Horn Matters is the leading online resource on the French horn, co-founded by John Ericson and Bruce Hembd. The mission of Horn Matters is: to encourage, inspire, inform, and challenge horn players, and; to promote the best musical instrument ever, the French horn. (More.)
- - Please visit: International Horn Competition of America - -Most Recent Articles
What Was the Omnitonic Horn?
When you get to looking at horn history there are many rabbit holes to explore, many little dead end trails of horn design. Some...
Making a Crook for a Natural Horn
This article was posted in a corner of Horn Articles Online back in 2008. In editing Horn Matters articles with links to the now...
How Bells are Cut
The original version of this article, posted in Horn Articles Online probably around the year 2000 (!), had the subtitle "Don't try this at...
Big News from 1897: The Invention of the Double Horn, the...
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,...
- - Please visit: Horn Notes Edition - -Featured Articles
Horn Etudes by Women Composers
Many Horn Matters readers will be familiar with the Works with Horn by Women Composers website by Dr. Lin Foulk. If not, this is...
Julius Watkins, jazz French horn pioneer
Talking with colleagues recently, a topic that came up was how some great players of the recent past are unjustly neglected today. In terms...
Overview of Trusted Brands in French Horns
A survey titled "What Brand Names Do You Trust?" collected the opinions of 392 participants. The results are in and while it may take...
Choosing a French Horn Mouthpiece (I): The Basic Parts
Part I: The Rim and Preliminary Thoughts
Part II: Cup, Throat and Bore
Part III: Weight, Plating and Shopping Tips
For the past decade...
French Horn Transposition Chart
A complete reference.
Transposition Chart (PDF) (updated 2012)
Over the past few months, I have been posting various transposition tricks, including how to transpose:
A and...
Farkas on Stagefright (and more)
In the world of horn there have been few that made as much impact as Philip Farkas (1914-1992). The Art of French Horn Playing...
Random Articles
Getting Serious about Upcoming Performances and Mouthpiece Choices
There are some things in horn playing that truly are mysterious. One is the interaction between lip and mouthpiece and horn.
As I mentioned in...
The Premio Mysterioso Award
A hearty thanks to Kenneth Woods over at A View from the Podium for passing on a Premio Dardos Award. Somewhat resembling a chain...
Ask Dave: The Positive Benefits of Oil Ports
You've seen them in the top bearing plates once the valve caps are removed: tiny holes. They are known as "oil ports" or "oil...
Introducing the University of Horn Matters Horn Repertoire Course
This horn repertoire class is a companion to the University of Horn Matters Horn Pedagogy Course, launched initially for the fall semester of 2012,...
Thoughts on Playing on Piston Valves, a King Mellophone, and the...
As I have been preparing for my session at the IHS symposium that involves performing on a vintage piston valve horn, I have been...
Fancies, Toys and Dreams; When Does a Dream Become Folly?
A reality check begins with some questions.
This is a difficult issue for me to relate in words and it not fully fleshed-out yet. I...
