.................. What specific changes would you make to your favorite college band to improve the ensemble? SPECIFIC, not like "Get mo' tubas......"Well, let's see. I, of course am going to talk about Southern1) I know that numbers is not something the band director can really change, because it is based upon the number of incoming students on specific instruments, but 15more alto saxophones would be nice, to add another layer of chords within the middle range. Not chords that just mirror the trombones, but an inversion of the same chord, plus a 7th.2) While on the subject of chords, balance the chords more in the trombone section. Right now, there is usually an upside down pyramid as far as how the chord is being balanced while played (I know they balance the numbers correctly on the chords, usually 3-2-1 pyramid). Those 2nd and 3rd voices will bring so much more color and power.3) Dedicate 80% of the trumpet to the middle range, not playing above concert F on top of the staff. This would create a better base for the 6-10 screamers sound to be carried on.4) For the band over-all, better phrasing and also keeping the long notes LONG, i.e., a whole note ENDS on count 1 where the next measure begins, compared to ending on the beginning of count 3. This would create 1 HUGE, continuous wall of sound.5) And lastly, but DEFINITELY the most important critique I can make, (And my number one pet peeve from when I was there)............ I don't know if Mr. J has the band doing something different now that Doc Has left, but tune the horns!!!!!!! It thought that isht was a myth before I got to the S for band camp........ I do understand the concept behind it, and when everyone is playing the way they are intended to when "approximately tuned" that way, it executes. Edgy, brassy and crisp...... But, it does NO just for the wonderful ballads that the program is incorporating in now.*****Here is a freebie..... I know it can't be done, but trade the Dolls for the J-Settes. The way they dance, how they get out there and BUCK matches the bands over-all style better than the Dolls.
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Wow..... This is amazing. Almost everyone on here has something to say SMACKING another band, but it seems as though folks are afraid to expose what they feel are their favorite bands' weaknesses, and give possible solutions to them.....
Just goes to show how biased some of these opinions really are, and how sensitive some of these people can really be.
~shrugs~
I know I made some remarks about PV before...they are somewhere around here. If I can find them, I'll repost...cause I really don't feel like typing all that stuff again...lol
I dont have a favorite band but if I was the head BD of BCC/BCU then i would do more precision 8-5 drills during halftime, because their precision with that size is monstrous...
If I was BD at SU I would travel a lot more often...
If I was BD at NSU I would change those got damned drum major uniforms...
I really hate those SOB's (the uniforms of course the band is awesome)
1. If i were the band director, i would drive the band on music,music, and music!
2. With the new bandroom opening in June and being right behind the bandroom, my band would be a 5th quarter vet, i would go over the tunes so much that they are to solid and will always make a statement! Thursday will be my day to go to Robinson stadium and run the book for the game, to see what needs to be threw out for the week or what has minor problems that can be fixed on the friday before the game!
3. I would pull so many of the old arrangements out of the library, those arrangements had the band sounding full and dark & kept the band in a comfortable range always. Will always run all my marches daily to build endurance and also make sure we play all in pre game warm up every game! So i would make sure we are at the game an hour and a half before kick off every game!
4. I would beef up on woodwinds like GSU once was known for, i know it's kind of our control but i will try to recruit my hardest in those piccs and cents sections, saxophones are attracted to us so that's not a hard area to recruit in.
5. I would try to incorporate more melody in the trombone section chord up the b-tone section since the sound is more dominant! I would offer so much money for trumpet peeps to build the numbers in the section and have them playing in the middle range most of the time for that fullness and power, people get so range happy and the crazy thing most can't stay in tone while doing so! To create that high pitch sound that bandheads love i would triple up the pics, 1st altos saxes and 1st trumpets up to provide that high range that people love!
6. Would work a lot of phrasing, chorals and techniques to have the bands sound more fuller and darker!
7. ^^^^^^^^^^On the field i would incorporate more current tunes sometimes with the drills, instead of just marches and old school hits to modernize the band even more and bring band the black and red uniforms with the gold ostrich plumes that most are familiar with! Sometimes i would only rock while the danceline performs like we do from time time now but most of the time there will have to be simple steps so that the bands field projection is at it's best! Can't just stop dancing because that's what separates us from everyone else and it was the late, great Conrad Hutchinson's staple to have the band to constantly move!
