Horn vs. Mello

[MellophoniusMajorus]

I know there have been quite a few posts lately on the topic of the mellophone, but I thought one more couldn't hurt! I mean it IS the best section in any marching unit. B) Anywho, I consider myself to be a mellophone player, though college professors would consider me to be a "Horn major". I would like to know why people (MAINLY horn players) consider the mellophone to be such a...I guess...hinderence to the horn. They generally say they "don't like the sound"..."it's too bright"..."there are intonation problems" and all that. My personal opinion on this subject is "EXACTLY!!" I mean, it's NOT a french horn! It's a mellophone...there are only 2 real similarities...it's the alto voice in a piece, and they are in the same key. Though on the alto voice subject, the mello is generally in the more upper part of the alto voicing, while the horn is generally (but not ALWAYS) in the lower part of the alto voicing. There's probably something I'm forgetting to say, but I'll remember after a few posts have been...well...posted!!

[TerriDitt57]

If we're gonna get technical, the french horn bugle is not a horn either. It's a close facsimile.

My horn is what I SIT and play. with an orchestra or concert band.

Buglewise, I've played the ultratone v/r, two Valve DEG(junk, should only be used as a lamp) and my three valve kanstul which was the finest horn I played in drum corps. (I never tried the 2-valve King which folks rave about)

I like playing mello. I'd never done it in drum corps until last summer and it was a lot of fun.

[Evil Mello]

Both the mello and the French horn contibute to a horn line with their respective timbres. Mellos are more popular than horns because it is easier to control in most drum corps environments, but there is room for both. Mellos are great for those "raise the hair on the back of your neck" 32nd note screaming runs. And horns have that lush tone that really fills out the alto line.

[ContraAl3of10]

I mean it IS the best section in any marching unit.

Are you high?

[ContraMan]

I mean it IS the best section in any marching unit.

Are you high?

w/Stp:

[RedMello5]

Being a fellow 'horn major' and also mello in DCI, I can say this with absolute truth (on MY part, anyway). Mello kicks your HORN chops' ###! You come back to the horn and find you're absolute crap at it. The mello is basically like a big trumpet (note the BASICALLY, I know its really not) and like a trumpet- everything is different.

Its a different embouchure, a different mouthpiece placement, a different head angle, and different breathing as well.

If you play on a trumpet mouthpiece, or a proper mello mouthpiece (ie- Benge Mello 6), it also affects your lips- it makes your 'ring' a lot fatter than it should be, and that affects tone quality. I am a HUGE believer in marching with an adapter and your horn mouthpiece, if you are a horn player. If you're a trumpet player, go for the right mouthpiece for you.

Also- having to do with the harmonic series, the trumpet and mello's partials are much much closer than that of the Fhorn. Displaced by about an octave, I believe- that ocatave is a BIG BIG difference in the distance between partials. So when you play mello- you go back to your horn and are slippin and slidin all over the partials- you can't find them- you're too used to them being closer.

That's why I think it is a hinderance to 'horn' playing. But as for the obligatory intonation problems- horns have 'em too. Look at all that friggin tubing we have to tune! blimey- I knew there was some reason for our hands in the bell... :P you can not escape out of tune-ness... :)

The "i don't like the sound' bit- I love the mello sound. When played properly, it has a very lovely singing tone, which adds a lot to the marching ensemble.

"its too bright"- depends on how you play it- all brass instruments can be bright, respectively. Besides- being brighter than a Fhorn was kind of the point- they didn't manuver the whole horn around back in the beginning of the mello getting the bell to point frontwards to make it quieter... B)

"The concept of walking while playing....I just never got that." - Dr.Tritle, my horn prof (can you tell he's anti marching band/corps? Especially corps...THAT was an interesting conversation, when I first revealed my intent to march Colts... )

FIN

Edited November 23, 2002 by RedMello5

[RedMello5]

some battle...where is everyone?

[jivey2002]

Baritone....

[Crownmember]

I mean it IS the best section in any marching unit.

Are you high?

are YOU?? B)

[Roger Ellis]

Mellos are the meat of the line. I agree with the comments about the 3 valve Kanstul being the best. Off and on over the past 30 years I have played the valve-rotor Whalley Royce (a garbage can that we played with trumpet mouthpieces), the 2 valve DEG (my second least favorite), a 2 valve King (a great horn even though it was worn out) and the Kanstul 3 valve (the only mello that ever sounded in tune with other mellos in the section when standing in the line). One thing that you must remember regarding the sound - there is NOTHING mellow about a mellophone! They aren't SUPPOSED to sound like concert french horns.