If I wanted to play french horn, but switch to mellophone for marching band, would it be hard? What are the differences embrochure/playing wise? Also vice versa-mellophone to french horn. Thanks.

I'm 90% sure that changing from a mellophine to french horn and vise versa,is not a change at all.A guy that plays mellophone 4 marching band and french horn 4 concert band said there is not much difference between a baritone,mellophone,and french horn.So ur all good 2 go!!!I 'm already done with marching band.Kinda i'm happy about it,but now I have nothing to do in the morning's and nothing to do friday nights

There are some significant differences. Apart from beginners, most french horn players use a double horn (F & Bb) with 4 or 5 valves whereas "standard" mellophones have 3 valves. They can be pitched in Eb, F, G or Bb however, even the F mellophones are an octave higher than a french horn and the Eb mellophones are the same pitch as a Eb tenor horn.

To use a standard french horn mouthpiece you would need an adaptor because the bore is normally larger on a mellophone. In principle, you can develop an embouchure which can be used on most brass instruments but most teachers encourage students to specialise.

Mellophones use trumpet fingerings, which are allegedly the same as baritone fingerings. But french horns use... gasp... french horn fingerings, so you'll end up needing to learn a new set for each. also there's the fact that you opperate the valves with the opposite hand.

>_> same difference........>_<