I know we all bash each other about how bad a band sounds by first stating how bad they suck then jeer about how their arrangement sounding so "high school'ish." Hypothetically, how is a college marching band supposed to sound? Because in reality plenty High Schools sound just as good or damn sure better than most of our college marching bands displaying no difference except for skill level. Could the claims of sounding elementary be based on chord structure? Or, the simplicity of the rhythms within the arrangement? Knowing various conferences preform with very distinctive identities with sound, in your opinion what makes some marching band's arrangement sound high school'ish?
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i would say being "high schoolish" has little to do with arrangements. the only thing people can say is the level of difficulty isnt hard, but think about it, if it isnt a march or something technical, what is??? everything on the radio is one of 4, quarter, eighth, half or whole notes. . . smh
its all in how you present the band. like you said, there are some high schools that have a better overall sound than some colleges, which is sad but true. if college bands are suppose to have more skilled players then why is this happening? to be honest calling some college bands high schoolish would be a compliment. they mentality is screwed up. musicians are a dying breed. college students are forgetting that they are being viewed, some schools love what they see, and others cringe at the sight and sound. those are the bands try their best to do better than that.
"high schoolish" mistakes are careless mistakes that a COLLEGE MUSICIAN would not be satisfied with.
if you allow your band to play out of tune: thats high schoolish
if you dont attempt to clean up wrong notes : thats high schoolish
if you agree that power covers all fundamentals of music, THATS STUPID.
Many college bands utilize those mistakes but many arguments are judged by who wrote the piece rather then the band's execution while playing. Many attack pitches are off, tonal issues, along with sectional drowning. It' not like a single instrument can play multiple chords like on a piano. LoL
-tessitura
-complexity of harmonies
-the voicing of harmonies (many ppl dont realize how big this component is)
-amount/difficulty of countermelodies (in some case, presence of countermelodies at all)
-amount of unison playing
-difficulty of rhythms
-difficulty of key
-amount of parts per instrument
These are the things that are judged to determine the difficulty of a piece, as in grade 1-5 (not my personal list of things, these are the actual items music "authorities" are looking for). There are a few other things that pertain more to concert band stuff, but these are the main items applicable to marching band. Some of these things are more easily manipulated than others, but this is the basis. The lower end of the spectrum in regards to this list would cause a band to sound "high schoolish"
i would say being "high schoolish" has little to do with arrangements. the only thing people can say is the level of difficulty isnt hard, but think about it, if it isnt a march or something technical, what is??? everything on the radio is one of 4, quarter, eighth, half or whole notes. . . smh
its all in how you present the band. like you said, there are some high schools that have a better overall sound than some colleges, which is sad but true. if college bands are suppose to have more skilled players then why is this happening? to be honest calling some college bands high schoolish would be a compliment. they mentality is screwed up. musicians are a dying breed. college students are forgetting that they are being viewed, some schools love what they see, and others cringe at the sight and sound. those are the bands try their best to do better than that. "high schoolish" mistakes are careless mistakes that a COLLEGE MUSICIAN would not be satisfied with.
if you allow your band to play out of tune: thats high schoolish if you dont attempt to clean up wrong notes : thats high schoolish if you agree that power covers all fundamentals of music, THATS STUPID.
"High School Arrangement?"
I know we all bash each other about how bad a band sounds by first stating how bad they suck then jeer about how their arrangement sounding so high…
As long as the arrangement fits that particular band and they sound good on it, it's a good arrangement. Some people don't accept others bands arrangements because they have their heads so far up their band's azz and their minds are closed in a box. Some of the simplest arrangements are great, it's how the band displays it, that's when things become high schoolish. I love my conference (the SWAC) but we have some of the most bias people when it comes to arrangements.
Sorry (in advance) HAIL_P.R.I.D.E. lol. I hope you are by your "close thread" button...we all know where this topic is headed. lmao. It's just a matter of time before THE ignorance hits this..
i would say being "high schoolish" has little to do with arrangements.
The thing is tho......the topic specified "arrangements"
I agree that the rest of the things you listed play a bigger part in a band being labeled as "high schoolish" than arrangements, but, arrangements are a factor and im guessing thats what the topic started wanted to focus on.....(I say that as if what the topic is about ACTUALLY MATTERS around here lol)
I feel you tho Prince Bernard.
"High School Arrangement?"
I know we all bash each other about how bad a band sounds by first stating how bad they suck then jeer about how their arrangement sounding so high…
Replies
its all in how you present the band. like you said, there are some high schools that have a better overall sound than some colleges, which is sad but true. if college bands are suppose to have more skilled players then why is this happening? to be honest calling some college bands high schoolish would be a compliment. they mentality is screwed up. musicians are a dying breed. college students are forgetting that they are being viewed, some schools love what they see, and others cringe at the sight and sound. those are the bands try their best to do better than that.
"high schoolish" mistakes are careless mistakes that a COLLEGE MUSICIAN would not be satisfied with.
if you allow your band to play out of tune: thats high schoolish
if you dont attempt to clean up wrong notes : thats high schoolish
if you agree that power covers all fundamentals of music, THATS STUPID.
-complexity of harmonies
-the voicing of harmonies (many ppl dont realize how big this component is)
-amount/difficulty of countermelodies (in some case, presence of countermelodies at all)
-amount of unison playing
-difficulty of rhythms
-difficulty of key
-amount of parts per instrument
These are the things that are judged to determine the difficulty of a piece, as in grade 1-5 (not my personal list of things, these are the actual items music "authorities" are looking for). There are a few other things that pertain more to concert band stuff, but these are the main items applicable to marching band. Some of these things are more easily manipulated than others, but this is the basis. The lower end of the spectrum in regards to this list would cause a band to sound "high schoolish"
TClef2 said:
Bernard *be_easy* Iwegbu said:
The thing is tho......the topic specified "arrangements"
I agree that the rest of the things you listed play a bigger part in a band being labeled as "high schoolish" than arrangements, but, arrangements are a factor and im guessing thats what the topic started wanted to focus on.....(I say that as if what the topic is about ACTUALLY MATTERS around here lol)
I feel you tho Prince Bernard.
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