I would have to say that for the most part, beginners should start on a double horn. There are many reasons: 1. Parents don't pay for a horn that is unusable in a year or so and pay only slightly more for a more usable instrument.
2. Students can acclaimate more easily and advance more quickly 3. Comfort with the instrument 4. Less frustration with the limitations of a single instrument( not all band directors pick pieces that are within range of a single for 5th and 6th graders - happens too often). 5. Makes instrutors happy because there is less stress of advancement ( private and ensemble) On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 Alan Cole wrote : >Here is some opinionated orthodoxy on the subject, to wit: > >Any student learning to play horn as a beginner -- whether switching to horn >from some other instrument or starting out on horn as the student's very first >instrument -- should always get started on a single horn in F. > >Starting on an F horn is important not only to keep matters simple for the >beginning player, but also so the student will form the correct concept of how >the horn is supposed to sound, how it is supposed to respond up & down the >scale, how it works, the orientation & response of the horn's characteristic >range & voice, etc. > >After an appropriate degree of progress, the horn student will be ready to >"graduate" from a single horn in F to a double horn in F & B-flat. Some >advanced students will be able to benefit from occasionally using a more >specialized instrument like a single horn in B-flat. > >-- Alan Cole, rank amateur > McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA. > _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
