My high school had a competitive marching band. We've actually won a few national-level competitions as well. It's been 18 years, so I don't have any pictures handy (except for maybe a group picture of the whole band off of Facebook I could grab).
Fun fact: our percussion director from when I was in the band is now the overall band director. He also has his own line of drumsticks.
I was in marching band for six years: four in high school and two in college. None of the pictures are particularly flattering because my uniform NEVER actually fit me. My first year in college, I literally got the biggest pants there were, and could've smuggled another person into the games in EACH pant leg. Also I was a piccolo player. No one cares about piccolos. Not even the piccolo players.
Not true! I care about piccolo players! Because I am one! (Just not in college marching band)
Probably just me though, no one else does. :-P
Honestly Lyddi, I feel like we should actually be friends.
I wanted to care about piccolo. I tried. But when you have 36 of them and your instrument keeps breaking, you name the damn thing Navi because it's so squeaky and annoying. Just imagine the sectionals... a small classroom and 36 piccolos playing stand music. Not a good way to get to love your instrument. If I went back to it now, it would probably be fine, but I do have some pretty negative associations.
...at least that year we were HEARD, though. Ha... hahaa.... >_>
36 piccolos sounds like the result of a band director's very poor decision. :-P Same happened with our own band. Used to be flutes with a few piccs, then they bought piccs for everyone. Yeah, you still can't hear them until you get into the danger zone and you go deaf.
If you are familiar with JSU, their band has only 4 or 5 piccs, and you can actually hear them every now and then. Its a result of very good musicians playing in tune, and music that gives woodwinds a chance.
In the end I do like the piccolo for "sit down band" though, bc when you don't make first chair, at least you can claim picc so you can be heard. Sucks though when you become known and the picc player and never get to play flute again. x_x
Edit: Oh yeah, when I was in high school I was the only marching piccolo. I was so spechul. I remember that one song that had a high Bb... only time I was ever heard. Oh the memories...
I was in marching band for six years: four in high school and two in college. None of the pictures are particularly flattering because my uniform NEVER actually fit me. My first year in college, I literally got the biggest pants there were, and could've smuggled another person into the games in EACH pant leg. Also I was a piccolo player. No one cares about piccolos. Not even the piccolo players.
I care about piccolos. In a good arrangement, they augment the lead trumpet screaming highs and make us sound even more awesome.
The only useless instruments in marching bands are clarinets. We had like 30 of them, and they mostly filled in space in the formations.
Hey, I played the clarinet because my dad had one, and we couldn't afford another instrument.
I tried to push it onto my daughter but no, she opted for an alto saxophone. It was rent-to-own and we paid 15x the value of it over 3 years and it is now so damaged that it's probably unsalable.
I've never met a member of the brass section who wasn't a cocky douchebag. Then again, I've never met a percussionist who wasn't at odds with the brass, so maybe I'm biased.
I've never met a member of the brass section who wasn't a cocky douchebag. Then again, I've never met a percussionist who wasn't at odds with the brass, so maybe I'm biased.
It was more or less the opposite in my band. Then again, our percussion section was also made up of Satanists...
Edit: I should amend this by saying our trumpet section was full of cocky douchebags. However, the rest of the brass section (collectively referred to as "low brass," even though it included saxophones, mellophones, and French horns in addition to trombones, baritones, and tubas) was pretty chill. It's just that the number of trumpet players we had was just about equal to the number of "low brass" players, so they got separated out into their own section.
Hey, I used to use the Black classic signature sticks, they were pretty good.
Cool. Actually, I know nothing about drumsticks as I played trombone. I just found it amusing that my old band's percussion director apparently is enough of a hot shot that he has his own line of drumsticks.
I honestly don't think that woodwinds have any business in any marching arrangement.
Dude. Fife and drum corps? The marching music of the American Revolution?
Get your brass elitism out of my history.
Oh sure, I love that shit. But it was used for tactical and strategic reasons, not musical.
