Current State of bands...

Replies

B-ToneExpressFamu98 July 10, 2011 at 12:18pm

Those are some great questions!!! I must follow this one, I can't wait to hear what the active members will have to say ;-)...
BigDawgBR July 10, 2011 at 12:20pm

I feel that the allstar band that I am in now. We may not be the best or what we used to be, but its really good exposure for us. We meet many people in the band community and see other colleges and bands.
- DrummaBoiBrent > BigDawgBR July 10, 2011 at 12:46pm
  
  ik and we learn alot
DrummaBoiBrent July 10, 2011 at 12:30pm

TBR I think itz the same but being im a AllStar I mite be wrong.

After watching all the clips and seeing some allstar bands in person it seems the Tone quality of many All Star bands is lost.many ALLSTAR BAND seem to struggle to have good tone based on the clips I have seen on Bandhead and what i seen in person.

IDK what the deal is but i beleive allstar bands can do a lot better

Allstar band tend to focus more on blowing and battln to prove ur better but lose insight of the important things like intonation, articulation, phrases and just a full sound.

I think allstars do teach in some form but it May not be right all the time

Overall I THINK ALL allstar bands could do better

just my opinion
Raymond Baker July 10, 2011 at 12:42pm

I march for NOAASB and while our numbers have been declining, our quality of sound has been improving. As for giving bands passes because they aren't colleges, I would consider that since colleges have more time to perfect their sound. During my time in NOAASB my sight reading has improved dramatically (if you saw our tuba parts...lord have mercy). I have also learned to play with confidence. There are some seniors who will be college freshmen in the fall and I think that they will be better prepared when they join their college bands. Their keeping their lip fresh and their sight reading skills are always being put to work. Other than a lot of passive aggressive drama that prevents NOAASB from having more numbers, my experience with this allstar band has been nothing but positive.
- EmilienMusic > Raymond Baker July 10, 2011 at 12:49pm
  
  How often do you guys actually sight read?? and are the older guys actually teaching techniques to play more EFFECTIVELY (notice i didnt say louder)
  - Raymond Baker > EmilienMusic July 10, 2011 at 1:36pm
    
    When ever a new song is passed out. I can't speak for other sections, but for the tubas the only older guy we had with some HBCU college experience was getting his lip back. Now that I think about it, he did help me with my tonguing which is one of my biggest weaknesses. Mr Klomon, the band director at Reed didn't march but he did get on the section about dropping our jaw, choosing a playing style as a section, and playing in the pocket with the small section that we had.
  - Jesse "Boy Wonder" Veal > EmilienMusic July 10, 2011 at 2:19pm
    
    I can't speak for everyone. But even before months before I "stepped up" and started teaching and helping the trumpets I created a facebook group giving some pointers on posture, breathing, articulation, and various exercises that can improve their tone and basically every skill on the trumpet. I even posted up a free book of arbans.(how many people listened I don't know) I even attempted to have them do some exercises and a practice session one time, but they weren't having it.(another older kat tried the same) I think lack of discipline from their older schools was a factor.
    
    For the most part it doesn't look like this young kids are trying to listen, all they seem to really care about is screaming and taken parts up. Most of the other older kats stop coming to practice, and it seem it was a coo of some sort with alot of the younger dudes wanting to take up parts that which didn't make since to take up musically. Kats where not playing parts so they can scream the next phrase. Just continuing alot of bad high school habits that they will probably be allowed to do in their college bands. You had kats whole could scream, but couldn't slur 16th notes, or play 16th stacatto in 120bpm.SMH!
    
    I remember reed's band director, who is a fire tuba playa from grambling when they were good, giving the tubas tips and i don't think all of the tubas playas actually heeded his advice,because he corrected them several times when he heard them playing otherwise.
    
    As for sight reading, we sight read everytime we have a new song.
    
    When the student is ready to learn, the teacher will appear.
    - Raymond Baker > Jesse "Boy Wonder" Veal July 10, 2011 at 3:01pm
      
      Just FYI, we took as much of his advice as we could and tried to apply it to the band as a whole. A lot of things he showed us/tried to teach us simply wasn't fit for the style of playing the directors wanted. We worked with what we had, that's all I'ma say.
PJosephSoon2BFATHER July 10, 2011 at 12:56pm

Yes, the current state of bands is rapidly declining... "All Star" bands as a whole are giving passes whether the players are in high school or college... Looking and listening from the outside inward, the primary focus seems to be on wanking, cranking, screaming etc... What happened to the sole purpose of being a "true musician" starting with mastering fundamentals, reading music, learning lyrical pieces, phrasing, articulation etc... I fault the Band Directors (middle school, high school, and college) for allowing these kids to be as we say in the N.O. "BUCKED UP" about the wrong things, instead of teaching these young people the TRUTH... The other questing should be are the Band Directors competent enough to support these people in their endeavors of achieving their MUSICAL POTENTIAL???? That will lead the kids to start striving for attaining scholarships while being confident enough to be modivated by the challenges that comes along with competing after displaying hard work... I just gotta speak the truth.....

of 5

Dance & Aux Forum

Current State of bands...

Replies

Recent Videos