First Division Band Method, Part 2: Horn in F Book

Part 2 carries forward the proven instructional design that has shaped millions of young horn players. The updated edition respects what worked in the original while refreshing presentation, making it feel current in the classroom without abandoning the methodical, trust-worthy progression directors have relied on for decades.

The method feels methodical and encouraging. Exercises are short enough to build quickly without overwhelming, and the inclusion of familiar songs and folk melodies gives context to technical learning. Students encounter material at a human pace.

This book is for beginning to early intermediate horn players, typically in middle school band or private study. It works equally well for students picking up horn as a second instrument or those advancing through a systematic curriculum.

• Work through exercises in sequence without skipping ahead. The method builds embouchure strength and air support incrementally; jumping to harder passages before mastery invites frustration and poor habits.
• Use a long tone routine daily from the earliest lessons. Sustained practice on open tones and simple slurs develops the breath control and pitch accuracy that all later material depends on.
• Play duets and band arrangements alongside the technical work. Applying newly learned fingerings and rhythms in musical context helps students hear their progress and stay engaged.
• Practice high and low register work separately during a lesson, then integrate them. Horn requires careful attention to hand position and pressure changes as you move between registers.

Assign Part 2 once your horn section has completed Part 1 and demonstrates solid fundamentals. Correlate the sequence with your full band's repertoire selections, matching students' technical abilities in the method to the demands of concert pieces.

• Reading treble clef with accuracy and fluency
• Intermediate range extension (low B-flat through high E-flat and beyond)
• Valve combinations and fingering patterns on horn
• Sustaining long tones with steady air support and intonation
• Articulation styles (staccato, legato, accents)
• Major and minor scale reading and execution
• Simple interval and harmonic relationships
• Rhythmic accuracy in simple and compound meters