Well, that's why any marching music existed at all. That's where the tradition came from.
Also, fife music is fucking awesome. You're just hatin' because your instrument has all the grace and subtlety of the bagpipes, only without the haunting beauty and intimidating power.
Cool. Actually, I know nothing about drumsticks as I played trombone. I just found it amusing that my old band's percussion director apparently is enough of a hot shot that he has his own line of drumsticks.
Man, I know shit-all about drumming, marching bands, or any of that, I just know they felt the best to me when I used them. When it comes to drumming, I'm alright, mostly self taught from bashing away at my sister's kit back in the day - I'm lucky enough to be somewhat of a natural. I can keep a rhythm pretty well, and I can keep to simple patterns, but that's about it - I could barely keep up with my housemate's drummer in his metal band, if I tried really hard and had some time to pick up the patterns. As it stands, I'm learning guitar instead, because if I'm going to play, I'd rather play with one asshole than three or four.
Oh sure, I love that shit. But it was used for tactical and strategic reasons, not musical.
Well, that's why any marching music existed at all. That's where the tradition came from.
Also, fife music is fucking awesome. You're just hatin' because your instrument has all the grace and subtlety of the bagpipes, only without the haunting beauty and intimidating power.
And the saxophone is better at jazz.
I play French Horn brah. Y'all bitches be crazy. Haunting beauty and intimidating power is the name of the game.
I feel pretty confidant in saying saxes are the worst instrument ever. (Unless in the hands of a delightfully wonderful jazz musician)
Oh man, my friends would have a field day with this statement. (Until they all quit the band, I was friends with the vast majority of the saxophone section).
Most sax players are douches
...I actually don't object to this statement. Well, not entirely object.
Comments
Fun fact: our percussion director from when I was in the band is now the overall band director. He also has his own line of drumsticks.
I was in marching band for six years: four in high school and two in college. None of the pictures are particularly flattering because my uniform NEVER actually fit me. My first year in college, I literally got the biggest pants there were, and could've smuggled another person into the games in EACH pant leg.
Also I was a piccolo player. No one cares about piccolos. Not even the piccolo players.
Probably just me though, no one else does. :-P
I wanted to care about piccolo. I tried. But when you have 36 of them and your instrument keeps breaking, you name the damn thing Navi because it's so squeaky and annoying.
Just imagine the sectionals... a small classroom and 36 piccolos playing stand music. Not a good way to get to love your instrument. If I went back to it now, it would probably be fine, but I do have some pretty negative associations.
...at least that year we were HEARD, though. Ha... hahaa.... >_>
Also, 36 PICCOLOS OH GOD. That's terribly unbalanced.
If you are familiar with JSU, their band has only 4 or 5 piccs, and you can actually hear them every now and then. Its a result of very good musicians playing in tune, and music that gives woodwinds a chance.
In the end I do like the piccolo for "sit down band" though, bc when you don't make first chair, at least you can claim picc so you can be heard.
Edit: Oh yeah, when I was in high school I was the only marching piccolo. I was so spechul. I remember that one song that had a high Bb... only time I was ever heard. Oh the memories...
The only useless instruments in marching bands are clarinets. We had like 30 of them, and they mostly filled in space in the formations.
I tried to push it onto my daughter but no, she opted for an alto saxophone. It was rent-to-own and we paid 15x the value of it over 3 years and it is now so damaged that it's probably unsalable.
I hate bands. Screw bands.
Edit: I should amend this by saying our trumpet section was full of cocky douchebags. However, the rest of the brass section (collectively referred to as "low brass," even though it included saxophones, mellophones, and French horns in addition to trombones, baritones, and tubas) was pretty chill. It's just that the number of trumpet players we had was just about equal to the number of "low brass" players, so they got separated out into their own section.
Get your brass elitism out of my history.
Also, fife music is fucking awesome. You're just hatin' because your instrument has all the grace and subtlety of the bagpipes, only without the haunting beauty and intimidating power.
And the saxophone is better at jazz.