The French horn is a brass instrument with a long, coiled tube and a widely flared bell. The player produces sound with a buzzing embouchure and changes pitch with valves and hand position inside the bell. Its tone is mellow, blending, and capable of both heroic and lyrical expression.

In the orchestra the horns often sit between the bright trumpets and the darker trombones and tuba, providing a middle brass color. Solo repertoire and chamber music also exploit the instrument’s wide range and unique timbre. The horn is notoriously difficult to play accurately because the harmonic series is closely spaced and small embouchure changes produce large pitch differences.

Modern horns usually have four or five valves and can switch between F and B-flat sides. Players spend years refining intonation, tone, and the subtle use of the right hand for stopping and muting.

• Coiled brass instrument with flared bell
• Mellow, blending tone
• Uses valves and hand technique
• Central to orchestral brass writing