Myshilohmy

So I'm a senior in high school and have been a fan of the drum corps Carolina Crown for a long time, and have always wanted to march there. My band director is on brass staff for Crown and I asked him about any available trumpet spots, and he recommended I try lead mellophone. He listened to me and said I sounded good, and he gave me some music to work on.

This is sort of a two part thread, but I'll start with this question, how can I gain better control over note accuracy on Mellophone? I've also noticed it's harder to play in tune (maybe I just need to get used to hearing the note then playing it), and hard to play as loud as trumpet. Any other advice for marching lead mello in drum corps?

Also, I've messed around at some school pep band games and tried euphonium, and even tuba once or twice. I was decent on euphoniuim, but my tone sounds pinched as I get higher. On Tuba, I just plain sucked. I've noticed on Euphonium and Mellophone, you don't have to work nearly as hard for the higher notes (to a point). I've only played Euph and Mello a few times, so I could be wrong, but it seems like you have to work the hardest to play high on the Trumpet, is that true?

a marching trumpet

Well, first off, TRAITOR! just kidding
Anyways I played some of my friends mellos throught the season, and it depends on the brand alot of the time. um when I was playing, I tended to open my throat more, and made the air steam more like a big lazer, that helped me stabilize my pitch, I just know that its alot of top lip, not alot of lower lip to play mello, Like I said thats what I did when I was playing around with em. Hope you make crown, out of curiosity, what high school are ya?

Myshilohmy

I go to Avon High School.

a marching trumpet

Sweet Jesus, Id kill my self if we had to march against you. (Siegel High School, TN state champions) You'd be scary to go up against.

a marching trumpet

Kinda makes me want to meet yall somewhere now, oh well, sorry for interuppting the topic

missmybaby

I played lead mello back in the old days when they were actually bugles...
Practice, practice... you get it. It's just different, but you'll find playing counter-melody and the moving lines more interesting than what you're used to playing. My take is it gives you a better appreciation of harmony. Playing isn't any "harder" to keep in tune, but you will have to listen more closely. If you have your book down cold and listen, you will be fine. By the way, I'd recommend doing a lot of push-ups, starting now. You'll be a lot more comfortable, especially in the beginning of the season, if you're arms aren't burning from holding the horn all day every day.
By the end of the summer, you may even start looking down your nose at the sopranos, errr, I mean trumpets. Have fun with it!

joco

Actually the biggest thing to get used to when switching from trumpet to mello is marching with that HUGE bell in your face.

The intonation will come as you get used to playing a Mello... is there anyway you can borrow one until tryouts? I would think that a lead slot on Crown (especially since they did so awesome last year) might make spots really competitive.... but then again you have an 'insider'.

brassplayer

Trumpet players switching to Mello is extremely common in the Drum Corps world. Back in the 80s, I played Soprano in a corps where several of the Mello players were really trumpeters. And then a few years later, I was hanging out at a Velvet Knights rehearsal with a high school buddy who played in their Pit. He introduced me to the brass staff who told me their Soprano line was full, but there were a few openings in the Mello line. So I played Mello for a day and had a blast. Staff told me that I could be in the Corps if I wanted, but unfortunately I couldn't commit to touring with them that year.

As mentioned before, just try to practice with the Mello as much as you can and it will come.

__________________
"First Trumpets. Don't add notes above what's written!"
--Former Cal Band Director Bob Briggs, rehearsing the final chord of Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Myshilohmy

I've wondered how much of a hassle it will be with the bell 3 times the size in my face. I borrowed one from my school that I am practicing on daily.

joco

You just learn to march with your peripheral vision more....