Brass Clinic
The Complexities of Tuning
Both Sides of a Double Horn
F
ull double horns are made with
the F-to-Bl> rotor next to either
the first or third valve. Models
that have a rotor by the first valve are
called Kruspe wrap for the German
horn maker. Those with this rotor next
to the third valve are called Geyer
wrap after Chicago horn artisan Carl
Geyer. The term wrap refers to how
the instrument is coiled. With a Geyer
wrap horn the air moves progressively
through the valves from third to first,
while with a Kruspe wrap the air
moves in the opposite sequence.
All double horns have two tuning
slides for each valve and may have
from one to three additional slides
besides these. All models have a main
tuning slide located between the lead-
pipe and the valves that affects both
sides, but some instruments have addi-
tional tuning slides for both the F and
Bl> sides. The F slide is more common
than the B^ slide; the F side is longer
and more likely to need extra adjust-
ment because the main tuning slide
has a greater effect on the BP horn.
The easiest way to determine if a
main tuning slide controls the F or Bl>
side of the instrument is to remove the
slide and try to play a note. If air exits
the horn through the open tube, the
slide controls the F side. If a note
sounds, the slide is for the Bt> side.
If the horn has not been played for
some time, all the slides should be
pushed in before tuning the instru-
ment. The first note to tune is written
C5 on the B\> side of the horn. On a
horn with a separate B^ tuning slide,
pull out the main and the Bl> slide an
equal distance to adjust pitch. If it is
Holton Farkas Model with auxiliary water slide
'56 THE INSTRUMENTALIST/FEBRUARY 2004
by Gary L. Reeves
necessary to pull the main slide fur-
ther than an inch to tune the instru-
ment, then the embouchure may be
too tight.
If the C5 on the Bl> side is in tune,
the same written note on the F side of
the horn should be slightly sharp. An
easy fix, if available, is to pull out the
F tuning slide to adjust this tone to
match the Bt> side. An alternate solu-
tion is to pull the main tuning slide out
and push the Bl> tuning slide in a simi-
lar amount. If the F side is flatter than
the Bl> side, the main slide should be
pushed in while the Bl> tuning slide is
pulled out. Students playing a double
horn without a Bl» tuning slide will
have to adjust the embouchure to fix
the pitch discrepancy. After C5 is in
tune on both sides of the horn, check
open G4 on the F horn and F5 on the
B v horn.
After the open horn is in tune, the
first and second valve slides should be
adjusted on both the F and BP sides by
checking several notes for each valve.
The third valve should not be tuned by
itself unless a player uses it alone to
play any tones. If the third valve is
only used with other valves, then play
notes fingered with second and third
valves (after the second valve is tuned)
L. Reeves received a doctor of musi-
cal arts degree in horn performance and
pedagogy from the University of Iowa
where his principal teacher was Paul G.
Anderson. He is currently associate pro-
fessor of music at the University of South
Dakota in Vermillion. Reeves is also a
member of the South Dakota Symphony
Orchestra.
Conn IOD/11D
and pull the third valve slide to correct
the pitch.
The first valve slides will be out
approximately three eighths of an
inch, the second valve slides a quarter
of an inch, and the third valve slides
almost half an inch. Pulling a slide out
much further than these measure-
ments increases the chance for air
leaking from the slide; slides that are
extended extreme distances are often
pushed in again to make the horn fit in
the case, and students will then have
to adjust the slides each time the
instrument is played.
Philip Farkas recommended placing
a light pencil mark next to the shank
for the tuned first and second valve
slides to show how far they should be
pulled, and then tuning notes that use
first and second valves together. To
adjust these notes the first slide should
be pulled out two-thirds of the length
needed for pitch correction and the
second slide for one-third, and the
new spots should also be marked with
a pencil.
Farkas suggested that the slide be
halfway between the two marks, and
although each slide is set to an imper-
fect distance, all notes that use first,
second, or first and second valves will
be so close to correct that any neces-
sary adjustment can be made with
hand placement in the bell or with
the embouchure.
Although tuning the double horn
seems to be an arduous task, once the
slides are set, daily adjustments should
be minor. Coupled with a relaxed
embouchure, perfect intonation will
be a reality, not an aim alone. D
King Eroica