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Posted (edited)

Either way, question still stands.

Until you hear from the musical experts, I'm going to guess that they balance out and mellow down the very dominate sound of the trumpets. In a 350-400 piece band (still too big, we need to get back to about 200-250), a large contingent of trumpets would just blast out everyone and you couldn't hear much of anything else. Once again, just a guess.

Edited by SilverEagle
Posted (edited)

Honest question:  Why is the Flugelhorn so prevalent in marching band?  Does it just carry better outdoors than a trumpet?

Not sure if those a flugelhorns, mellophones, or euphoniums (not an expert at identifying these from the grainy video, but it appears that the ones farther down are different than center shot). If they are flugelhorns, then here is an article about them. They are used, as Silver stated, to mellow the sound. If they are either of the latter two, they are substitutes for the french horn and baritone, respectively, which are difficult instruments to march with due to the way they are held and size.

Edited by forevereagle
Posted

Honest question:  Why is the Flugelhorn so prevalent in marching band?  Does it just carry better outdoors than a trumpet?

Those big horns are Mellophones.  They're used in place of a french horn, which requires your hand to be in the bell in order to have the correct tone.  Kinda hard to march like that.

french_horns.jpg

  • Upvote 3
Posted

Those big horns are Mellophones.  They're used in place of a french horn, which requires your hand to be in the bell in order to have the correct tone.  Kinda hard to march like that.

french_horns.jpg

I marched mellophone in highschool and played french horn in the spring during concert season. Top drum corps and outside performing groups adopt the mellophone instead of the french horn for its ease of use and playability. Just YouTube search for any highschool that trys to march with a french horn. It's embarassing. 

  • Upvote 1

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