Euphonium to Horn
Scroll through this page to see the similarities and differences between euphonium and horn to get you started on your new instrument.
Comparison Chart
Mouthpiece Comparisons
Euphonium
The Euphonium mouthpiece is more C-cupped, wider and deeper with a thicker rim.
French Horn
The French Horn mouthpiece is more V-shaped and narrow with a thinner rim.
Embouchure Comparisons
Euphonium
To form a euphonium embouchure your lips will be more even than on the horn. Your buzz on euphonium will be more relaxed but you will still use a lot of upper lip in your buzz like you do on the horn.
French Horn
For a French Horn embouchure, your upper lip will come over your lower lip a bit more and more of your upper lip will go into the mouthpiece. Your resting embouchure shape should look like a diamond.
Horn Angle & Mouthpiece Placement
Euphonium
On the Euphonium, the lead pipe and mouthpiece should be straight forward at your mouth, there is no downward angle.
French Horn
The French Horn mouthpiece and lead pipe need to be angled down at about 35 degrees to direct the air properly into the instrument. You should have about 2/3 of the upper lip and 1/3 of the lower lip inside the mouthpiece. Anchor the mouthpiece on your bottom lip and rest it on your top lip. You want to avoid pressure on the top lip as much as possible.
Clefs
If your first instrument was the euphonium, then you are probably used to reading in bass clef. Switching to horn will mean you'll have to learn treble clef. However, if you are used to reading treble clef baritone parts, then you will already have a head start on treble clef. Use the pictures below to compare your bass clef and treble clef notes.
Euphonium
French Horn
