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Author Topic: transition to horn
Jon
Administrator
Posts: 542
Post transition to horn
on: February 15, 2011, 03:00

Hi all,

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of, or knows of anyone who has made the transition from trumpet to french horn, at any stage of development.

I'd be interested to hear how & why you (they) made the transition.

I'm asking, as I was looking at musicalchairs.info today, and noticed that there are currently 31 positions advertised for horn players, yet only 13 for trumpet players. When I was a student at the RNCM, I think we were somewhere around 25 trumpet students, and that the horn class were around 10 or 12. Gets you thinking a little...

Should trumpet players at universities/conservatories/music schools be encouraged to make the change from trumpet to horn, due to there simply being better odds of getting a job? (assuming the player wants to be an orchestral musician)

Would be great to see what you all have to say!

Prince_Den-
mark
Senior member
Posts: 278
Post Re: transition to horn
on: September 6, 2011, 19:13

Would you transition to horn?
I was talking to a friend the other day about this, (he is a horn player.)
and he says that here in mexico, there are hardly any jobs as horn players, that all the different teachers he has studied with ''doubled'' as trumpet teachers and players, simply because they could make a living out of trumpet and not as horn players.

I would, without a doubt make the switch, (or at least try!)
If I knew I would be playing Wagner, Tchaikovsky etc. on a regular a basis, I think the horn is beautiful. but as a mere mortal, trumpet is just more fun and more versatile. :)

Jon
Administrator
Posts: 542
Post Re: transition to horn
on: September 7, 2011, 11:13

Interesting! Of course, there are more jobs for trumpet players around Christmas and Easter, but as far as I know when it comes to full time work (jobs in orchestras mainly) it seems as if horn players have better odds - at least in this part of the world.

Would I personally transition? Possibly, yes - I'm guessing it would be so much easier only owning around one instrument, instead of the arsenal that classical trumpet players are expected to have :) (Bb, C, D/Eb, piccolo, natural tpt, cornet etc etc)

I don't think I would play both horn and trumpet though as I can imagine it could lead to mediocrity on both! Probably better to specialize on one or the other.

Prince_Den-
mark
Senior member
Posts: 278
Post Re: transition to horn
on: September 7, 2011, 16:52

Its funny, my first trumpet teacher was a horn player, he said that horn players didn't make good trumpet players, and the other way around.
Then, my second teacher, a trumpet player, said that trumpet players could make horn players but not the other way around. :P

Jon
Administrator
Posts: 542
Post Re: transition to horn
on: September 7, 2011, 19:26

Hehe, I think it depends a lot on the individual. In general, trumpet players have an easier time with the high register on the horn than horn players with the high register on the trumpet. As far as low register goes, if a trumpet player can play well in the pedal register, they should have no trouble with the low register on the horn. The biggest issue in the beginning when swapping (as far as I understand it) is making the horn sound like a horn, and the trumpet sound like a trumpet.

Prince_Den-
mark
Senior member
Posts: 278
Post Re: transition to horn
on: September 7, 2011, 20:10

That's exactly the problem I have whenever I grab a horn,
My humble high register in the trumpet is good enough for a horn, and I can get the low register to work, but it does not have that beautiful horn sound...
I guess some time exclusively on the horn would fix things but I ain't changing. not for now. :)

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