I live in Mexico and started playing the horn two weeks ago at my music school. I have had three half hour sessions and i'm lent an old horn for use only at the school, so the amount of practicing i can do is very limited. I can play from C(f) to A already. My teacher is really good, but he says he has little experience teaching beginners, so does anyone have any advice on well... playing? I've played the piano for almost eleven years now so i have a good knowledge of music in general.

If you are talking about your written C (below the treble clef up to written A (second space on treble clef) that is good. SInce you only have the instrument while at school that makes things difficult but not impossible. I would suggest being sure to do lips slurs which I call harmonic scales. Learn and understand the harmonics of the instrument and things will be easier.

What part of Mexico are you in? There is a new music school in the 3rd section of Rio of Tijuana called CAM that is opening you ight check into something like that.

super far away from Tijuana
I'm in Veracruz on the East coast in a county branch of Bellas Artes.(have you heard of it?) Its has a pretty good base on theory and reading and stuff like that. I go about 11 hours a week,and only about three of those are dedicated to practicing.

And yes the notes are what i meant. I'm lent an F horn. I think its holton. But its so old i swear its turning green near the bell!
my teacher did mention the slurs last lesson, i think im going to spend some more time with them.
Thanks!

You should have your own mouthpiece. You can do all sorts of practicing on the mouthpiece alone. So take your mouthpiece home and you can warm ups and even play tunes on your mouthpiece without the Horn.

Actually playing on the mouthpiece will get your lips better accustomed to proper notes and you won't have the horn to get in the way with tube resistance.

I'll do that,
thanks

Are you playing on a single horn or a double horn? If you are playing on a double horn, you need a good fingering chart that gives you the most "preferred" fingers instead of ALL the fingers for both horns. You need a chart that shows you where & when to use the F side and the Bb side. If you are using a double horn, email me and I'll share my fingering chart and other exercises that will really help you develop fluency. If you're not on a double horn, yet, you will be soon. Email me and I'll send you my exercises anyway! )

ValerieW78 "at" gmail "dot" com

Valerie Wells
The Balanced Embouchure Method
http://bebabe.wordpress.com/
http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/

Hi John and Ms. Wells
I'm having a great time with the horn and I've been playing the warm ups. My range has increased a great deal and i actually make excuses to practice since I like it so much.
My teacher suggested i get a double horn soon.
What do you think?
Thank you both!

Single or double? I don't think it matters much which one you play at this point. When it gets to the point that your range gets near the top of the staff, then a double will help make those higher notes a little more stable. But until then, you'll probably enjoy the lighter weight single horn.

Valerie Wells
The Balanced Embouchure Method
http://bebabe.wordpress.com/
http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/

Depending on the quality of the horn it may not matter. Most people try to get students onto a double horn as soon as they can. IT is the typical most common instrument being used today. However, I have seen some excellent old single F horns in the school system where studetns were doing well and then they moved them into a double horn built very porrly and the students just struggled and struggled; because it was a poorly made, poorly balanced double horn.

Keep in mind Dennis Brain played a single horn for most of his career. I use a single horn on about 35% of the gigs I do, mostly the musicals. Single horns have their advantages. So if the horn works don't worry so much about it. But in reality if you want to play with the other children in the school yard eventually be looking at a double horn down the road.

I play a single horn right now. And yes, im definitely looking to play with the other kids in the schoolyard. ill keep this all in mind, thanks again!