French Horn Fingering Chart (F Horn and Double Horn)
A French horn fingering chart shows which valves to press for each written note. The horn in F sounds a perfect 5th lower than written. Most players use a double horn: the F side uses the single F horn fingerings, and pressing the thumb valve switches to the B♭ side, usually from written G♯4 upwards. The left hand works the valves.
Works in the UK and the US. This version uses UK music words (bar, semitone, stave); the US version uses measure, half step and staff. · US version of this page
Key facts
- Horn in F: written C sounds as concert F, a perfect 5th lower.
- Three valves (left hand): valve 2 lowers a note by a semitone, valve 1 by a tone, valve 3 by a tone and a half.
- Double horn: a fourth valve worked by the left thumb switches from the F side to the B♭ side.
- Usual choice: F side up to written G4, B♭ side (thumb valve) from G♯4 upwards; above C♯5 almost always B♭ side.
- On the F horn, written C4, E4, G4 and C5 are all "open" (no valves).
- The right hand sits in the bell and helps the sound and tuning.
Interactive French horn fingering chart
Private by design: this page never uses the microphone. Nothing is recorded, saved or sent – quiz answers stay on this device.
Classfern's free French horn fingering chart on lessonplanner.info: press a note to see the valves and hear how it should sound. Choose double horn (usual side for each note), F side only, or B♭ side only.
Keyboard: Tab to the notes, then the arrow keys move from note to note and play each one. The ▶ buttons in the tables below show and play that note.
How do you read a French horn fingering chart?
Find the written note and press the valves shown: 1 is under your left first finger, 2 under the second and 3 under the third. "0" or "open" means no valves, and "T" means press the thumb valve for the B♭ side of a double horn.
Horn parts are written for horn in F, so the chart uses written notes; the concert column shows what a piano would play for the same sound.
| Written note | Sounds (concert) | F horn / F side | B♭ side (thumb) | Double horn: usual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F♯3/G♭3 | B2 | 2 | T + 1 + 2 + 3 | F side: 2 |
| G3 | C3 | 0 (open) | T + 1 + 3 | F side: 0 (open) |
| G♯3/A♭3 | C♯3/D♭3 | 2 + 3 | T + 2 + 3 | F side: 2 + 3 |
| A3 | D3 | 1 + 2 | T + 1 + 2 | F side: 1 + 2 |
| A♯3/B♭3 | D♯3/E♭3 | 1 | T + 1 | F side: 1 |
| B3 | E3 | 2 | T + 2 | F side: 2 |
| C4 | F3 | 0 (open) | T (open) | F side: 0 (open) |
| C♯4/D♭4 | F♯3/G♭3 | 1 + 2 | T + 2 + 3 | F side: 1 + 2 |
| D4 | G3 | 1 | T + 1 + 2 | F side: 1 |
| D♯4/E♭4 | G♯3/A♭3 | 2 | T + 1 | F side: 2 |
| E4 | A3 | 0 (open) | T + 2 | F side: 0 (open) |
| F4 | A♯3/B♭3 | 1 | T (open) | F side: 1 |
| F♯4/G♭4 | B3 | 2 | T + 1 + 2 | F side: 2 |
| G4 | C4 | 0 (open) | T + 1 | F side: 0 (open) |
| G♯4/A♭4 | C♯4/D♭4 | 2 + 3 | T + 2 + 3 | B♭ side: T + 2 + 3 |
| A4 | D4 | 1 + 2 | T + 1 + 2 | B♭ side: T + 1 + 2 |
| A♯4/B♭4 | D♯4/E♭4 | 1 | T + 1 | B♭ side: T + 1 |
| B4 | E4 | 2 | T + 2 | B♭ side: T + 2 |
| C5 | F4 | 0 (open) | T (open) | B♭ side: T (open) |
| C♯5/D♭5 | F♯4/G♭4 | 1 + 2 | T + 2 + 3 | B♭ side: T + 2 + 3 |
| D5 | G4 | 1 | T + 1 + 2 | B♭ side: T + 1 + 2 |
| D♯5/E♭5 | G♯4/A♭4 | 2 | T + 1 | B♭ side: T + 1 |
| E5 | A4 | 0 (open) | T + 2 | B♭ side: T + 2 |
| F5 | A♯4/B♭4 | 1 | T (open) | B♭ side: T (open) |
| F♯5/G♭5 | B4 | 2 | T + 2 | B♭ side: T + 2 |
| G5 | C5 | 0 (open) | T (open) | B♭ side: T (open) |
| G♯5/A♭5 | C♯5/D♭5 | 2 + 3 | T + 2 + 3 | B♭ side: T + 2 + 3 |
| A5 | D5 | 1 + 2 | T + 1 + 2 | B♭ side: T + 1 + 2 |
| A♯5/B♭5 | D♯5/E♭5 | 1 | T + 1 | B♭ side: T + 1 |
| B5 | E5 | 2 | T + 2 | B♭ side: T + 2 |
| C6 | F5 | 0 (open) | T (open) | B♭ side: T (open) |
★ marks notes outside the usual beginner range (G3 to D5). Other fingerings exist for many notes; your teacher may choose different ones for tuning.
To keep a printable copy, use your browser's Print and choose "Save as PDF". The tables print without the buttons and pictures.
What is the difference between F horn and double horn fingering?
A single F horn has one set of fingerings. A double horn has the same F-side fingerings plus a second set with the thumb valve down: the B♭ side is pitched a perfect 4th higher, so each note uses different valves on that side.
The double horn chart above shows both sides for every written note and the side most players use. The B♭ side is shorter tubing, so its high notes are more secure and its notes are spaced further apart.
Quiz: name the French horn fingering
Eight quick questions on the beginner notes of the instrument chosen in the chart, then a short "I can" checklist.
- Marked by Classfern – the eight fingering questions, checked straight away.
- Self-assessed – the "I can" checklist: you tick it when you have done it.
When do you press the thumb valve on a double horn?
Most players use the F side for written notes up to G4 and press the thumb valve for the B♭ side from G♯4 upwards. The noted horn teacher Philip Farkas described G♯ to C in the middle of the stave as optional, and above third-space C♯ as B♭ horn.
- Learn the F side fingerings first – they are the same on a single and a double horn.
- Practise the switch on G4 (F side, open) to G♯4 (thumb + 2 + 3).
- Play C5 both ways (open on the F side, thumb only on the B♭ side) and listen: the B♭ side is usually more secure.
Why do so many horn notes use the same fingering?
Each valve combination gives a whole series of notes (the harmonic series), and the horn plays high in that series where the notes are close together. So "open" gives written C4, E4, G4, C5 and more on the F horn – your lips and ears choose which one sounds.
More fingering charts and music tools
The fingering charts are Classfern's own, written from the standard published basic fingerings; there are often other fingerings for the same note, and your teacher may prefer one of them. Mr Chopin and Miss Clara Schumann are Classfern's own cartoon characters, named in honour of the composers Frédéric Chopin and Clara Schumann – they are not portraits of the real people.
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