The mellophone is a Musical instrument of the brass family, used in certain types of Fanfare S déambulatoires (mainly étasuniennes) to replace the French horn.

Like the simple horn, it comprises three piston S. the pistons of the mellophone are actuated right hand, whereas they are to it left hand for the horn. Moreover, the positions of the pistons are between those of the horn and those of the trumpet. The mellophones are granted in F like the French horns, or in MIB.

The mellophones are sometimes preferred in certain brass bands because of a better adaptation to the play while going. On the one hand because of a mass lower than that of the majority of the modern horns, but especially because the house of the mellophone is directed towards the front one. What makes it possible to the musician to direct the sound in the axis of walk. This acoustic characteristic proves to be important when the formation ravels between two lines of spectators.

This particular geometry, with rollings up of less long tubes and less complexes that of a horn, give to the mellophone the aspect a large trumpet with the oversize house.

The mouth is generally parabolic, similar to that of a trumpet, whereas the horns in concert are generally equipped with a more conical mouth.

The mellophone in Jazz

The mellophone was sometimes used in jazz (the Big band of Stan Kenton had a time a section of mellophones).

As specialists in the instrument, one can quote:

• Gift Elliott
• Gene Roland
• Ray Starling
• Keith LaMotthe