Is This the HARDEST Instrument?
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- Опубліковано 22 сер 2024
- Many instrumentalists agree that the French horn is the hardest brass instrument to play. As part of my journey to learn every instrument in the orchestra, I put that challenge to the test and learned the horn before any other brass instrument! In this video I share my thoughts and experiences while trying to tackle the brass section's most difficult member.
#horn #frenchhorn #instruments #beginners #learning #practice #orchestra #tutti
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although it may seem more intimidating at first, one nice thing about performing for horn players is that, because we've gone through it, most of us are very supportive of learners!
As a horn player, I have been super impressed with your progress. Horn is a super hard instrument, and to be honest, the times where your lips don’t work don’t really go away , we just get better at managing it 😅.
Darn 🫤😂 But thank you for the support!
It’s a challenging instrument, especially with no previous brass knowledge. I learned Trumpet at 9, than switched to Horn at 11, I’m now 18 and my favorite instruments are Mellophone and Flugelhorn. Horn is the most fun with multiple people, when chords line up on horn it’s magical.
@@QuietWyatt2005 with all the love and kindness in my heart you are crazy for saying Mello is one of your favorite instruments to play
@@istarwars2219 thank you
Wind player here. While it may seem as though the horn is a bad choice for a beginner, it’s actually not. Especially if you’re going to learn other brass instruments as I’m sure you are. The reason has to do with the mouthpiece. It’s MUCH easier to go from smaller to larger mouthpieces than it is larger to smaller. I had a couple of buddies in high school that switched from trumpet to horn, and they said the hardest thing to adjust to aside from the transposing was the difference in mouthpiece size. As for me, I picked up trumpet at a time where I was playing bass clarinet, and let me tell you. The jump between mouthpiece sizes was drastic. So much so that I quit for an entire YEAR before picking it back up.
I would recommend continuing to play or even just buzz the mouthpiece to keep your embouchure. Great work
As a tuba player, that mouthpiece looks too small to blow any air into :D Good job man, your sound was not that bad!!
The mouthpiece is genuinely not what makes it hard, the horn mouthpiece is better than the tuba mouthpiece imo even
@@blackmage1276 its probably based on the person, if their lips are bigger or smaller, stuff like that.
@@logik2448 they're are many more difficult things about the French horn than the mouthpiece
@@blackmage1276 yeah, ik, it just sticks out to me as a tuba player, that's all :D
With the hardest brass instrument as your very second instrument in this series, might as well get the (almost inargueably) hardest woodwind one out of the way with oboe! I've never touched an oboe but it is my personal favorite instrument, and from oboe friends, I've heard how insanely counterintuitive it is to learn for beginners! Whatever instrument you choose next though, good luck!
Hmm, interesting suggestion! Maybe you should stick around… 👀
@cin7087 Tying into your point about woodwind instruments, I’ve been playing the bassoon for the past three years. Like the oboe, the bassoon isn’t easy to play, but boy, is it ever a lovely instrument to hear. The oboe is a lovely instrument, too; either way, I find these instruments don’t get the love they deserve, considering they’re rare commodities in my neck of the woods, especially in wind ensembles.
So, @2T_Music, are you up to learning the bassoon, perhaps the contrabassoon? (-:
@@DwainRichardson I'm a fellow bassoonist! I'm fairly new but I've been progressing quite quickly! I've even made it into my school's top ensemble :0. The bassoon is definitely one of the rarer instruments despite sounding so beautiful. I wish there was a way to popularize it to allow people the joyus of hearing it.
If Mr. Tutti himself is reading this comment, I second the opinion above and would love to see the bassoon in a future video.
I absolutely plan on it! I don’t know how soon I’ll be able to get to it though; just like you said, it’s not a common instrument
When I first heard you playing in this video I was like wow! three months!! thats incredable expecially for someone who has never touched horn or any brass instrument!! This is coming from a brass player!
Thank you, that means a lot!
