Learn to Play the French Horn! Book 2: French Horn Book

Steady and purposeful. The 48-page scope feels manageable rather than overwhelming, with exercises that sound musical enough to feel rewarding even at early levels. There's a sense of deliberate craftsmanship here; you're not just playing notes, you're learning how to produce a proper horn sound.

Horn students in their second year of study who have completed foundational material and are ready to deepen tone production while building rhythmic independence. This book works well for middle school players advancing beyond beginner method books, and for private studio students needing structured, concept-based progression.

• Establish a consistent long-tone routine before tackling rhythmic material. Use the early exercises to build air support and embouchure strength rather than rushing through them.
• Pay close attention to Eisenhauer's tone production cues. Horn tone is built on breath control and embouchure positioning, so treat these foundational pages as essential rather than preliminary.
• Work through the rhythmic progressions methodically. The graded approach means each new rhythm pattern prepares you for the next, so skipping material will create gaps in reading fluency.
• Record yourself playing passages from different chapters. Comparing your tone quality and rhythmic accuracy across the book helps you hear the development that's happening.

Use this book as the core method for second-year horn players in band program, particularly if your ensemble includes players at mixed levels and you need individual students to progress independently. The emphasis on tone production makes it valuable for conductors working to improve overall brass section sonority.

• Controlled tone production through proper embouchure and breathing
• Reading rhythmic patterns in simple and compound meters
• Playing across the middle register with consistency
• Developing air support and dynamic control
• Sight-reading in treble clef with rhythmic variety