Question for Horn Players

I have a friend who takes private horn lessons from a local teacher. He has been playing longer than me and is a better horn player, and has given me advice before.

He told me that his teacher told him that the only time you should use the Bb valve on the horn is when playing from Ab-upwards, and that everything else, including the extreme low register, should be played in F. However, I find the lowest register (Low F downwards) easiest to play with Bb. My friend isn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, and has been known to be wrong before...

Should I play it in F, Bb, or does it matter much?

Thanks,

-MF

Why would it matter?

Does it sound different?

I'm not a horn player, but I'd say that as long as it sounds the same and is in tune there shouldn't be a problem with using a different fingerings. However, with most instruments different fingerings are sharper or flatter than others so just find the one that suits you best. If they're all pretty much in tune, do whatever is easier! Also, it depends on what you're playing in context, different fingerings for notes suit the situation better than others. Hope this helps!

I don't play horn either, but I don't think the use of the Bb is so restricted, I'm sure professional players switch F-Bb-F often and nobody notices it, if I would have a clarinet or saxophone in F-Bb (which is impossible :D ) I would switch a lot.

I do play horn, and my teacher told me the same thing, don't use Bb unless you're at a middle Ab or higher. But i agree with you as well, the extremely low register is easiest to play in Bb, i would do whatever works best for you, if you're teacher doesn't comment on it, that means it sounds the same, it's in tune, and it doesn't matter as long as you can play the note. If he does, howeverm then i would just keep practicing the low register, eat, live, and breathe the horn's low register until you master it in F. ;)

Teaching beginner horn, the general rule is Ab and above is for the Bb side. But I've also been told by accomplished horn players that Bb is much more open in the low register than F and is frequently used by professionals there.

To say "Ab and above, switch to Bb" is the short and sloppy general rule. Check your tuner, listen to your sound, play the side that gets you what you need.