What horn should i buy

Every horn is different, and even between brands there are a lot of discrepancies. I recommend trying as many horns as you can before you commit to any one style or make. Check at your school and see if they have any horns you can play on, as well as looking to see if there are any local music shops nearby where you can try some instruments. If there is a horn conference or music conference like Midwest Band Clinic or Southwest Horn Workshop happening in the region, it is also worth making a trip to try out many horns back to back.

Try playing low, high, loud, soft, lyrically, articulately and playing things you are very comfortable with. Bring a friend so they can tell you what it sounds like from several feet away. You should consider both sound and feel, as well as what you think you will need in coming years.

There are many options today for where to buy instruments; consider each option with care. Music shops and conferences will allow you to try instruments, and may offer payment plans, but less often sell used instruments. Online, you can try brass or horn-specific music instrument dealers a search online will produce many options depending on where you live , or classified ads on places like the listings on the International Horn Society's website.

Some have had luck on Ebay, but remember with online sales, you must consider shipping, insurance, and a return policy in case it is not what you hoped for. Is there a university nearby? Sometimes students are upgrading or the professors there may have a line on a used instrument for sale. They are relatively well-made, hold their value, and are good for resale. I always have a student play several horns first and make sure they have some idea first what model will best suit them.

I contact my colleagues asking if they know of a used horn for sale, and if you have a private teacher, I encourage you to ask them to do the same. I also recommend looking at the classifieds and search for an instrument within driving distance - it may be worth a 3 hour trip to pick up a new horn if it will save you a few thousand later and protect you from settling on a lesser instrument or shipping concerns.

Be opinionated and have a good sense of the sound you want to produce before you start trying instruments. Keep your right hand in the same position on each horn.

Horn workshops are wonderful places to see a lot of horns, but you should go to a quiet room to listen to the instrument carefully before making a purchase. Make sure the horn has good intonation and plays in tune with itself. Choose an instrument that is fun to play. A horn that is fun to use will be practiced on more than one that is a struggle. Check to see how easy is it to move around the instrument, slur, articulate, play loudly, etc.

Compare only two horns at a time to avoid confusion. Start choosing horns by playing in your sweet spot i. Mozart Concerto, scales, etc. When your choices are narrowed down, start playing in the extremes Low, High, Loud, Fast. Remember the sound you produce while testing the extremes is the most important aspect to consider.

Many hundreds of these horns are produced yearly and they are readily available. Large variances in quality can be found among different manufacturers, and they are not necessarily tied to price. The horns from some manufacturers are consistent; others are not. There are plenty of good horns in this price range, but many will have some unseen build problems i. Good intonation should always be non-negotiable; however, every horn at every level has a couple of bad notes.

The era of automatically saying no to Chinese-produced horns is over, and multiple factories are producing quality instruments and striving to get better. Although all the King horns you see nowadays will be quite old and some that were high school or middle school horns are in bad shape , they were and can still be excellent instruments!

They look a bit Kruspe-like with the change valve location before the three main valves, but the tubing arrangement is very unique and they are really a very different wrap.

The Fidelio model is a medium bell throat, while the Eroica is a larger throat. Yamaha has an excellent reputation as a builder of quality student, semi-professional, and professional-level instruments. They are are among the best mass-produced instruments both in terms of quality and consistency. As such, both used and new Yamaha horns are a good bet for a player of any age and skill level. These are often great horns, but require extra care in handling and maintenance as they often are a bit more delicate than some of the factory-made horns.

Some of the most respected custom makers include:. Since many of these horns are handmade by one or a few individual s , the used price can vary from less than to more than the new price.

Rauch, for example, recently retired — so his horns will likely appreciate for the foreseeable future. If you get your hands on one of these — take care of it!

Paxman, Alexander, and Schmid, for example, each make more than 10 models of horns, including single horns, double horns, descant horns, and triple horns, all in a wide variety of materials, configurations, and sizes. Buying a used horn is no different — whether through a private seller or a music store, make sure you get a few days to play it before committing to buying it. While trying out a horn is another topic for another time, make sure to take it to as many different environments as you can.