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 valved wind instrument including a tubular body having a tuning section, a lead pipe connected to a first end of the tuning section and a bell pipe connected to a second end of the tuning section, said tubular body being configured to allow a vibrating column of air to pass therethrough; wherein the tuning section includes an air inlet port for receiving air flow from the lead pipe at the first end, an air outlet port for delivering said air flow to the bell tube at the second end, a plurality of user operable valves; wherein each valve of said plurality of valves is in fluid communication with an adjacent valve by a first tubular portion so as to provide fluid communication between the inlet port and the outlet port, and wherein each valve of said plurality of valves is user moveable between a first position and a second position and each so as to increase the air pathway length between the inlet port and the outlet port by way of a second tubular portion; and wherein each second tubular portions is coplanar with each other, and wherein the second tubular portions are integrally formed from a polymeric material within the tuning section, wherein the tuning section is provided by molded first and second body member that are bonded together and sealingly engaged along a plane parallel to the longitudinal axes of the second tubular portions.

A valved wind instrument including a tubular body having a tuning section, a lead pipe connected to a first end of the tuning section and a bell pipe connected to a second end of the tuning section, said tubular body being configured to allow a vibrating column of air to pass therethrough; wherein the tuning section includes an air inlet port for receiving air flow from the lead pipe at the first end, an air outlet port for delivering said air flow to the bell tube at the second end, a plurality of user operable valves; wherein each valve of said plurality of valves is in fluid communication with an adjacent valve by a first tubular portion so as to provide fluid communication between the inlet port and the outlet port, and wherein each valve of said plurality of valves is user moveable between a first position and a second position and each so as to increase the air pathway length between the inlet port and the outlet port by way of a second tubular portion; and wherein each second tubular portions is coplanar with each other, and wherein the second tubular portions are integrally formed from a polymeric material within the tuning section, wherein the tuning section is provided by molded first and second body member that are bonded together and sealingly engaged along a plane parallel to the longitudinal axes of the second tubular portions.

An apparatus is shown for removing valve caps from an instrument. A chamber is formed along a longitudinal axis of a rigid tool body, where the chamber includes an opening formed in a first end of the tool body for receiving a bottom cap of a valve of the instrument. An inner wall surface of the chamber tapers from the opening of the tool body such that a cross sectional radius of the chamber reduces with respect to the longitudinal axis. Splines are formed in the internal wall surface for engaging knurls on a bottom cap of the valve. The splines can have a cross section that is V shaped semi-circular or scalloped. The tool body can include a shank or openings formed in a second end of the tool body using a driver to apply torque to the tool body.

An apparatus is shown for removing valve caps from an instrument. A chamber is formed along a longitudinal axis of a rigid tool body, where the chamber includes an opening formed in a first end of the tool body for receiving a bottom cap of a valve of the instrument. An inner wall surface of the chamber tapers from the opening of the tool body such that a cross sectional radius of the chamber reduces with respect to the longitudinal axis. Splines are formed in the internal wall surface for engaging knurls on a bottom cap of the valve. The splines can have a cross section that is V shaped semi-circular or scalloped. The tool body can include a shank or openings formed in a second end of the tool body using a driver to apply torque to the tool body.

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 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.

A valved wind instrument including a tubular body having a tuning section, a lead pipe connected to a first end of the tuning section and a bell pipe connected to a second end of the tuning section, said tubular body being configured to allow a vibrating column of air to pass therethrough; wherein the tuning section includes an air inlet port for receiving air flow from the lead pipe at the first end, an air outlet port for delivering said air flow to the bell tube at the second end, a plurality of user operable valves; wherein each valve of said plurality of valves is in fluid communication with an adjacent valve by a first tubular portion so as to provide fluid communication between the inlet port and the outlet port, and wherein each valve of said plurality of valves is user moveable between a first position and a second position and each so as to increase the air pathway length between the inlet port and the outlet port by way of a second tubular portion; and wherein each second tubular portions is coplanar with each other, and wherein the second tubular portions are integrally formed from a polymeric material within the tuning section, wherein the tuning section is provided by molded first and second body member that are bonded together and sealingly engaged along a plane parallel to the longitudinal axes of the second tubular portions.

A valved wind instrument including a tubular body having a tuning section, a lead pipe connected to a first end of the tuning section and a bell pipe connected to a second end of the tuning section, said tubular body being configured to allow a vibrating column of air to pass therethrough; wherein the tuning section includes an air inlet port for receiving air flow from the lead pipe at the first end, an air outlet port for delivering said air flow to the bell tube at the second end, a plurality of user operable valves; wherein each valve of said plurality of valves is in fluid communication with an adjacent valve by a first tubular portion so as to provide fluid communication between the inlet port and the outlet port, and wherein each valve of said plurality of valves is user moveable between a first position and a second position and each so as to increase the air pathway length between the inlet port and the outlet port by way of a second tubular portion; and wherein each second tubular portions is coplanar with each other, and wherein the second tubular portions are integrally formed from a polymeric material within the tuning section, wherein the tuning section is provided by molded first and second body member that are bonded together and sealingly engaged along a plane parallel to the longitudinal axes of the second tubular portions.