8. The trombones and the band itself are in good hands with the arrival of Mr. Hendrix: he is the man that is cleaning up the sound of the band and i have no doubt in my mind that it will continue!
9. I will continue to, travel, do us and be different and keep our originality like we have always have! I will continue to promote the band like doing inaugural parades, superbowls, commercials etc.! Doesn't hurt that keeps your bands name out there but i will make sure we handled business more musically so no one could run their mouths saying we are living off our rep, it's kind if like what we are doing now! More peeps live off our rep more than that us, we are just trying to get better and it's showing! This is my take of what i would do with the band! I'm sure it's not everything but it's a major part!
We travel a lot. Maybe not as much as the other school up north, but we travel to every game and do other events outside of the marching band arena.
B. Mitchell said:
I dont have a favorite band but if I was the head BD of BCC/BCU then i would do more precision 8-5 drills during halftime, because their precision with that size is monstrous...
If I was BD at SU I would travel a lot more often...
If I was BD at NSU I would change those got damned drum major uniforms...
I really hate those SOB's (the uniforms of course the band is awesome)
If YOU was the band director.......
.................. What specific changes would you make to your favorite college band to improve the ensemble? SPECIFIC, not like Get mo' tubas.....…
1. Continue on the focus towards playing with a more balanced and crisp, clean sound. I really enjoy listening to the 2008 version of SU more so than some of the more aggressive SU bands because of this reason. The power will always be there, but it is even more impressive when the band has great power with a well-balanced and blended, and clean, crisp sound. Make sure that everyone is not overblowing, but playing at their maximum volume in which they can still keep a well-centered tone. Do not sacrifice musicality for loudness. 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2008 are some recent bands that managed to do that effectively. Tell the haters that while the band may not be as aggressive, we are still putting out an excellent product that continues to add to the legacy of the band program.
2. Limit the influence of oldheads on current bandsmen. While most provide some excellent insight on improving yourself and the entire organization, we all know that there are a select few that can cause problems. We love having alumni support, and we know that they truly care about the band, but do not aim to please them. You will never please this select group of oldheads(You know, the ones that hope for a mistake so that can have a reason to say why their era was better). They will always find something wrong with the band that wasn't present when they were there.Do not let an oldhead question your heart and pride in the organization because you didn't experience certain things, weren't there when a certain person was the director, or you have a different philosophy on the direction of the band. Trust in the staff to make the right decisions, and do not let some the "bad" oldheads poison your mind. If the band is executing the drills, sounds great, and still packs some power, don't let them make you change some things just to impress them. Sometime you have to tell them that this is not the 90's we do things differently now.
- Some people may not like this, but it is the truth, and EVERY band has that problem.
3. Add some more woodwinds, and more specifically, clarinets and piccolos. This will give us the opportunity to have more than one concert band ensemble. We have more than enough brass to have 3 concert bands, but the woodwind section limits the number of full ensembles that we can have. It will just make the band program stronger by adding another concert band ensemble.
4. Put out an APB on trumpet players. With our usual brass instrumentation, we need 45-50 trumpet players to really get that strong trumpet sound to cut through.
Replies
~shrugs~
I know I made some remarks about PV before...they are somewhere around here. If I can find them, I'll repost...cause I really don't feel like typing all that stuff again...lol
If I was BD at SU I would travel a lot more often...
If I was BD at NSU I would change those got damned drum major uniforms...
I really hate those SOB's (the uniforms of course the band is awesome)
Grambling
1. If i were the band director, i would drive the band on music,music, and music!
2. With the new bandroom opening in June and being right behind the bandroom, my band would be a 5th quarter vet, i would go over the tunes so much that they are to solid and will always make a statement! Thursday will be my day to go to Robinson stadium and run the book for the game, to see what needs to be threw out for the week or what has minor problems that can be fixed on the friday before the game!
