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Mellophone Pitch


CroWnSoPrAnO

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Not good advice at all, don't listen.

The main problem in the transition is simply that trumpet players overblow when they make the switch. Just stay relaxed, as some others have said.

Oh, and enjoy your added octave of range that you'll have over french horn players. :)

That's the flippin truth.

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You know there are some corps that pretty consistently have trumpet players on mellophones, and you can tell.

Where have BDs and Madisons mellos been these last few years?

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You know there are some corps that pretty consistently have trumpet players on mellophones, and you can tell.

Where have BDs and Madisons mellos been these last few years?

Good ear, Jayzer.

I personally HATE the sound of a trumpet player on mellophone. They don't approach the instrument correctly. Sorta like trombone players on baritone. It takes them a LONG time to approach the instrument correctly. When I am judging marching bands, especially on the field level, they stick out like a sore thumb.

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You know there are some corps that pretty consistently have trumpet players on mellophones, and you can tell.

Where have BDs and Madisons mellos been these last few years?

Take more time to listen for BD's mellos, they were better than they've been in the last few years. They had a great book this year, too.

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Good ear, Jayzer.

I personally HATE the sound of a trumpet player on mellophone. They don't approach the instrument correctly. Sorta like trombone players on baritone. It takes them a LONG time to approach the instrument correctly. When I am judging marching bands, especially on the field level, they stick out like a sore thumb.

It's not about which instrument you played beforehand, its how you approach the one you're currently playing. If a trumpet player switches to mello but goes about playing it with aspects of a french horn mindset (beyond the technical aspects that more so come from the trumpet), it'll sound fine. Just like you can't stand a mellophone when played like a trumpet, I also can't stand hearing french horn players who don't adapt to the mellophone. They have a timbre of their own, and I'm not a fan of it at all.

As any person who's been playing the horn for a while will tell you, it really is an entirely unique instrument and needs to be treated as such. It really is much more similar to a trumpet than a french horn (one look at it will tell you that), but can't be played like one or the other or the true nature of the instrument gets compromised.

- Jared, mellophone preservationist

Edited by Jared_mello
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It's not about which instrument you played beforehand, its how you approach the one you're currently playing. If a trumpet player switches to mello but goes about playing it with aspects of a french horn mindset (beyond the technical aspects that more so come from the trumpet), it'll sound fine. Just like you can't stand a mellophone when played like a trumpet, I also can't stand hearing french horn players who don't adapt to the mellophone. They have a timbre of their own, and I'm not a fan of it at all.

I didn't say I can't stand a mellophone when played like a trumpet. I said I can't stand the sound of a trumpet player on mellophone.

I personally like the french horn sound on mellophone. It makes the mellos sound different than the trumpet (something most corps do not achieve). An entire line of french horn players on mellophone, approaching the mello LIKE a horn, is the ultimate sound for me.

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Oh im enjoying that for sure! :)

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The real trick to mellophone. Move your fingers fast and play more notes. That way you do not have to worry so much about the pitch. B)

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Not good advice at all, don't listen.

The main problem in the transition is simply that trumpet players overblow when they make the switch. Just stay relaxed, as some others have said.

Oh, and enjoy your added octave of range that you'll have over french horn players. :)

Octave range over the french horn players? Really? In 88, JD Shaw and I had a better range on mellophone than pretty much all the sops. Both of us were french horn players. In fact, I think he and I were playing the highest note in the final chord of the show that year (or we were matched with the upper lead sops).

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