Posted by David Auerbach on March 14, 2002 at 01:54:18:
I bought a German helicon on E-bay, a Sachsische Musik-Instrumenten Fabriken horn with three rotary valves. It seems to have unusual fingering: the second valve takes the horn a half-step sharp, instead of the usual half-step flat. That is, instead of playing C open and B with the second valve down, it's the exact opposite, B open and C with the valve down. Furthermore, it was sold as a B German (ie. Bb) horn, but plays, more or less, A concert open, and Bb with that second valve depressed. It doesn't appear that the valve is in backwards or sideways, but I've never seen or heard of such a fingering system before. Does anyone know about helicon fingerings?