Hello

**MelloSinfonian** · 07-12-2007, 04:17 PM

Hey guys!

I've been enjoying arrangements from this site for a few years now, so I finally decided to start submitting some of my own. My name's Jonathan Sanders, and I'm a 21-year-old trumpet player that also plays mellophone and piano. I look forward to becoming active on this site and forum.

JDS

**Nicol Armarfi** · 07-12-2007, 04:36 PM

Welcome to the forums, Jonathan. I hope you enjoy your stay here, and continue to submit your arrangements!

**Tim** · 07-12-2007, 08:03 PM

Hi Jonathan! Thanks a lot for joining and for sharing your arrangements with us. We really appreciate it. So, what exactly is a mellophone? I've never heard of it.

**MelloSinfonian** · 07-12-2007, 10:50 PM

Hello, Tim! You're quite welcome. Thank you for starting and maintaining such a great site!

As for the mellophone, you're not the first to ask that question.

The short answer is that it's a fat trumpet.

The longer answer:

The mellophone was invented by Stan Kenton, and originally used in jazz. Nowadays, it's more commonly used as the marching band/drum corps equivalent of a French Horn. It's in F, like the horn, but the fingerings are the same as trumpet. It's kind of a cross between the two, so that it can be easily played by trumpet players and horn players. It's better suited for marching band because the bell faces front, whereas a horn's bell points behind the player. The sound is darker than that of a trumpet, but brighter than a horn. The tone is rather mellow, appropriately.

That's a summary. I could start talking about the range and how it compares to other brass, and the overtone series...but you might get bored, so just let me know if you want to know more.

Google image search brings up several good pictures, too, if you care to see what one looks like.

JDS