What is the transposition of the horn in F relative to written pitch?

• A. Sounds a major third higher than written.
• B. Sounds a perfect fifth lower than written.
• C. Sounds the same as written.
• D. Sounds a minor sixth lower than written.

Answer: (B)

Transposing instruments shift what you see on the page to a different sounding pitch. For the horn in F, the sounding pitch is a perfect fifth lower than the written pitch.

So, when you write a note for the horn in F, the horn will actually produce a pitch a fifth below that written note. For example, written C will sound as concert F, and written G will sound as concert C. This is why the correct statement is that the horn in F sounds a perfect fifth lower than written. The other options don’t fit because they describe different transpositions (a major third higher, no transposition, or a minor sixth lower) that don’t match how horn in F is designed to sound.