I've been noticing over the years that students in certain bands place more importance on fanfares (solos) and drum cadences than learning music that was passed out to them. I've also noticed how many hits those fanfares and cadences get compared to when the full band plays. Personally, I believe you're secretly admitting that your band is coming up short if all you can hang your hat on is 1 or 2 sections with some fanfares.
Why NOT learn your music?
Replies
Full tunes. Fanfares or drum selections are only exhibiting one section of the band. Full tunes present the band as unit and also allow bands to hide some of the weak areas. If your upper brass is weak, the lower brass and woodwinds can help make up for the lack of sound. Look @ Southern. Southern blows out 99% of their competition because they showcase the full sound of the band and do not pend on sectionals to battle. That is a weakness of schools like PV's Marching Storm that they have not learned to bring force as whole and not just rely on the Box or the Genesis fanfare to carry them thru the game.
Besides, some of these high school kids need to leave those old fanfares alone. I hear kids blasting Moments and be off key as hell.
Turner
Some fanfares are OKAY..just do not over do it! Full tunes that are arranged CORRECTLY will bring out the band alot...to what Mr. Turner said, PV does rely on BOX n 14K too much, butduring the games its all bout SWAC rules and all that BS...BUT what PV n SU have in common as far as fullness, their arrangments are a full fit for their band! You have some of these high school bands trying to use those same arrangments from college bands and it sounds horrible!!!!!! Especially thses Houston bands who sample from TxSU thanks to HUMB and GHASB. Then some of these BDs try to be different and arrange for their own band and it sounds even worse. OR arrange it and have chords that do not fit in there.
I know HS bands are not what they used to be but why not start with high school level music and not TxSU/PV/SU/JSU etc... music and forcing it on these kids to learn when several to majority neverp layed before. But...then again, its all about wanting numbers right away and some directors will do anything to keep kids in their program. GET RID OF THE IDEA OF OVERNIGHT RESULTS!!!! IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN!!! Start from the beginning and then build.
Hell, buy the tunes from professional arrangers and save the embarresment. I see too much traffic on here about arrangments that are not being used, SOMEBODY USE THEM!!!!!!!!! but forget the songs like Vice Versa, 400,500,300,1000 degrees, ESPN(leave that for the football games please -.-) Down bottom....Bring in stuff that is challenging and will make the band sound good...ANY MARCH will do...Space Chords(Blue Devils version) Chorales, then start digging into old school tunes, yes MJ counts to an extent....but songs like Ring My Bell and Vibe are seasonal...i have a feeling several bands will play them this season though. But hit EWF, Temptations, even old jazz tunes that are arranged for marching bands will do. Everyone, stop playing what every other band is playing....if you know 3 or more schools playing S&M for their dancers or whatever...DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ima stop now before i keep going...got a Calculus n Stats quiz due by noon tomorrow lol