Without a doubt, Horn is the most difficult brass instrument, if not all instruments! Even though the Double Horn (F-Bb) has the exact same overtone series as a trombone w/F-attachment (Bb-F), the small mouthpiece, and long conical bore, raises the difficulty astronomically! Had I known your goal (Learn all instruments), I would recommend starting lower (tuba), and going higher (trumpet). You sound like a good beginner with potential! What a journey!
Thank you! I appreciate the support 😊
Im an oboe player. I absolutely adore the horn and think if there's any other instrument i could've chosen, it would be the horn. I think oboe can be slightly more difficult than the horn, but this doesnt have to do too much with the instrument itself, but mainly with the orchestral repertoire which requires a lot of quick fingerings, alternative fingerings, trills and quick tonguing, as well as the reeds which are insanely expensive when you don't (know how to) make them yourself, and don't always respond the way you want them to (humidity plays a big factor, as well as how long you've played on that reed). It took me about 7 years of playing to be actually remotely happy with the tone quality i produced (kind of similar learning curve as the violin).
Then I haven't even gotten started to how difficult it is to get all notes to respond properly (especially the lower register), and other issues such as water consistently appearing in your octave or other keys. I cannot of course imagine how that would be like for the horn, and if it is actually more difficult, but i would like to prepare you in advance for the cruel reality of the oboe😉
Progressing from horn, if you would like to start on any woodwind instrument, i do think the oboe is the most similar. The reed has the tiniest opening and has a lot of resistance (you always have excess air in comparison to too little air, oboists always exhale before inhaling), which i think is the position the French Horn is in amongst the brass players as well.
Nice job with that performance, biggest thing I can see/hear as to why your “mouth stopped working” was because your lips weren’t creating a buzz, which creates those stops and gaps that you heard. When you start doing other brass instruments, biggest thing that you can do to help is to just mouth piece buzz all the time. Even better would be to do something called free buzzing, which is when you create the buzz with your lips, but with no mouthpiece present.
Of course beginners can play horn. It’s much more difficult to change instrument, if you begin on another brass instrument. The closest is trumpet, but the embrouchure is so close, that it’s really hard to change.
I appreciate the tip. Thank you!
As someone who started on euphonium, then also got a trombone, and then a trumpet, I can absolutely confirm that moving from one to the other is very difficult, and at least in my case the smaller mouthpieces are more difficult to play with.
I started on Trumpet and have played for about 7 years now, I did exactly that and picked horn up about a year and a half ago.
Horn player here. This sound is really good for how little time you had! one piece of advice that might work well for you in the future is to make sure your lips are closed when you start playing. It's strange to think about, but these false starts and insecurities are often a result of opening your mouth when trying to play, which pulls the lips apart and makes buzzing harder. My instructor would remind me to make an "M" shape with my mouth and blow open the lips. "are your lips touching?" when starting a note was a very common question for the first year of learning for me XD
Thank you for the support and the advice!
On the other side of the difficulty spectrum there is the euphonium/baritone horn. (Terminology around euphonium and baritone horn is confusing, so let's just say they are almost the same thing, kind of like trumpet/cornet.) The euphonium also rivals the horn as the most beautiful sounding brasswind instrument. In fact the name of the instrument basically means good sound.
The mouthpiece size is probably the most ergonomically suitable mouthpiece among brass instruments (same with the trombone, not too big and not too small), the partials are spaced in a way that makes them easier to hit than the partials on the horn, and because the euphonium uses right-hand actuated valves (compared to the slide of a trombone or left-hand actuated valves of the horn) it's relatively easy for a beginner to play in tune, or at least almost in tune.
I say "almost in tune" because there are some subtle technical issues with brasswind instruments that causes certain valve combinations to be slightly out of tune. Those notes have to be brought into tune by lipping them into tune, using alternative fingerings, using a "trigger" on the main tuning slide if the instrument is so-equipped (typically on a high-end euphonium), pulling slides (on the tuba), or using a third valve or first valve slide or trigger on a trumpet, if so equipped.
