- Can someone tell me which is the main tuning slide for the horn; my suspicion is that this is the one nearest the lead-pipe. I think the other 2 non-valve slides must tune the Bb and the F sides of the double horn, correct?

- Given that I know how to adjust the slides, I have been wondering where I should initially set them as a 'guess'. I've found I can bend a note up and down until it is registering on my tuner in the center - sometimes I start high or low, but can usually 'find' it without adjusting the tuner. I'm wondering how I know if I'm 'off' on my lips or 'off' on the slides. What's the usual procedure for a beginner?

- As I indicated in an earlier post, can somebody tell me what note my Seiko SAT 500 tuner should show for a middle-C in an F horn book? I had been working under the assumption that I was aiming for a 'C4' when the tuner was set for an 'F' instrument, but I think that it actually registers 'C3' in this case. When I work from C3, I can get C-D-E-F-G from the horn; so I think this is correct, but would love confirmation that I'm doing the right thing...

- Is it common to have a slight taste of oil in one's throat after playing? I know the lead pipe is clean, but I think I must end up inhaling the oil vapour from the slides....; doesn't seem like a good idea to me, but maybe that's just what happens.

Thanks!

You have three tuning slides on your horn. There is one on the front and two on the back. The first one you come to is your MAIN tuning slide. The one on the lower back and the one on the front tune your F horn only. You do not have a Bb only tuning slide (don't worry about it none of mine do either).

To tune, play a C with the trigger and move the main tuning slide. Then play the same C and move the F horn slide(s)

The way your horn is set up I would pull your tuning slides out as follows for an initial set up.
F horn
1st valve 6mm
2nd valve 3mm
3rd valve 2mm

Bb Horn
1st valve 10mm
2nd valve 4-5mm
3rd valve 4mm

Pull one of the Fhorn slides out 4mm.

With all the changes in nomleclature I do not know what your Seiko SAT 500 tuner should show for a middle-C.

Oil smell. It is very common to smell of and taste of oil and metal after playing. If my wife leaves for any reason for any length of time when she gets home she will scold me if I didn't practice, and she will know because of the smell. It may not seem like a good idea, but you might be surprised what you are inhaling walking outside.

You know many many years ago you had to have a license to play a brass instrument. When there were wooden mouhpieces, and even early metal, you had to have license because contact with the materials did affect your nervous system and cause you to go insane. That is why musicans are so stereotyped.

>>You have three tuning slides on your horn. There is one on the front and two on >>the back. The first one you come to is your MAIN tuning slide.

Do you mean the first one after the lead-pipe? When you say 'lower' do you mean lower when the mouthpiece is pointing 'up'? If so, then I think I get it.

>>To tune, play a C with the trigger and move the main tuning slide. Then play >>the same C and move the F horn slide(s)

So with the trigger I'm tuning the B side first, then matching it to F...yes? If so, that makes sense, but I'm still not sure about if I'm hitting the right embouchure for a note; for example, if the tuner shows I am 'sharp' I can either pull out the slide or loosen my lips a bit. But how do I know which of these to do? Maybe tuning both sides will cancel this effect out and I'll find the sweet spot?

Thanks for taking the time to reply, and the suggested starting points; I will try it in the morning.

Yes, if you follow the leadpipe the first slide you come to is the main tuning slide. whiel you are looking at it you will see another slide to the right. This is an F horn tuning slide. This is the one I use to tune that way the one on the front always looks pretty.

Yes, you are tuning the Bb horn first.

Embouchre and right hand position.
These are two things that just cannot be done on line or from a book. And to be honest (no offense to teachers) most public school teachers do not know enough about the horn to teacher you these correctly either. For that matter I know some private horn teachers who don't teach it correctly. Regardless, this is where you need to take a lesson or two.

My suggestion si you go to the local music store. I fthey if teachers great, if not they should have some referrals. Be up front, tell the teacher you want to get a good understanding of the correct embouchre and right hand position. Then if you like playing you may take more lessons later.

If money is realy realy really tight then you can do this. . . .
Go to a local concert of a community band or something. At intermission or at the end go up to the horn section and tell th em you are starting to play french horn. They will say something like, "That's fantastic I wish you lots of luck". Then you ask them if they will look at your hand position and see if it is correct.One of them will offer their horn an dshow you. Then you pull out your mouthpiece from your pocket and ask if you can play a couple of notes. When they say yes you do so and ask if your lips are correct. There you go your first free lesson.

Because you are new and do not have a secure consistent embouchre trying to play with the tuner is most likely more damaging than good. Even tuning your horn will be suspect because you don't have the consistant embouchre. You should not have to lip up or down in the beginning. Just get the notes, bringing them in tune is a challenge even in the big leagues.

In a perfect world you should be taking regular private lessons. There is nothing equal to it. But given certain circumstances there is nothing wrong with taking 2 or 3 lessons, every now and then.

John

Thanks for the feedback. I was really asking questions while waiting to find a teacher. Today out of the blue the guy I had waited for got back to me, and we had a 45 minute lesson. It was a lot of fun, and I feel like i have a good direction to go in. His advice on the tuner was pretty much the same; learn to hear/feel the notes and don't worry about tuning just yet.