How to use the French horn tuner
- 01
Warm up first
Play for three to five minutes. A cold horn plays flat and drifts sharp as your breath warms it.
- 02
Press Start listening
Allow the microphone. Put the phone or computer about a metre in front of you, not inside the bell.
- 03
Play one long note
The big letter shows the note as written for horn in F. The needle and the message say whether you are flat or sharp.
- 04
Move the slide and check again
Flat: push the slide in. Sharp: pull it out. Small moves, then play the note again.
Want to hear the target first? Tap a tuning note under the tuner. It keeps sounding until you tap it again, so you can match it by ear.
How to tune a French horn, step by step
Here is how to tune a French horn, using the order many horn teachers recommend for a double horn. On a single horn, skip the side you do not have.
- Start with the slides a little out. On a student double horn, try the main and F slides about 3 cm (1⅛ inch) out and the valve slides about 1 cm (½ inch) out.
- B♭ side, thumb down: main tuning slide. Play written third-space C and top-line F. Adjust the main slide until both sit near the centre.
- F side, thumb up: F slide. Play written second-line G and third-space C. Adjust the F slide.
- Match the two sides. Play written C with the thumb up, then thumb down. They should read the same. If the B♭ side is sharp, bring the F side up to match, then move the whole horn down with the main slide.
- Valve slides. Set the 2nd valve slide, then the 1st. For 1+2, split the difference. Use the 3rd slide to fix 2+3.
| Problem | Slide | Move |
|---|---|---|
| Open notes flat, thumb down (B♭ side) | Main tuning slide | Push in |
| Open notes sharp, thumb down | Main tuning slide | Pull out |
| Open notes flat, thumb up (F side) | F slide | Push in |
| Open notes sharp, thumb up | F slide | Pull out |
| One valve note out | That valve’s slide | In if flat, out if sharp |
Your right hand matters too
With no hand in the bell the horn plays sharp; covering it more lowers the pitch. Tune with your normal, relaxed hand position, or the slides will be set for a hand you do not play with.
Written pitch vs concert pitch on the horn
Horn parts are written for horn in F, which sounds a perfect fifth (7 semitones) lower than written. Both sides of a double horn read the same part. That is why a standard tuner says “F” when you play your written C, and why this French horn tuner shows written notes by default.
| Written for horn in F | Sounds as (concert) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| G3 | C3 | 130.8 Hz |
| C4 | F3 | 174.6 Hz |
| E4 | A3 | 220.0 Hz |
| F4 | Bb3 | 233.1 Hz |
| G4 | C4 | 261.6 Hz |
| C5 | F4 | 349.2 Hz |
| E5 | A4 | 440.0 Hz |
| F5 | Bb4 | 466.2 Hz |
The same idea applies to trumpet, clarinet and saxophone. The pitch detector explains each transposing instrument in one table.
Which note should a horn tune to?
| Situation | Concert note | Play (written for horn) | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concert band | B♭ | F (top line) | The band’s standard tuning note |
| Orchestra | A | E (fourth space) | Tunes to the oboe; awkward on horn, so check C too |
| Horn section or practice | F | C (third space) | Sits well on most horns |
| Checking the F side | C | G (second line) | Open on the F side |
Concert A is not ideal for horn: it tends to be flat as an open note on the F side and needs a valve on the B♭ side. Tune to the A with the group, then confirm on your C.
Horn notes that run sharp or flat
Each open note on the horn is a harmonic, or partial, of the tube. Some partials are naturally a little sharp or flat, and the horn plays high in the series, where they sit close together. Knowing your tendencies saves you fighting the tuner on every note.
- Valve combinations run sharp. The more valves you press together, the sharper the note tends to be.
- Use long tones. Hold each note for eight slow counts and watch the pitch line under the tuner. Keep it flat to the end of the breath. A slow metronome pulse keeps the counts honest.
- Check scales slowly. Play a scale one note per breath with the tuner on and note which degrees drift. The scale finder shows every note of the key.
French horn tuner FAQs
Why does the tuner show a different note from my music?
The horn in F sounds a perfect fifth lower than written, so your written C comes out as a concert F. This French horn tuner shows written notes by default, so the names match your part. Switch Settings to concert pitch to see what a piano or a standard tuner would call the note.
What note should I tune to in band and in orchestra?
Bands usually tune to concert B♭, which horn players read as written F. Orchestras tune to the oboe’s A, which is written E for horn. Many horn players also check written third-space C (concert F), which sits well on most horns.
Which slide do I move?
On a double horn, set the B♭ side (thumb down) with the main tuning slide and the F side (thumb up) with the F slide. If the whole horn is flat, push slides in; if it is sharp, pull them out.
Why am I sharp after I warm up?
Warm breath raises the temperature of the air inside the horn, and warmer air makes it play sharper. A cold horn plays flat. Warm up for a few minutes before tuning, and check again after the first piece.
How does my right hand change the pitch?
With no hand in the bell the horn plays sharp. Covering the bell more lowers the pitch; fully stopping it raises the note about a semitone. Keep the same, relaxed hand position every time you tune.
Should I use A = 440 or 442 Hz?
Use whatever your group uses. A4 = 440 Hz is the standard; some orchestras tune slightly higher, at 441 or 442 Hz. Change it under Settings.
Can I tune a single F or single B♭ horn with this?
Yes. A single horn has one tuning slide for the open notes: tune written third-space C and top-line F with it, then set the valve slides. The display still reads in F, which matches the part you play.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes. It works in Safari, Chrome, Edge and Firefox on phones, tablets and computers. Put the phone on a stand about a metre in front of you, not inside the bell.