The euphonium gets to play some of the best and varied parts in the band, everything from Oompah parts to harmony to counter melody (which is probably the strongest suit of the euphonium) to melody to solo. The trombone plays in the same pitch range as the euphonium, but the euphonium often gets more interesting parts in the band than the trombone.
The down-side of playing euphonium is that it is (almost) only used in the concert band or brass band. Other types of ensembles (like the orchestra, jazz band, or brass choir) seldom use the euphonium, so the types of groups in which you can play are more limited.
the horn is a very good choice if you want to do other brass instruments, the only challenges of the horn are the partials, and the mouthpiece.
(its the 2nd hardest instrument in the world, but I consider it the hardest because of the lack of teachers)
This guy is underrated
damn your tone improved a lot!! good job!! I'm trying to learn trombone and it's ridiculously hard. brass is just the hardest instrument family
Thank you and good luck in your own practicing!
Trombone gang!
Not a bad performance at all! 👏👏👏 You were brave enough to dive into “Pie Jesu,” a movement I’ve heard many times when performing the Fauré Requiem in front of audiences.
Considering the short time you’ve been playing French horn, I think your performance level is decent. I’m sure your level will only improve as you continue to practise.
If I were to choose a brass instrument to learn, it would be the French horn. I find its sound mellow and sweet, and the horn complements other instruments really well in a variety of ensembles (for example, woodwind quintets, chamber orchestras). Also, I feel French horn players aren’t plentiful where I’m currently based, but perhaps other players know more about this than I do.
A few French horn colleagues have warned me about the difficulties in playing the instrument, as you’ve laid out in this video. But you know what? Given the French horn isn’t as popular as the other brass instruments and given I love the sound the horn makes, I may well give it a try some day! (-:
Thank you, I think you should. It’s a fantastic instrument, and the challenge is welcome
Horn is approachable for beginners, the most important thing is to stick with it. It was my first instrument and even though it was a challenge, skill came with time and patience. Another important factor is the repertoire is built around the horn. Comparing to harp your horn skill level might sound worse, but it’s ok, the general skill cap for hornists is consistently is lower compared to something like piano or a string instrument. It will be not harder to progress in the horn than something like harp or piano.
As a horn player, well done! For me, it's kinda all in dropping my jaw when changing to lower notes and doing the opposite for higher notes of course. I'm honestly still working on it as we speak, but it helps with the "harmonic series". Any note could be played with no fingering at all, it's crazy!
I usually don't recommend brass instruments at all if people my age and above tell me they want to learn an instrument, as I know the time it takes to just build up enough embouchure and breath support to produce a good tone can become really frustrating. Kudos to you for tackling it though, and well done! I think this will give you a splendid base to work from when you eventually start learning the rest of the brass instruments!
I started on trumpet when I was 12 in 6th grade, but after my 1st year, I didn't really like playing it, so I tried playing the horn in 7TH GRADE. I don't recommend playing the horn that early on to say the least. I liked the sound of it, I just wasn't ready. I didn't do much research on the instrument itself so when I played it I really didn't know what I was doing most of the time. I might've been playing it wrong even. I switched back to trumpet like a month after and I've been playing trumpet ever since. If you want to switch to horn, I recommend playing trumpet for at least a few years, then doing research on the French horn. It's good to know what you're going to play before you do. If you're looking for an easier switch though, I'd recommend the euphonium/baritone. Even though it plays the same range as a trombone, it uses the same valve combinations and fingerings.
I have the summer to learn the horn for the 2nd highest ensemble at my school (we have 4 bands and im clarinet primary) this video is like an inspiration. i love horn so much though if i get good enough i am going to make it my primary instrument. I am also picking up Mellophone in marching band this year instead of clarinet and its easier then the horn but not by much because the partials are still so close together.
I’m glad my video is useful and inspiring for you! Good luck learning horn, I have faith in you 😊
Very good for 3 months, by the way. I haven't been watching your journey, so I don't know what your practice routine is for horn.
