What is the difference between the Mellophone and the marching French horn?

The biggest difference is that the Marching French horn is tapered like a French horn. This means that from the lead pipe to the bell it starts very small and gets larger. The Marching French horn comes in both keys (Bb and F). It uses a French Horn Mouth piece, which is also tapered like a French horn, very small to very large, also known as conical. The Mellophone is supposed to be played by trumpet players because it is built like a trumpet. It starts with a larger bore (where the mouthpiece goes in) and gets larger to the bell but not as much as a French horn. The mouth piece starts big and has a bell-like cup. The truth is that Mellophones should not be played by French horn players because it is built nothing like a French horn and the mouth piece is nothing like the French horn. Some people like to use a French horn adapter, but the problem with this is that you cant put a conical mouthpiece on a straight-bore horn. This will create an unfocused sound because the bores and cup sizes are not the same, it also feels completely different because the French horn has such a small bore and large bell that French horn players over play on a Mellophone. Marching French Horns and Mellophones do use "trumpet fingerings" and both come in Bb and F but when the marching french horns are in Bb they read F parts and just pretend they are using a Bb horn on a concert horn.

What is the difference between the Mellophone and the marching French horn?
I play french horn and mellophone and mellophone is easier to march with than a marching french horn. Also, a mellophone is in the key of F, rather than B flat making it easier to read the music. There is not as much transposing and changes when playing the mellophone. ON the marching french horn, you would have to switch keys for scales and so forth.
Reply:Its been 20 years but I believe a marching french horn is in Bflat and a mellophone is in F
Reply:Also, the mouth piece for the marching horn is a french horn mouthpiece while the mellophone uses a trumpet mouthpiece. Both of the instruments use trumpet fingerings.



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