3. I would pull so many of the old arrangements out of the library, those arrangements had the band sounding full and dark & kept the band in a comfortable range always. Will always run all my marches daily to build endurance and also make sure we play all in pre game warm up every game! So i would make sure we are at the game an hour and a half before kick off every game!
4. I would beef up on woodwinds like GSU once was known for, i know it's kind of our control but i will try to recruit my hardest in those piccs and cents sections, saxophones are attracted to us so that's not a hard area to recruit in.
5. I would try to incorporate more melody in the trombone section chord up the b-tone section since the sound is more dominant! I would offer so much money for trumpet peeps to build the numbers in the section and have them playing in the middle range most of the time for that fullness and power, people get so range happy and the crazy thing most can't stay in tone while doing so! To create that high pitch sound that bandheads love i would triple up the pics, 1st altos saxes and 1st trumpets up to provide that high range that people love!
6. Would work a lot of phrasing, chorals and techniques to have the bands sound more fuller and darker!
7. ^^^^^^^^^^On the field i would incorporate more current tunes sometimes with the drills, instead of just marches and old school hits to modernize the band even more and bring band the black and red uniforms with the gold ostrich plumes that most are familiar with! Sometimes i would only rock while the danceline performs like we do from time time now but most of the time there will have to be simple steps so that the bands field projection is at it's best! Can't just stop dancing because that's what separates us from everyone else and it was the late, great Conrad Hutchinson's staple to have the band to constantly move!
8. The trombones and the band itself are in good hands with the arrival of Mr. Hendrix: he is the man that is cleaning up the sound of the band and i have no doubt in my mind that it will continue!
9. I will continue to, travel, do us and be different and keep our originality like we have always have! I will continue to promote the band like doing inaugural parades, superbowls, commercials etc.! Doesn't hurt that keeps your bands name out there but i will make sure we handled business more musically so no one could run their mouths saying we are living off our rep, it's kind if like what we are doing now! More peeps live off our rep more than that us, we are just trying to get better and it's showing! This is my take of what i would do with the band! I'm sure it's not everything but it's a major part!
B. Mitchell said:
1. Continue on the focus towards playing with a more balanced and crisp, clean sound. I really enjoy listening to the 2008 version of SU more so than some of the more aggressive SU bands because of this reason. The power will always be there, but it is even more impressive when the band has great power with a well-balanced and blended, and clean, crisp sound. Make sure that everyone is not overblowing, but playing at their maximum volume in which they can still keep a well-centered tone. Do not sacrifice musicality for loudness. 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2008 are some recent bands that managed to do that effectively. Tell the haters that while the band may not be as aggressive, we are still putting out an excellent product that continues to add to the legacy of the band program.
2. Limit the influence of oldheads on current bandsmen. While most provide some excellent insight on improving yourself and the entire organization, we all know that there are a select few that can cause problems. We love having alumni support, and we know that they truly care about the band, but do not aim to please them. You will never please this select group of oldheads(You know, the ones that hope for a mistake so that can have a reason to say why their era was better). They will always find something wrong with the band that wasn't present when they were there.Do not let an oldhead question your heart and pride in the organization because you didn't experience certain things, weren't there when a certain person was the director, or you have a different philosophy on the direction of the band. Trust in the staff to make the right decisions, and do not let some the "bad" oldheads poison your mind. If the band is executing the drills, sounds great, and still packs some power, don't let them make you change some things just to impress them. Sometime you have to tell them that this is not the 90's we do things differently now.
- Some people may not like this, but it is the truth, and EVERY band has that problem.
3. Add some more woodwinds, and more specifically, clarinets and piccolos. This will give us the opportunity to have more than one concert band ensemble. We have more than enough brass to have 3 concert bands, but the woodwind section limits the number of full ensembles that we can have. It will just make the band program stronger by adding another concert band ensemble.
4. Put out an APB on trumpet players. With our usual brass instrumentation, we need 45-50 trumpet players to really get that strong trumpet sound to cut through.