# Difficulty in blowing the hunting horn



## Hunter15 (10 December 2012)

I am an amateur whip and have been told I may have to hunt hounds. Only problem being, I'm finding blowing the hunting horn extremely difficult. Some days I can get a sound other days I could cry!!! Has anyone any advice or tips they could give me. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks


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## JenHunt (10 December 2012)

Pick up a teach yourself trumpet/cornet book and learn how to make to embouchure properly, them practice blowing long, sustained notes. This helps you to get air going through the 'instrument' and will make it easier to play it consistently.

I'm a brass player so can help to some extent!


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## Lolo (10 December 2012)

I was going to say it might be worth trying to find a trumpet (or french horn? The mouthpiece seems more similar to the french horn one... Dunno!) teacher and asking for some help.

I also play the trumpet, and if I'm trying to get people to get notes going, I go for the following way to get a reasonable approximation of how to play...
-say 'M'
-the way you have your lips just before you start speaking is how you want them on the mouthpiece (they'll need to be slightly damp too, I find)
-Buzz through your lips as you breath into the horn. 
-Higher notes need more air, and tighter lips...


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## combat_claire (11 December 2012)

I can sympathise. My minkhound huntsman tried to get me blowing a hunting horn and failed miserably. 

Firstly have you double checked the horn that you have bought/borrowed is genuine - some of the ones sold on Ebay are actually ornaments and you will be trying until the cows come home to get a decent tune from it. 

Huntsman's top tip was to imagine blowing a massive raspberry into the mouthpiece. He does the best blowing for home I have ever heard so I guess his tip works.

Failing that, how about trying a reed horn if you are really struggling to get a sound out of a regular horn.


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## Hunter15 (11 December 2012)

Thanks for everyone's responses. I will definitely purchase the book and I hope to try using a trumpet. I will try anything!!

Many thanks and much appreciated.


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## natalia (16 December 2012)

Practice practice practise!! Our whip used to have one in the car and practice every time he was in a taffic jam or at lights. Must have looked a bit odd but worked!


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## Festive_Felicitations (16 December 2012)

I'm trying to learn to blow a hunting horn as well! *carefully takes note of all tips* ... its not going that well so far  
I'm still aiming to make a noise other than a 'fart'  consitently stage   

Another possibly useful tip I read, that seems to help me a bit, is _'open your throat like you are about to yawn'_

I too practice in the car as I do a fair bit of driving for work, the only danger is the other day absent mindedly picked it up and blew it perfectly. Was so loud and unexpected I scared the crap out of myself and dropped the horn and hit the car horn  Thankfully on a deserted stretch of hwy!


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## wench (18 December 2012)

Blow and spit at the same time...


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