Beautiful tone

The most important quality of a horn player is his tone, so spare no effort in constantly striving for a beautiful, full, characteristic tone. ¹

Describing sound

Learning to describe tone quality can help you to improve it. Listen to players you like and try to describe their sound. Learn to distinguish nuances of color, articulation, note shapes etc. You can then emulate that sound by forming your own mental conception of an ideal sound.

Here are some ideas to describe the timbre of tone.

Adjectives for “good” sound

• Overtone-rich
• Broad
• Warm
• Full
• Rich
• Open
• Projecting
• Dark
• Powerful
• Healthy
• Stable
• With core
• Centered
• Focused
• Compact
• Varied
• Colorful

Adjectives for “suboptimal” sound

• Weak
• Hard
• Narrow
• Muffled

Differences in ideal sound

Different cultures have different sound ideals. While the ideals have become more similar recently, different orchestras still have different preferences. The ability to adapt your sound to a particular context is important. You might also hear people talking about an “orchestral sound”, “chamber music sound” etc. Playing in different context will affect which of the adjectives from above you will put more emphasis on.

In any case, it is up to the student to develop her own notion of a beautiful sound. As Philip Farkas puts it:

… one must have a mental conception of his own “ideal” tone. This is acquired by constant listening to others at concerts, on records, or over the air - always with an analytic mind. Decide for yourself if this player’s tone isn’t too bright, that one’s a little too muffled, etc. Gradually you will come to have very definite ideas about which tone is just right. When and if you find a player who has “everything” (according to your taste), don’t be afraid to emulate him. You will not be an imitator. The very fact that you admire him shows that you have similar musical tastes, and have a great advantage in having them crystalized for you by an artist. Farkas: The Art of Horn Playing. p. 52