HORN FINGERING CHART

Scott Pappal Horn Studio

©2015

This fingering chart may be used for either F or Bb single horns or the F/
Bb double horn. “T” fingerings indicate the note is played with the
“thumb” valve and thus assumes the horn is standing in F with no thumb-
valve depressed. If playing a Bb single horn, the player will need to use the
“T” fingerings, but will of course disregard the “T” as the thumb-valve on
a Bb single is nearly always a stopping/A-valve. Middle register notes are
listed first, followed by the upper and lower registers. Other alternate
fingerings exists in the upper registers; I have listed only the most common
and (in my opinion) most helpful.

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MIDDLE REGISTER

F F#/Gb G

& & &

w w bw w
F Horn: !23 F Horn: 1#3 F Horn: 123
Bb Horn: T123 Bb Horn: T!#" Bb Horn: T!2"
T123 gives very poor response and is T13 gives poor response and is sharp.
quite sharp.

G#/Ab A A#/Bb

& & &

w bw w w bw
F Horn: 1#" F Horn: !#3 F Horn: !23
Bb Horn: T 1#" Bb Horn: T !#3 Bb Horn: T !23
Alternates: 3 (flatter)
T3 (flatter)

B C C#/Db

& &w & w bw

w
F Horn: 1#3 F Horn: 123 F Horn: !#3
Bb Horn: T 1#3 Bb Horn: T 123 Bb Horn: T 1#"
MIDDLE REGISTER (CONTINUED)

D D#/Eb E

&w & w bw &w

F Horn: !23 F Horn: 1#3 F Horn: 123

Bb Horn: T !#3 Bb Horn: T !23 Bb Horn: T 1#3
Alternate: T3 (flatter)

F F#/G G

&w & w bw &w

F Horn: !23 F Horn: 1#3 F Horn: 123

Bb Horn: T 123 Bb Horn: T !#3 Bb Horn: T !23
Alternate: T23 (Gives a richer sound Alternate: T3 (flatter) T1 is quite flat.
than T alone.) Alternate: T13 (sharper)

G#/Ab A A#/Bb

& w bw &w & w bw

F Horn: 1#" F Horn: !#3 F Horn: !23

Bb Horn: T 1#" Bb Horn: T !#3 Bb Horn: T !23
Alternate: T2 (Flat, good for rapid T12 and 12 are both usually sharp.
passage work.) Alternates: 3/T3 (flatter), T (flat, good
for rapid passage work.)
MIDDLE REGISTER (CONTINUED)

B C C#/Db

&w &w & w

bw

F Horn: 1#3 F Horn: 123 F Horn: 1#3

Bb Horn: T 1#3 Bb Horn: T 123 Bb Horn: T 1#"
Alternate: 12 (flatter, less responsive)

D D#/Eb E
bw w
&w & w &

F Horn: 123 F Horn: 1#3 F Horn: 123

Bb Horn: T !#3 Bb Horn: T !23 Bb Horn: T 1#3
Alternates: 1 (flatter, less responsive) Alternate: T23 (Rare cases - for rapid Alternates: 12 (Rare cases - trills)
T3 (flatter) passage work.) T12 (Rare cases - passagework/trills.)

Notes:
In the typical “American” approach to the double-horn the octave from G below middle C to
second-line G is usually played on the F horn. The second-space Ab through third-space C is
an area of transition that can be played on either the F or Bb sides of the horn with identical
fingerings. Once the fourth-line Db is reached, most players will switch over to the Bb horn
and remain on it into the upper register. The advantage of both of these switching points -
(G on open F horn to Ab on T23 Bb horn and C on open F horn to Db on T23 Bb horn) - is
that the horn is shortened exactly one half-step, matching the half-step ascension.
UPPER REGISTER

bw w
F F#/Gb G
w w
& & &

F Horn: !23 F Horn: 1#3 F Horn: 123

Bb Horn: T 123 Bb Horn: T 1#3 Bb Horn: T 123
Alternate: T1 (Usually slightly sharper Alternate: T12 (Useful for trills or Alternate: T1 (Usually slightly flatter
than T alone.) passage work.) than T alone.)

G#/Ab A A#/Bb

w bw w w bw
& & &
F Horn: 1#" F Horn: !#3 F Horn: !23
Bb Horn: T 1#" Bb Horn: T !#3 Bb Horn: T !23
or T 1#3 or T 123
T23 is a sharper/narrower fingering, T12 is sharper/narrower, T is flatter/
and T2 is flatter/wider. wider. Alternate: 3 (flatter.)

w w w bw
B C C#/Db

& & &

F Horn: 1#3 F Horn: 123 F Horn: 123

Bb Horn: T 1#3 Bb Horn: T 123 Bb Horn: T 1#"
or T !#3
T12 is a 15th harmonic.
Alternates: 2, 12
UPPER REGISTER (CONTINUED)

w w bw w
D D#/Eb E

& & &

F Horn: 123 F Horn: 1#3 F Horn: 123
Bb Horn: T !#3 Bb Horn: T !23 Bb Horn: T 1#3
or T !23 or T 1#3 or T 123
T1 is a 15th harmonic. T2 is a 15th harmonic. T is a 15th harmonic.

Notes:
Once the 15th harmonic of the F horn (B above the staff) is reached, any note can be taken
with nearly any fingering. On the Bb horn, many players find it helpful to shorten the
fingerings by one half-step above the high C to utilize the 15th harmonics.
LOWER REGISTER

E Eb/D# D

?w ? bw w ?w

F Horn: !#3 F Horn: 1#" F Horn: !2"

Bb Horn: T 1#3 Bb Horn: T !23 Bb Horn: T !#3
Alternate: 3 (flatter) 13 is sharp - requires careful tuning
Alternate: T3 (flatter)

Db/C# C B

? bw w ?w ?w

F Horn: !#" F Horn: 123 F Horn: 1#3

Bb Horn: T 1#" Bb Horn: T !2" Bb Horn: T !#"
123 is very sharp and responds poorly. T13 is very sharp. T123 is very sharp.
Most hornists will use T23 for playing
this pitch.

Bb/A# A Ab/G#

? ? ?
bw w w bw w
F Horn: !#3 F Horn: !#3 F Horn: 1#"
Bb Horn: Not available Bb Horn: Not available Bb Horn: Not available
Must be done on F horn. Must be done on F horn. Must be done on F horn.
LOWER REGISTER (CONTINUED)

G Gb/F# F

? ? ?
w bw w w
F Horn: !2" F Horn: !#" F Horn: Not available
Bb Horn: Not available Bb Horn: Not available Bb Horn: T 123
Must be done on F horn. Sharp. Must be done on F horn. Sharp. Must be done on Bb horn.

E Eb/D# D

? ? ?
w bw w w
F Horn: Not available F Horn: Not available F Horn: Not available
Bb Horn: T 1#3 Bb Horn: T !23 Bb Horn: T !#3
Must be done on Bb horn. Must be done on Bb horn. Must be done on Bb horn.
Alternate: T3 (flatter)

Db/C# C

? ?
bw w w
F Horn: Not available F Horn: 123
Bb Horn: T 1#" Bb Horn: T !2"
Must be done on Bb horn. Fundamental of the open F horn. T13
may be more easily produced.
Notes:
The region from E to C# under middle C can benefit from flexibility in fingerings. The F horn
usually produces a more characteristic tone quality, but the Bb horn responds better in
articulation-heavy and technically-intricate playing. Note the gaps in the bottom octave
where F horn only must be used (Bb to Gb) and Bb horn only must be used (F to Db.)