Not trying to criticize but just to be helpful: since the hardest thing by far is to slot the note into the right interval/partial, one of the most beneficial things to do will be lip slurs. Practicing long tones will help with tone development and with getting the note centered in the partial as well.
Keep up the good work!
Thank you very much!
I'm a band director and woodwind multi-instrumentalist who plays almost everything. IMO, I don't think the horn is really harder than any other brass instrument. All instruments have aspects to them that are easier or harder but they tend to balance out. The difficulty for beginners on horn is that the partials are closer together. So without ear training, one could be fingering correctly but producing the wrong note. This happens with beginners on all brass instruments but it's more common on horn. But from a physical standpoint, it's not that difficult. Granted, I'd been playing wind instruments for many years before I attempted it. The starting range on horn is very manageable. I had to teach a horn class while student teaching so horn was my first instrument on my journey to learning brass. While I had to work on accuracy and target practice, it was never physically demanding and I had no problem playing the range typically written for horn in beginning/young band literature (around C to C). I had a lot more difficulty physically learning trumpet and getting up to middle C. Once I did learn trumpet and played horn again, my range went through the roof and felt so much easier to play. If you want a hard instrument, try bassoon. So many thumb keys, different keys you have to "flick", half-wholing with an actual whole, weird fingering combinations that don't exist on any other woodwind.
Don't know if it's the hardest instrument - For sure, no instrument is easy. Albeit, the horn is both the favorite-sounding of many, but also considered to be very hard to not only master, but even to just learn.
I own a cornett, an ancient (most widespread between the 16.th and the early 17.th Century), similarly small-embouchure brass instrument and know how tricky can be them.
As a horn player just a few things play with emotion not emotional, try to avoid playing with tension it makes life harder on like every wind instrument, overall though that was very good for just a few months
P.S. also use your vowels like on highier notes change to more of a DE well lower use a DA, as well get TETuner(Tonal Energy Tuner) it is very useful
Without a doubt, orchestral string instruments are the most difficult instruments to learn how to play. Please recognize that these instruments, from the deepest sounding double bass to the violin, have no finger or fret markings on them whatsoever. Shifting positions on the fingerboard is difficult to learn. Keeping relative note positions with corresponding pitch is difficult. (Having perfect pitch does help.) Then there is the matter of mastering bowing and bow technique. You must be able to get to the correct note positions on the fingerboard AND, at the same time, perform bowing that will enable the corresponding pitch to sound. Its like learning TWO separately distinct instruments at the same time. All in all, string instruments have a very deep learning curve if you want to play these instruments so they sound reasonably well.
Very good video man
well, when you go to another brass instrument, good luck! i switched from flute to horn this semester, but ive been playing trumpet for marching band (after horn), and man, i hate the mouthpiece
Suprised you didn’t encounter transposition it’s really common and I’ve played stuff in Eb, D, A and a bunch of other odd transpositions
I think you should've started trumpet first, as a tpt player switching to horn the trumpet experience was invaluable and made getting any treble notes a lot easier. trumpet is very different from horn and might not be as enjoyable, but I realized it was really foundational starting out on trumpet as a tpt player who's switching to horn
Yeah, i switched to horn from trumpet earlier this year and it was fairly easy to do it, even when i was on a single because there werent extra doubles in my school
Not bad. Not bad at all. Trumpet player learning the horn here, it’s easier but certainly not easy.
Was the song you preformed 4th movement from faure requiem?
yes that is correct
@@JanCarlComposer crazy guess
aw man i guess i am falin this ryear, i switched from floote to horn (first brass interaction)
I wanna play horn so baddddd (i play trumpet)
I think it would be cool if you put some background music while you talk, nothing overwelming but enough to fill the background
yes that would be nice.
Will do 🫡
@@2T_Music you should do music of whatever instrument the video is about.
That’s a great idea! Unfortunately UA-cam has really weird and strict copyright rules, so I don’t know if that will always be possible. But I’ll definitely try to improve the sound design!
@@2T_Music nice.