Dance & Aux Forum

How can Atlanta bands get back to where they use to be?

Posted by We Dat on November 18, 2010 at 9:36pm

Back in the day Atlanta(ecspecially dekalb county) bands were the shit. I mean they was deep ass hell and sounded GREAT! It seemed like EVERY band in atlanta was on they shit back in the 98-05 era any ways my question is what steps should atl bands take to get back to that?

 

 

 

Speaking for stephenson I know we have like 170 in marching band this year but during jamboree we will have around 230 at the minimum. So my question is how can we get people to actually play in marching band? I mean like in my band class alone we have at least 10trombones,7baritones, 5trumpets, 5 saxophones thats NOT in marching band, how do you get these people to become intrested? And its not just my school its at other schools from what people have told me.

You need to be a member of bandhead.org to add comments!

Join bandhead.org

★
★
★
★
★
Votes: 0
Email me when people reply –
Follow

Replies

  • The Horn Man November 18, 2010 at 10:12pm
    "How do you get these people to become intrested?"

    You gotta win and make it look fun.
  • PlayTheTune! November 19, 2010 at 11:24pm
    Well to be honest the real golden age of Dekalb was from 93 - 05. But for real it starts with the middle schools. I personally went to Chapel Hill Jr. High (96-98) back when it was made up of Cedar Grove and SWD district. EVERYDAY was a battle between us (CGHS and SWD). The band teachers there were second to none. Ms. Brown, Mr. Berry and Mr. Shores were some of the best in the south. Were really challenged each other!! So by the time we got to HS we were beyond ready.


  • TrezMon November 19, 2010 at 11:53pm
    Don't forget about Doug, Mays, North Atl, Washington, South Atl, etc.....APS bands were blowin on dekalb county.

  • Your Highness® November 20, 2010 at 8:48am
    Well im in The award winning, 11 superiors over the last 7 years, Blanche Ely High Mighty Tiger Band, and 90% of members never knew how to play an instrument before they got to high school. What we do is recruit and get kids to want to play in the band. Our band director also explains to them the benefits of being in band. He motivates them and gives them a lot of confidence. This way they wont be discouraged, and they'll keep on striving for the best. There's no difference between kids back then, and kids now. The only difference is that kids are much more lazier. You cannot teach a student now the same if in the 80's or 90's. It just wont work. Kids arent as motivated, so you have to really build their confedence. A good way to recruit is to have your band perform every year at freshmen orientation. Have your band play a dance routine and some pop music. As soon as they see that they'll be like WOW. What we like to do is walk around with registration sheets where you simply have them put their name, phone #, and email. Because of that each year we get 100+ freshmen. Of course most dont know how to play, but you have to be willing to work with beginners. It takes a lot of time and patience. But once you get them all lit and crunk you'll have a great band. But you will lose a lot of people because most of the time they feel that thats too much work for them. Thats why you have motivate them alot. If you can keep at least 60% of your freshmen then your fine. This season we started out at 270 and went down to 220. And 60% of the band were freshmen. So this is basically how we run a successful band program. Oh yea we're really looking forward to seeing you guys (Stephenson) at 2011 Jamboree. We just might go against each other lol
  • King Crab November 20, 2010 at 9:05am
    there is a lack of a "drive", no one wants it so bad anymore. its just something you do in your spare time, not what takes up all of your time. It is something you do in addition to basketball, FBLA, and track, not the only thing you do. Band isnt taken as seriously as it used to be.
  • John J. November 20, 2010 at 11:23am

  • TBoneSuave November 20, 2010 at 12:23pm
    Atlanta kids are too worried about being "turnt up" and rocking mohawks and saggin skinny jeans while yelling "SOO-WOO!"......

    lil idiots......


    but fa real fa real, this generation is lazy and don't wanna work, but always want rewards. It's easier when the band is big, a la SWD, Stephenson, Redan to get people to join because people, especially kids, like to be apart of something big and established. Like Josh said, you have to make it exciting and fun, at the same time, keep musicianship at a high level.
  • We Dat November 20, 2010 at 9:19pm
    you are exactly right! Stephenson MS band director is not up to par with the old middle school band directors. Mr. goins(band director at Stephenson high NOW) use to be at the middle school and back then he had those 6th graders playing all their scales and sight reading. But now since he came to the high school its not anymore good band directors at the middle school and the middle school we get arent on the level of the midlle schoolers back in 98-07


    Garrick said:
    Well to be honest the real golden age of Dekalb was from 93 - 05. But for real it starts with the middle schools. I personally went to Chapel Hill Jr. High (96-98) back when it was made up of Cedar Grove and SWD district. EVERYDAY was a battle between us (CGHS and SWD). The band teachers there were second to none. Ms. Brown, Mr. Berry and Mr. Shores were some of the best in the south. Were really challenged each other!! So by the time we got to HS we were beyond ready.


    How can Atlanta bands get back to where they use to be?
    Back in the day Atlanta(ecspecially dekalb county) bands were the shit. I mean they was deep ass hell and sounded GREAT! It seemed like EVERY band in…
  • We Dat November 20, 2010 at 9:20pm
    yea your right! Aps bands were extremlely fye to.


    Mon Trez said:
    Don't forget about Doug, Mays, North Atl, Washington, South Atl, etc.....APS bands were blowin on dekalb county.

    How can Atlanta bands get back to where they use to be?
    Back in the day Atlanta(ecspecially dekalb county) bands were the shit. I mean they was deep ass hell and sounded GREAT! It seemed like EVERY band in…
  • We Dat November 20, 2010 at 9:24pm
    Thats whats up stephenson has also being making straight superiors for the last 13 years(the school was built in 96) is blanche ely going to jamboree for sure?


    Trombone Kev said:
    Well im in The award winning, 11 superiors over the last 7 years, Blanche Ely High Mighty Tiger Band, and 90% of members never knew how to play an instrument before they got to high school. What we do is recruit and get kids to want to play in the band. Our band director also explains to them the benefits of being in band. He motivates them and gives them a lot of confidence. This way they wont be discouraged, and they'll keep on striving for the best. There's no difference between kids back then, and kids now. The only difference is that kids are much more lazier. You cannot teach a student now the same if in the 80's or 90's. It just wont work. Kids arent as motivated, so you have to really build their confedence. A good way to recruit is to have your band perform every year at freshmen orientation. Have your band play a dance routine and some pop music. As soon as they see that they'll be like WOW. What we like to do is walk around with registration sheets where you simply have them put their name, phone #, and email. Because of that each year we get 100+ freshmen. Of course most dont know how to play, but you have to be willing to work with beginners. It takes a lot of time and patience. But once you get them all lit and crunk you'll have a great band. But you will lose a lot of people because most of the time they feel that thats too much work for them. Thats why you have motivate them alot. If you can keep at least 60% of your freshmen then your fine. This season we started out at 270 and went down to 220. And 60% of the band were freshmen. So this is basically how we run a successful band program. Oh yea we're really looking forward to seeing you guys (Stephenson) at 2011 Jamboree. We just might go against each other lol
    How can Atlanta bands get back to where they use to be?
    Back in the day Atlanta(ecspecially dekalb county) bands were the shit. I mean they was deep ass hell and sounded GREAT! It seemed like EVERY band in…
This reply was deleted.

Recent Videos