The reason the French horn is notoriously difficult is because of where its performance range sits in its overtone series. At least, that is the consensus of most French horn players. Is a mellophone easier than a french horn? I might be biased, but as a French horn player, I think the mellophone does not have as rich a tone. While they sound similar, they do not sound the exact same. On the mellophone, all tuning must be done using the thumb and third-valve slide. This allows the musician to make adjustments to the intonation.

The French horn is playing with the right hand resting inside the bell.

It is similar to a trumpet mouthpiece but larger and deeper.

While you can use a French horn mouthpiece, a mellophone mouthpiece also exists.

The fingerings are more similar to a trumpet's fingerings than to French horn fingerings, including the need to use a slide to adjust the intonation of any third-valve combination.

It uses piston valves, where most french horns use rotary valves.

The mellophone looks like a large trumpet.

Here is how the french horn is different from the mellophone:

Their tones are similar and so they serve a similar role in terms of orchestration.īut any french horn player will tell you, these are still two different instruments.

They have similar ranges, though the French Horn has a greater low register.

Both the mellophone and french horn are pitched in F.

Let's look at how the mellophone and french horn are similar:

Because it is held like a trumpet, it is easier to keep stable when moving.

A mellophone's bell faces forward, making it easier to project.

It's better suited for marching than a french horn for a couple of reasons: What is a mellophone?Ī mellophone is a brass instrument that is considered the marching version of a French horn. If you forget, write the fingering back in. Play through the passage a few more times slowly and see if you remember the fingering.

Once you feel comfortable (usually after three times through the passage), erase the written fingering. Practice the passage slowly so your fingers can get a feel for the passage. Take a pencil and write the fingering under the note. When you encounter a note you don't know look at your fingering chart. Once you have the basics, go to real music and try to play through a passage.

This will help you get comfortable with fingerings in a given key. I've always found it helpful to start to learn fingering through scales. The trumpet is like most brass instruments in that you use valves to change pitch. It can be helpful to have a fingering chart when you are beginning a new instrument.

French horn fingering chart