Marching French Horns

[Mir]

I hope we don't revert back, because I'm a mellophone player and love the sound they make. I can't play french horn, and have never played french horn. The only time I find that the mello's stick out of the ensemble is when we are playing higher than the rest of the ensemble, or moving when the rest of the corps is holding.

[big phan]

Yeah. I found in playing them(french horns) that they have a sound that doesn't stick out ever, even when you want it to. If you want the french horns to play a line that should come out, it takes the rest of the ensemble holding back a little to make sure it is heard. However, the low range on a horn is fantastic. Big, warm, dark. It's way less like an alto trumpet, compared to a mello. I'd love to see a junior corps start marching a line of those and mellos, to get the fuller, warmer sound. I really like the mellophone, but I think the french horn can create a more dark sound.

[JF_the_Elder]

I think Phantom used to be the last holdout

In 84 the BD middles were a split of Frenchies and flugelhorns.  I don't rememebr when the Frenchies were gone, but I don't think it was past 86...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Phantom stopped using French Horns after 92

The Glassmen used French Horns from 94-97...they were Kings that were ten years old at the time and were still in the original packaging.

and being heard over the hornline was never an issue

[DAL27]

27th Lancers Alumni Marched 10 or 12 in '94. They sounded awesome. The sound is nice and dark and it's hard to make them edgy. They don't cut well but combined with mellos they sound great.

Corps used to need them so they could play some of the chromatics between Baris and Mellophones, without having the Baris play above the staff the whole time. 3 valves changed that. Plus better musicians coming into the low brass sections.

Dave