A piston valve for a brass-wind musical instrument has spring barrel in which are formed opposing first and second keyways. A valve stem screws onto the top of the spring barrel. A loose key extends transversely through the first and second keyways. A bottom ring is slidably disposed around the spring barrel. The bottom ring has opposing notches. The loose key acts as a crossbar supporting the bottom ring in its notches from underneath and enabling the bottom ring a degree of independent movement. A return spring is captured between the bottom ring and a top ring at the valve step/spring barrel interface. The loose key has a generally rectangular cross-section with first and second protruding ends fit within the respective first and second keyways. The first protruding end can have a major T-shaped head, whereas the second protruding end may have a minor t-shaped head.

A headgear includes a head portion at least partly surrounding a head, an inflatable portion having an inflatable volume, a mouthpiece, at least one wind instrument, and an air tube defining a flow connection between the mouthpiece and the inflatable volume. A sound is producible by the at least one wind instrument in answer to air blown into the mouthpiece.

A tone-altering apparatus and method for musical wind instruments wherein the apparatus, used in combination with a musical wind instrument, comprises a chimney member with an upper chimney surface defining an upper enclosed aperture, with a chimney sidewall extending through one of a plurality of tone holes and defining a tone-altering channel, and with a lower chimney surface defining a lower enclosed aperture, the lower enclosed aperture and the upper enclosed aperture separating the tone-altering channel. The method of ergonomic altering the tone within a musical wind instrument comprises the steps of providing a musical wind instrument, providing a simulated tone hole generating a simulated tonal frequency, and affixing the chimney member to the barrel of the musical wind instrument to generate a chimney tonal frequency substantially equal to the simulated tonal frequency and provide a chimney member length less than the simulated tone hole length.

Disclosed is a pitch adjuster for a musical instrument having valves for selectively directing air flow through additional tubes and tuning slides on at least some of the additional tubes. The pitch adjuster automatically adjusts the tuning slides depending upon which valves are directing the air flow to pass through their additional tubes. There are a pair of adjustable linear solenoids connected between the additional tubes and their tuning slides, each of which adjusts the tuning slide when the solenoid is energized. There are sensors to detect whether each valve is directing the air flow through its additional tube. There is also a controller connected to sensors and solenoid for energizing the selected solenoids when the controller receives input from at least two sensors that the valves are directing the air flow to pass through their additional tubes.

Disclosed is a pitch adjuster for a musical instrument having valves for selectively directing air flow through additional tubes and tuning slides on at least some of the additional tubes. The pitch adjuster automatically adjusts the tuning slides depending upon which valves are directing the air flow to pass through their additional tubes. There are a pair of adjustable linear solenoids connected between the additional tubes and their tuning slides, each of which adjusts the tuning slide when the solenoid is energized. There are sensors to detect whether each valve is directing the air flow through its additional tube. There is also a controller connected to sensors and solenoid for energizing the selected solenoids when the controller receives input from at least two sensors that the valves are directing the air flow to pass through their additional tubes.

A portable mellophone instrument having two interchangeable leadpipes and pitched in real F. The mellophone plays in the key of real F, and has a stable, deep, mellow sound. The mellophone allows French horn players to use their own mouthpiece to play the mellophone without an adapter, and allows trumpet players to play the mellophone using a familiar mouthpiece.

A portable mellophone instrument having two interchangeable leadpipes and pitched in real F. The mellophone plays in the key of real F, and has a stable, deep, mellow sound. The mellophone allows French horn players to use their own mouthpiece to play the mellophone without an adapter, and allows trumpet players to play the mellophone using a familiar mouthpiece.

An improved piston valve for brass instruments facilitates adding a length of tube for playing in a lower range, while minimizing the overall air resistance as well as the air resistance differential between disengaged and engaged positions. The piston casing accommodates two input tubes on one side and two output tubes at the same level on the other side. The piston cylinder is comprised of one air passage in one position, and two parallel air passages in a second position. The second position utilizes the attachment of additional tubing for a lower range.

An improved piston valve for brass instruments facilitates adding a length of tube for playing in a lower range, while minimizing the overall air resistance as well as the air resistance differential between disengaged and engaged positions. The piston casing accommodates two input tubes on one side and two output tubes at the same level on the other side. The piston cylinder is comprised of one air passage in one position, and two parallel air passages in a second position. The second position utilizes the attachment of additional tubing for a lower range.

Disclosed is a pitch adjuster for a musical instrument having valves for selectively directing air flow through additional tubes and tuning slides on at least some of the additional tubes. The pitch adjuster automatically adjusts the tuning slides depending upon which valves are directing the air flow to pass through their additional tubes. There are a pair of adjustable linear solenoids connected between the additional tubes and their tuning slides, each of which adjusts the tuning slide when the solenoid is energized. There are sensors to detect whether each valve is directing the air flow through its additional tube. There is also a controller connected to sensors and solenoid for energizing the selected solenoids when the controller receives input from at least two sensors that the valves are directing the air flow to pass through their additional tubes.