Use focus mode, you'll hit everything. Switch it to toggling instead of holding down button. Which is why I disagree with opinion focus mode isn't that necessary.
Playing with other melee weapons with wide swing attack, it doesn't seem that bad. But after playing Lance and
Chargeblade Savage Axe, I feel the movement directional control is intentionally made worse to compensate for accuracy of Focus mode. I mean, I can't micro adjust attack angle precisely as I want with tilt angle (Foward + Left/Right or Backward + Left/Right) between attack string. Focus mode gives me that, no more whiffing and no more hitting bad hitzone with melee weapon. Up to anyone thinking, this is also a bandaid fix to shorten the gap between ranged weapons and melee weapons damage output.
Hunting Horn overall is fine to me, what I don't like they over correct it with more micro management in it and rhythm game. I mean around (Performance beat) 4:10 in video below, you can deal more damage output with timing input. Also other timing input to preload a song in echo bubbles animation.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=cLhMn13I4AE:250
And then looking at fucking Longsword, more hyper armor (no interrupt) and
every other action game "perfect dodge". Adept dodge from Generations.
Longsword.mp4
Longsword 1.mp4
Edit: the last sentence to Adept dodge.