What is a mellophone? That seems to be the question we mellophone players often find ourselves posed with. Well, let's start with a basic explanation: A mellophone is a marching equivalent of the French horn, written in the key of F. What does it look like? Kind of like a smooshed trumpet with a big bell, as you can see. It basically sounds like a French horn (BWAAAA), but a little bit brassier. And like a French horn, there is no way on earth to tune a mellophone--although we will always try!.
But picking up a mellophone does not necessarily make you a true mellophone player. Here is a basic run-down of a typical mellophone player: We're fun, we're crazy, we don't listen, we never know what's going on, we're lazy slackers who always take the easy way out of things...and we always obsess about not being in tune. We have to put up with a lot of crap from the other sections of the band, since some sections seem to have problems with us. Why? You tell me. Most likely it's because we're a small section and we can't really be grouped with any other section of the band, so we're a pretty easy target. What I know is, if I have learned nothing else from being on the mellophone line, I have learned to be tolerant of other people and to ignore pompous egotistical jerks.
The 2001 marching season was my last year, since I'm a senior. We had four mellophone players--Sharon, Ashton, Hillary, and myself. We were awesome this year!! But it wasn't the same without our dear friend Lindsay, who moved away and left us this year. I am first chair and I am considered the section leader. That means it falls into my hands to see that the lazy saxophones get told off whenever they need it (well, except for the occasional "cool" saxophone player--Lauren!), that the arrogance from the trumpets and low brass sections is properly ignored, and that we get the respect we deserve. After all, the mellophone is not an easy instrument to play, so ours is a relatively tough job. We always pull through okay.
LONG LIVE THE MELLOPHONES!
That's us two years ago, during the 1999 season. From left to right, it's Lindsay, Sharon, and myself.
Top Ten reasons to Play the Mellophone (as compiled by Lindsay, Sharon, and Laura)
10) Keeping a decent horn angle is an excellent workout for your arm muscles.
9) You get used to the admiration and respect from the rest of the band.
8) It's acceptable to be weird.
7) Louder is always better.
6) So what if we never have the melody? Anyone can play that!
5) Practice sessions in the bathroom.
4) Trying to blast out the trumpet players.
3) We can make faces at the drum major behind our bells.
2) That's where all the talent is.
1) Three keys, spit valves, a big shiny bell--what more could you ask for?
