French Horn (F)
Quick Facts
- Instrument Key
- F
- Transposition Interval
- Perfect 5th down
- Written C sounds as
- F3
- Instrument Family
- brass
- Instrument Page
- French Horn (F) on Tunable
Written vs. Sounding Pitch — Frequency Table
Each row shows a written pitch (as it appears in the score) and the concert-pitch note that sounds when played. Frequencies are equal temperament at A4=440Hz.
Key Signature Conversion Table
When the conductor names a concert key, this table shows what key signature the French Horn (F) player reads. The player reads the written key; the audience hears the sounding key.
Practical Scenarios
Orchestra: Brahms Symphony No. 1
The conductor asks for concert pitch C4 (261.63 Hz). The French horn player in F must play written G4 — a perfect fifth above concert pitch. Written G4 (392.00 Hz) sounds as C4 (261.63 Hz) concert pitch — a perfect fifth down.
Stopped Horn: Playing a Half-Step Down from Stopped Pitch
When playing stopped (hand fully blocking the bell), the pitch rises by approximately a half-step. A horn player playing stopped on written G4 (sounds C4 concert) might need to play written F♯4 instead to sound the correct pitch when stopped. This is an in-performance transposition adjustment unique to the horn.
Chamber Music: Matching the Piano's Concert Pitch
The pianist plays concert pitch D4 (293.66 Hz). The French horn player must play written A4 (440.00 Hz written, sounds D4 concert — a perfect fifth down from A4). Written A sounds concert D on any F instrument.
Why Does the French Horn (F) Transpose?
The modern double horn in F/B♭ has been standard since the late 19th century. The F horn transposition has its roots in the natural horn, which was built in F and played using only its natural harmonics (with hand-stopping to fill chromatic gaps). When valves were added in the early 19th century, the F horn retained its traditional transposition. The perfect fifth down transposition is the largest standard transposition in the orchestra — written C4 sounds as F3, a fifth lower. Horn players read in treble clef with F transposition, though bass clef horn parts use a different convention (sounding a 4th below written).
Tune Your French Horn (F) with Precision — Get Tunable.
Tunable's chromatic tuner shows exact Hz values in real time. Tune to equal temperament A4=440Hz or explore all 16 temperament systems.
