Not So Mello-phones
The mellophone is basically a french horn appropriately shaped to function within a marching band. It points forward like a trumpet instead of backward like the french horn, and it’s sound is comparable to the horn. The mellophone is not known for its power or loud sound, and it is usually used as “filler” sound for most marching band songs.
This is true for most bands across the country; the mellophone section typically is not the confident section, and it was the same for the Cowboy Marching Band. Three years ago, however, the mellophone section of the CMB started to take a dramatic shift from a section that played well and in tune to a section that played loud and proud.
Since 2003, section leaders James Barraclough, Ryan Lipscomb, Stephen Brister, Jay Neill and Joe Gibson have all advocated full sound from the section during their leadership span. This has led to more confidence in each member’s playing ability and confidence. Not only do they play loud, but they are excited to play well and in tune.
There have been numerous times the director has commented about the mellophones to the entire band. “The mellophones are drowning everyone else out,” and, “C’mon trombones, you’re letting the mellophones beat you,” are common phrases from the director’s lips.
What does this have to do with the OSU French Horn Studio? It’s the same members of the studio that make the mellophone section. As we hear and see the improvement of sound quality and volume from the mellophones of the CMB, we can directly equate that to the success of the studio.