The double horn has established itself as the orchestral instrument of choice.
The combination of full Bb and F horns offers the musician great flexibility in intonation and tone. There is also a definite correlation between mass and tonal projection.
With full double horns the thumb valve serves to change to either the shorter Bb horn or longer F horn. Gebr. Alexander furnishes some of its double horn models with an extra thumb valve in E/A, that with the addition of an extension can be used as a stopping valve (for example, Model 104 or 1104).
Some double horns are built according to the French “ascending” system, in which the third valve raises the pitch (in F as well as Bb) by a whole tone.
- K Model
- Fully independent Bb and F valve slides