I always hear saxes referred to as horns, along with brass instruments. So I'd like to know: what constitutes an instrument being called a horn? I've tried to look it up online but all I could find was that brass instruments are horns, which doesn't mention sax at all.
Originally "horn" just referred to the instrument we now often call the "French horn", but jazz musicians started using the term to cover any wind instrument (and sometimes even other instruments.)
It's convenient being able to use one term to refer to all wind instruments, rather than having to name them individually. For example you can say, "We have a five-piece horn section", as opposed to, "We have alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, trumpet, and trombone."
Originally "horn" just referred to the instrument we now often call the "French horn", but jazz musicians started using the term to cover any wind instrument (and sometimes even other instruments.)
It's convenient being able to use one term to refer to all wind instruments, rather than having to name them individually. For example you can say, "We have a five-piece horn section", as opposed to, "We have alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, trumpet, and trombone."
OK, but the flute is a wind instrument . . . and I don't ever recall anyone referring to a flute as a horn. But then I do have limited experience . . .
Them guitar and wannabe players got ax from us jazzers from the '60s, when all instruments were referred to as axes. Axe came from chopping wood/working to stay alive and morfed into an instrument that you use to make a living.
Horns were originally made from the horns of grazing animals, right? So I'd say that the strictest definition of a horn is "a closed-ended, reedless wind instrument that has a conical bore". It's not much of a step to include cylindrical bores, slides and valves. If we can depart on the bore shape, why can't we also include reeds? And since Adolph did play with valved instruments....
Yes, I've heard pianos and guitars referred to as "horns." Basically a jazz guy may refer to any musical instrument as a horn.
When I first started playing classical bassoon, I took mine to a professional bassoonists who also was a known bassoon repair tech for some work. As I talked with him about my bassoon, I was about to call it a horn; I stopped myself and asked him, "Do you guys refer to your bassoons as horns?" He smiled and said, "Absolutely!" So it seems the horn terminology has invaded the classical world, too!
That's nothing--After all these frustrating years, now I know why I haven't been able to get a decent tone out of my double-bit axe. I just get lacerated lips.
you live and learn, and I had no idea maybe it was because self educated pop bands wanted a "horn" section which was typically Trombone Trumpet and Sax and they all sound like fog horns when you start to play.
This thread is very strange. Do we also need to define 'woodwind', 'brass', 'strings', 'chart', and every other commonly known and understood (by musicians) term?
Very strange indeed and I always wondered how a flute was woodwind until my wife explained that early flutes are made of wood, reeds are not wood so I guess a sax is a grasswind instrument.
I always thought that "horns" had a conical bore — yes, I know trumpets and baritones have a cylindrical bore but they have the characteristic flared "horn" shape at the end of the airway. Think of a cattle horn, ram's horn, or a cornucopia. The cylindrical flute wouldn't be called a "horn". The clarinet though, is sort of tricky. We usually refer to the flared end as a "bell" and lots of clarinet players are kind of reticent to refer to the instrument as a "horn". Cynical doublers have been know to refer to it as the "fish horn" however.
It's also more fun to say and more informal than "saxophone". I liken it to the way violinists like to call themselves fiddle players.
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