The mellophone is a brass instrument used in some marching bands instead of French horns. It is a medium-range instrument, usually played in the key of F, though some models have been made in E♭, D, C, and G (like a bugle). It has a tapered shape and piston valves, similar to the euphonium and flugelhorn.

Marching bands use this instrument instead of French horns because its bell faces forward, which helps the sound carry better in open-air settings. Adjustments to the instrument’s tuning are made by moving the tuning slide or the first valve slide. The way the mellophone is played, called fingerings, is the same as for the trumpet, tenor horn, and most other valved brass instruments. Because it is mostly used outside of concert music, there is not much music written for it to be played by a single performer, except for pieces used in drum and bugle corps and one concerto composed for the instrument.

Characteristics

The modern mellophone has three valves operated with the right hand (1- and 2-valve mellophones were used in the past). Its fingerings are the same as a trumpet. It is usually tuned to a lower pitch, in the key of F or E♭. The F mellophone’s overtone series is one octave higher than the F horn’s. The mellophone’s tubing length is similar to that of the F-alto (high) single horn or the F-alto (high) branch of a triple horn or double-descant horn.

The mellophone’s bell direction and shorter tubing (compared to a French horn) make it resemble a large trumpet. Its mouthpiece appears similar to a trumpet’s, with a short shank. However, the mouthpiece has a deep cup, like a flugelhorn’s, and a wider opening than a trumpet’s. These features produce a dark, round sound. Some trumpet players who also play the mellophone use a trumpet-style parabolic mouthpiece, creating a brighter, more trumpet-like sound. Horn players who play the mellophone often use a smaller, conical mouthpiece, like those on French horns, with an adapter to fit the mellophone’s larger leadpipe. This type of mouthpiece produces a warmer sound and allows horn players to use the same embouchure as they do on the French horn.

History

There are two types of instruments called mellophones:

• Traditional mellophones, also called "concert," "classic," or "circular" mellophones, have a bell that faces the back or side, similar to a French horn.
• Marching mellophones have a bell that faces forward.

The mellophone was developed during the 19th century, when horn designs were changing. The first version was the Koenig horn, created by Antoine Courtois based on a design by Herman Koenig. Courtois had recently won the right to make saxhorns in a legal case against Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone. The Koenig horn had three piston valves, like those on a modern trumpet, and was shaped somewhat like a smaller French horn. Its design was influenced by the post horn.

Köhler & Son began calling their line of horns "mellophones" after instruments made by Distin. These horns were similar to post horns but had valves. Over time, their mouthpieces and bell angles changed to improve sound projection and control.

Traditional mellophones look like French horns, with a rounded shape and a bell that faces the back left. They are usually played with the right hand and are keyed in F, allowing them to switch to E♭. Older versions could also play in D or C. These instruments were used by community and school bands as an alto voice, both indoors and outdoors, in place of French horns. Their production dropped greatly in the mid-20th century, and they are rarely used today. In some cases, they are called "Tenor Cor."

Mellophone bugles in the key of G were made for American drum and bugle corps from the 1950s until around 2000, when Drum Corps International allowed brass instruments in any key.

Modern marching mellophones are more similar to bugle-horns like the flugelhorn, euphonium, and tuba. Their shape is more conical, like a cone, rather than the shape of a trumpet or trombone.

Difference from the horn

The marching mellophone is used instead of the horn in marching bands because it has a bell-shaped front that sends sound forward. This is important in drum corps and marching bands because the audience is usually on only one side of the group. Mellophones are often made with a smaller tube size, which makes them louder than marching French horns. There are also marching B♭ French horns with a bell-shaped front; these use a horn mouthpiece and have a sound similar to a French horn, but they are harder to play accurately on the field.

Another reason mellophones are used more often is that they are easier to play compared to French horns. In French horns, the long tubing and larger tube size make the notes closer together than in other brass instruments, which makes it harder to play accurately. The F mellophone has half the length of tubing as a French horn, which gives it a sound pattern more similar to a trumpet and most other brass instruments.

The mellophone is an instrument made specifically to produce a sound similar to a horn while being easy to play while marching. Outside of marching events, the traditional French horn is commonly used, and the mellophone is rarely used.

Mellophonium

C.G. Conn created the 16E "Mellophonium" and first sold it in 1957. It is similar to the Conn 14E "classic" or "concert" mellophone, but it is partially unfolded to make the bell face forward. American bandleader Stan Kenton was not involved in designing the mellophonium. However, in 1961, he supported Conn's advertising after using the instrument. For years, Kenton wanted to add another brass instrument to his orchestra, alongside trumpets and trombones, but other instruments did not work well. He later discovered the Conn Mellophonium, which met his needs:

In 1962, Kenton said, "For a long time, I knew we needed an instrument that would give the orchestra another solo voice and add more warmth to the main musical theme. The Mellophonium has met these needs and offered new ways to change and highlight the sound. My decision to use four Mellophoniums did not happen quickly. They are not just for show. The arranging team and I realized we needed an instrument that could cover the range of sound between trumpets and trombones. We first tried ten trumpets—five B flat and five E flat—but could not tell them apart. After trying the flugelhorn for two days, we almost gave up. Finally, the Conn Instrument Corporation learned of our search and asked us to try the mellophonium. After testing and rehearsals, the Mellophonium became the solution we needed."

The instrument could be played by trumpeters with some ease, but many players in Kenton's band were reluctant to use it because it was hard to play in tune, especially in the higher notes. Some trumpeters left the band rather than switch to the mellophonium, and only a few preferred it. Kenton used a four-member mellophonium section from September 1960 to November 1963 on 11 albums; two of those records won Grammy Awards (Kenton's West Side Story and Adventures In Jazz).

The Vincent Bach Corporation also made mellophoniums with tubing shaped like a cornet. The F.E. Olds company produced mellophoniums with the same wrap as Vincent Bach’s design. The Holton company made mellophoniums with a trumpet-like lead pipe and valve assembly, while the rest of the instrument was similar to a mellophonium.