.: Full Descant Horns

Lawson Horns is proud to offer two unique and distinctly different designs for descant horns: our 8211 Model - popular with orchestral players, and the 963 - popular with chamber and solo players.

Above: The unique "Double Change" valve in a Model 8211

The 8211 is our large bore orchestral descant horn. Similar in playing characteristics to the Fourier 804, this horn is a very free blowing descant horn crafted in collaboration with many major orchestral principal players. As with all Lawson Horns, bell flares may be made in the same or differing metals.

Taper: The 8211 comes in only one fixed taper.

Thickness: The 8211 can be made in either .020” or .016” thickness.

Alloy: The 8211 can be made in any of the alloys offered in the 804: yellow brass, red brass, nickel silver, ambronze, or nickel bronze.

Additional Valves: Available upon request. Additional charges may apply.

Above: Our Model 963, seen with an F-basso extension.

Our lighter standard 5 valve descant, the 963 is the newest horn design from Lawson Horns. This descant horn is designed to be an all around soloist, chamber, and light orchestral horn.  Many players who prefer our Classical 804 Model prefer this horn for their descant playing.

Taper: The 963 comes in only one fixed taper.

Thickness: The 963 can be made in either .020” or .016” thickness.

Alloy:  The 963 can be made in any of the alloys offered in the 804: yellow brass, red brass, nickel silver, ambronze, or nickel bronze.

Additional Features: The 963 comes with an A-stop valve included with the price. We also offer additional F-basso crook, available upon request. Additional charges may apply.

.: Descant Horn FAQ

What is a descant horn? A Descant horn is a specialized horn which many professional orchestral and solo players use for additional security in extreme high ranges of the horn. Unlike a double horn, descant horns are smaller, pitched in B-flat and high F. These horns are usually only recommended for experienced players, those who are practicing on a regular basis, as they will not magically grant you higher notes - instead, they only secure notes you already can play on a standard double horn.

What makes Lawson descants unique? Our descants are the culimination of decades of research, performing, and collaboration with professional horn players. The 8211 is a truly unique double-change valve design, and both the 963 and 8211 are dual bored throughout the cylindrical, leadpipe, and first branch taper, making them indistinguishable in loudness and tone from a double horn. This prevents any trumpet-like sound quality on the high F side, a common problem with many descant horns today.

Can I request different tapers with these horns? Unfortunately, the designs of these horns do not have the flexibility of our 804 model. The 8211 is geared more for orchestral playing, and the 963 is designed for chamber and solo work. While both are perfectly usable in either setting, these remarks are suggestions from our professionals giving feedback about our horns.

Can I request different metals for the bell tail and flare? Absolutely. We can include whichever metal you feel would be best suited for your playing and your situation.

Can I put a V2 leadpipe on a descant horn? A descant leadpipe is far shorter than a standard horn leadpipe, and as a result, the V2 is not available for descants.