Alphorn

Sound and Character

The sound of the alphorn is deep, powerful, warm, and carries across the mountains for many kilometers. Due to the enormous length of the tube, it produces the purest overtones of the natural scale, creating a majestic, tranquil echo.

Design and Features

A long straight or slightly curved conical wooden horn at the end (often made from a naturally curved spruce trunk), connected to a wooden mouthpiece. The horn has no valves or holes — all notes are extracted by the power of breath and lips (natural overtone series).

Genres Used In

• Traditional Swiss and alpine music
• Swiss folk-jazz and contemporary academic avant-garde