In Bb, the horn slide has a similar range, but the French horn player can move between the open notes by clenching their lips to play higher and loosening their lips to play lower. In most cases, a horn is played in the range of C to C (above the stave of the treble clef). With an experienced professional, the French horn can play over 4 and half octaves. The French horn, which is the most common transposing instrument found in key F, has an Eb crook that lowers it by a specific tone. The note can be lowered by one octave by depressing the fourth valve with the left hand. The E-flat fingering produces a note that is one octave higher than the open horn.

The second and third valves are usually operated together by the right hand, but they can be operated independently if necessary. The E-flat fingering is accomplished by depressing the first valve with the left hand and the second and third valves with the right hand. The B-flat fingering is also used for some notes in the upper register, but the E-flat fingering is more common for those notes. The fourth valve is also known as the “F” valve, because it lowers the pitch of the horn by one half-step. The note can be raised by one octave by depressing the fourth valve with the left hand. The B-flat fingering produces a note that is one octave lower than the open horn. The first and second valves are usually operated together by the right hand, but they can be operated independently if necessary. The B-flat fingering is accomplished by depressing the third valve with the left hand and the first and second valves with the right hand. The B-flat fingering is used for many notes in the lower and middle register of the instrument. B-flat is the most common fingering on French horn.

E flat alto horn