Tune the Strings

French Horn Tuner

Tune your horn with your microphone. The tuner shows the written note for horn in F (a perfect fifth above concert pitch) and how many cents flat or sharp you are.

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Press Start and allow the microphone. Audio stays on your device.

French horn tuning notes

Tuning noteHorn in F readsHorn in E♭ readsConcert pitchFrequency (A4 = 440)
Concert F (written C)C5D5F4349.23 Hz
Concert B♭ (written F)F4G4B♭3233.08 Hz
Low concert F (written low C)C4D4F3174.61 Hz
Orchestra tuning noteE5F♯5A4440.00 Hz

Concert pitch vs written pitch

The horn is written in F: everything sounds a perfect fifth lower than written. Concert F is your written C, and concert B♭ is your written F. This tuner defaults to written pitch for horn in F, so you see the note on your part. Older parts in E♭ can be read with the E♭ setting.

How to tune a french horn with this tuner

  1. Warm up, then press Start tuner and allow the microphone. Keep your right hand in its normal position in the bell; it affects pitch.
  2. On the F side, play a written C (concert F) and adjust the main tuning slide until it is centred.
  3. Press the thumb valve for the B♭ side and play the same note; adjust the B♭ slide (or the F-side slide, depending on your horn's design) so both sides agree.
  4. Then tune each valve slide on its own side: play notes using 1st, 2nd and 3rd valve and nudge each slide.

French horn tuning tips

Right hand

Closing your hand further into the bell lowers the pitch and darkens the sound. Tune with your normal hand position.

Double horns

Most horns are F/B♭ doubles with separate slides for each side. Get the open F and open B♭ sides in tune with each other before the valve slides.

Stopped horn

Fully stopped notes go sharp by about a semitone; that is normal and why stopped passages are fingered a half step lower.

Tune by ear with reference notes

No microphone? Press a reference note above to hear it for three seconds and match it, listening for the "beats" (a wobble) to slow down and disappear. The buttons are labelled with the note you read in the selected setting, with the concert pitch underneath.

FAQ

What note do French horns tune to?

Usually concert F (written C) and concert B♭ (written F) in bands, and concert A (written E) in orchestras.

Why does the tuner show F when I play C on my horn?

The horn is in F, so a written C sounds as concert F. This tuner shows the written note by default; choose "Concert pitch" to see the sounding note.

How do I tune a double horn?

Tune the F side with the main slide, then the B♭ side with its own slide so the same written note matches on both, then each valve slide.

Other tuners