Can I make the jump to french horn?

[Capt Force]

I am a 76 year old clarinetist with mild, but yet advancing, arthritis in my right hand.  I want to plan for pursuit with music so that five years from now I can still enjoy this passion. I can imagine placing my arthritic right hand in the bell of a horn and still being dexterous (oxymoron?) with my left hand.  I've yet to even touch a horn, but I bought a mouthpiece and stuck it into a ten foot piece of vinyl tubing.  I'm able to sustain long tones with a tuner at 5 different pitches and questioning whether this is enough indication for me to buy a starter horn. If so, are there any recommendations for a purchase within a couple thousand dollars that would best support my goal?  I'm also unaware of the qualities that vary among horns. For example: What is a compensating horn? ...compensators? 

[ironlips]

Yes, you can do this. My suggestion is to rent a good student horn from a local dealer who supplies school bands. If you decide, after a couple of months, to purchase an instrument, I'd recommend looking for a used, more professional horn. Even if you are an accomplished woodwind player it would be advisable to take a couple of lessons with a good brass teacher before you develop bad habits that will be hard to unlearn.

A compensating horn has a tube configuration that will allow you to play in either the standard key of F or the alternate, Bb. This makes some of the fingering patterns less complicated and can improve the centering of pitch. At this stage it's not of great consequence, though may become a consideration later as you begin to play more challenging material. Ask your brass teacher about this. Meanwhile, give the rental horn a try and see how that goes.

[Capt Force]

Thanks for this advice.  I've purchased a used Yamaha 662 that I understand is a "Kruspe wrap" while I seem to notice that the "Geyer wrap" is more commonly used among those within my local concert band.  Is this a characteristic that I should be concerned with during my early learning?

[Rudy Wiedoeft]

 I perform regularly on horn and have been teaching  brass students at all levels for 40 years.  Here are 5 thoughts on your switch to horn.
1.  The Yamaha 662 is a good intermediate horn for you.  Don’t even worry about the “Geyer vs Kruspe wrap”, until you have achieved an advanced level and are considering your next horn purchase.

2. if you have not done so already, find a good teacher.  Unlearning bad habits is the most common setback with beginning brass players.

3. Embouchure development and strengthening is key.  Especially given your age and lack of experience on a brass instrument.  The best resource I could recommend is Julie Landsmen’s Youtube videos on the Carmine Caruso Method.  GREAT for embouchure development.

4. Mouthpiece is as important as the horn.  I would recommend a Laskey 75G which is a quality mouthpiece at a reasonable price.

5.  Quality Air is essential.  I recommend relaxed breathing exercises as part of your warmup.  Go for daily short walks while working on your deep breathing.

enjoy your adventure with the world’s greatest instrument, and sometimes most frustrating!

[Capt Force]

Thank you, Rudy Wiedoeft, for this advice; especially the specifics of the YouTube instruction source and regarding the mouthpiece.