vintage “Kruspe Kruspe”
A Kruspe Kruspe? Any serious student of the horn today has heard of Kruspe style (or Kruspe wrap) horns, but many do not realize that Kruspe refers to an actual maker of horns (in Germany), and that...
View ArticleWorkshop presentation: Kruspe, Geyer, and more
With the corona virus canceling so many horn events this spring, this is the first of a series of articles with podcasts, on topics presented as might be heard at a horn workshop. While the words...
View ArticleWhat is an “F extension” on a single Bb horn (or descant)?
A topic that comes up periodically is that of the F extension and the single Bb horn (and descant). What is the advantage? First, what it does not do: it does not change a single Bb into a double horn....
View ArticleBig News from 1897: The Invention of the Double Horn, the “Horn of the Future”
For generations of horn players now the double horn has always been there, has always been the standard instrument we play. It’s interesting, however, to think about that time before the double horn,...
View ArticleReverse tuning slides and the horn
I had a vague idea that there was such a thing as a “reverse leadpipe” on the trumpet, but had never really given it much thought. But a student made a comment about a horn having a reverse leadpipe,...
View ArticleThe Little Descants
This article was originally posted (in a somewhat hidden location) in Horn Articles Online, as bonus content to my 2007 high horn book. While Horn Articles Online is now gone, it’s still an interesting...
View ArticleDoes your horn spark joy?
Very recently I went through a round of testing various horns in a nice space. One had come in that I was testing for a former student, and I was pondering also the topic of possibly selling a horn or...
View ArticleFundamentals 16. Muted horn: tonal control, responses, projection, noiseless...
Mutes?!? It is very interesting to me that Douglas Hill included in his list of fundamentals (found in his Collected Thoughts book) a special place for muted horn. Is it hard? Did it used to be? I tend...
View ArticleFundamentals 7. Slurring: various intervals, various dynamics, register changes
Slurring can be a problem, even a major problem. The question you should be asking is this — is the problem you, or is it your horn? Slurring fact: The issue may be your equipment I do realize that to...
View ArticleGeyer Update: Engravings, Serial Numbers, and More
I could also have titled this article “Things I got wrong” in the Geyer Dreaming series (which starts here), or the related article published in the February 2024 issue of The Horn Call. An Email from...
View Article“Each instrument has a different personality,” or, different horns are in...
There is a big amorphous topic that is rarely discussed related to horns and repertoire. Over the years it has become more and more clear to me that different music feels better and worse on different...
View ArticleA Word on “Brushed Finish” Horns
A type of finish that has been showing up on some of the used horn postings you see is what they call a “brushed finish.” A potential “hot button” topic that I don’t believe has been much commented...
View ArticleMusings on Oiling Rotary Valves, and Brief Review: JM Lubricants
A new lubricant line for horn players to consider is the line of products by JM Lubricants. Manufactured by J. Meinlschmidt GmbH, a company that has produced rotary valves since 1866, the line has a...
View ArticleGeyer Dreaming IV: The Custom Horn Maker, and a Closer Look at Geyer 223
One question I have heard in relation to custom horn makers is this; are they just assembling parts? What makes them better than just buying a factory horn? Horn assembler, or horn maker? Typically,...
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