Alto sax to.........mellophone??

[annanumnumnum]

Okay so I have been playing Alto Sax and marching band is coming up ( I will be a freshman) and I dunno. I think it is just weird to see a sax in marching band.. (like DCI sort of) SO since I want the 'Marching Band Look' I am thinking about switching to Mellophone for the marching season and going back to sax for jazz band and everything else..

Is that a good idea? Should I do it?

[KUguardgrl13]

In my limited experience, I'd say go for it. There are always a ton of alto saxes (although that always depends on the size of your band; my hs was 175 and KU is 285), but there aren't as many mellos. I would suggest not trying to teach yourself but maybe getting help from your band director or a friend who plays horn/mello. Learning mello could come in handy for if you decide to march DCI one day

[bluescalesdragon]

Go for it.

I switched from tenor sax to trombone for sophomore year because I wanted "the marching band look" and I loved the sound of low brass. I switched from trombone to baritone for junior year because I'm going to be in drum corps from 2011 on (a goal that my parents are not happy about, but are learning to tolerate.)

I was, up until recently, primarily a jazz tenor saxophonist, however, since I'm going to be in drum corps, I have been dedicating a significant amount of time to baritone/euphonium. I play sax in wind ensemble and jazz band at school (but euphonium in community band.)

Brass playing DOES NOT hurt your saxophone chops and DON'T EVER let anyone tell you that it does. You can be good at both alto sax and mellophone, good enough at mellophone to march in drum corps, if you want.

I don't think woodwinds of any kind belong on a field, mostly because they fall apart to easily and you can't play them in the rain without having to spend hundreds of dollars getting all the pads replaced

[annanumnumnum]

;D that is awesome you are doing DCI btw!! yeah i have only been playing alto sax for 8 months but i made my way to advanced band and to the high school pep band (i sneak in with high schoolers) so i catch onto music pretty quickly.

and yes i do have a friend that plays mello who is going to help me with it, last year there were a TON of alto saxes and only 1 mello so... ya!