Simple, because "blowing" is more fun and doesn't take as much hard work as an excellent or superior field-show. It is sad that that is the way it is but that's the truth. That is happening to more and more kids. Me being in a high school band right now, I'm seeing this myself. The attitude towards field-shows are so different compared to say...ten years ago. Whatever it is, I hope it changes real soon.
It just depends on where you at. Its systemic in a way but alot of factors contribute to that. Some schools are neighborhood schools (Westbury, Worthing and Willowridge are good examples) and those usually have good programs. everybody stays walking distance from the school and nobody tripping on missing anything in the streets. Once you get a 'core' group then you can work your way from there....
Unfortunately alot of parents are lazy and they want their kids to be at home all the time doing nothing. Some of these kids are even influenced by the adults around them not to care as much or even participate or drop out entirely. I have seen that all too often
I believe sites like this cause some of the problems. Don't get me wrong, I would have LOVED to have had a Marchingsport or Bandhead website growing up!!! Kids today get to see EVERYTHING from 45 different angles!!!! And it's mostly of bands playing before, or after the game!! Take SU vs JSU or FAMU vs Norfolk State....There are a Billion clips of each band playing in the stands, and MAYBE ONE of each bands halftime performance!!!
I also agree with Josh and oldwise2!!! Fieldshows take a tremendous amount of hard work!!! But, Kids are ABSOLUTELY more lazy than ever before, and their parents Co-Sign on that "lazy-ass" way of thinking!!! Parents are quick to let there kids quit if they want to quit!!!! or not come to practice cuz "I gotta pee" or "My hand hurts"or " I don't have a ride home"or "I don't feel good...I'm sick..." I would get my ass beat by the ENTIRE neighborhood if I made an excuse for not going to practice or I said I was going to quit something I started!!!! The attitudes of young people today have changed sooo much!! If it's easy, they are down for the cause, if they have to work for it...well...working hard is just not that much fun!!! It's Work!!!!
right! .. here in N.O. it was once rare to see a college bands until bayou classic Battle of the Bands. or SU in parades back in the day.. the only drill from SU you;d ever get was the one at the Classic, so thats all we knew coming up.. .. but now .. Kids in 4th grade can see the best bands in the Nation by clicking a button.. Many choose to watch stands only ..
Over time, the Mentality of the bandsmen (in new orleans) has changed.....when i came back to N.O for a battle in 2007 I was shocked when i saw Walker's kids get out of the stands and walk around or have drinks... We couldn't do that kind of thing before katrina. It was an unwritten rule of many we had...
As for the initial topic though...
It's a matter of TIME and what the band director accepts.. ALSO you never know when somebody's gonna mess up. even after practicing the same thing over and over..
When I was at Kennedy, we were always late for games, part of the reason is because we were still cleaning up the fieldshow.. so we'd suit up and leave only after the show has been done right..We also practiced field shows at between 7 & 8:45am.. Now days No Band has Morning practice here. I can tell just by how they all sound.. Nobody's putting in the hours. Yet they all want to do play loud or scream because they think thats what's gonna impress somebody.. NOPE..
This is GHASB .. Good show .. but it's an All-Star band. it is EXPECTED that they do GREAT.. .. this isnt a perfectly done show. but it was Nice.. They did everything a band at any level should be able to do... Look and sound good.. at the same time..lol
... With that said.. ,,Marching & Drilling Techniques should be taught at a young age. so that when you get in high school, you would catch on to when your band director gives a command. usually they'll explain what it is anyway, but the idea is to have general knowledge before coming to high school. it is easier on the directors part to teach a drill.
Also... In N.O. our bands practice in odd spots, some on Roofs, others in Parking lots, some on play grounds, some in Bandroom or cafeterias . most never actually practiced in a stadium or marked setting until game day.
Example.. Both St. Aug and McDonogh 35 had small parking lots and they had GREAT shows in their past.
..lol I missed out on nearly 3 years of WWE because of all the late practices we had at kennedy..lol
cant speak on other cities, but in New Orleans, it seemed like everybody stopped caring about field shows when I got to HS in 2001, throughout my 4 years tha only schools besides us that did field shows on a consistant basis (damn near EVERY WEEK) was Carver, Walker, Kennedy (my 9th grade year) and maybe 35 and Fortier...tha rest of tha "cold" bands probably went on tha field 2-3 times out of a 10 game football season. I think this was spearheaded by Miguel Bonds and Reed lol (it's really not funny tho) they was a top 3 band in tha city that football season and went on tha field like once and that was for they homecoming
I know for a fact that we were hands down tha best my four years and even in tha 90s, 80s, and 70s, St. Aug was tha best, but at least in those decades, other schools cared enough and gave them some real serious competition. You just dont see that nowadays.
like Bookman said, it's gotten worse these days, especially w/ tha internet/youtube age...all these kids are interested in is "who sound better/more powerful in tha stands" and have no interest in field shows. They look at that aspect (stands, before, during, and after a parade) as direct competition between them and tha other band, but they need to re-instill that field shows are direct competition too, I think that's tha 1st step in making kids care again. It's up to band directors to place importance on not only doin field shows, but executing them well and not puttin together some half ass show, cuz if u do, tha kids not gonna wanna do it anyway
Point blank: band directors do not know how to design shows. It is rarely taught in college. And many dudes don't seek out that knowledge from other people that know how drill.
Shows like what you teach or emphasize. Right now the 'stands' are emphasized and shows are secondary.
I dont know but i know here in Dallas well at Carter our field show is jsut as important as beinq in the stands. We qet to skool at 6:45 and practice until 8:30 everymorning for field show then dont leave the school until 6:30 or 7 kus of sectional or full band practiice. Sometimes we as a band came to our band director and ask if this squad can do this or that n then wen we do it looks liike iits on point
Everyone loves a show but what's the point of it I mean really? does it make a total bandsman? does it make this band better or worse? I thought that the bands jobs was to support the football team and pump up the crowd?
the answers to these questions are rhetorical as they are all based on opinion.
here's the answer to the original posters question- it's not important, no excuses its just like that.
the crowd could care less about a perfectly executed drill, but will ridicule you for having obvious mess ups in the show you can dance for 10minutes straight and the crowd will love it, but you could do the sunburst drill and get sympathy claps. the proof is on here look at any show and see what gets house which is the most important factor of all.
As a band director I have had to make a decision about a show numerous times and it boils down to one decision for me mostly and that is sound or show?
realistically practice ends a 5:00 you're supposed to go on the field at 4:00 but the song just ain't right do you go on the field or work the song?
and it's a hard choice to make but I always have picked sound, just by looking at some of the BR BOTB clips and by being there myself it was easy to tell who had a more sound oriented approach, not saying that wrong or right but there was a difference to me.
For the record I love drilling precision drilling and hybrid drilling as well as corps drills its an art to me. It is important to me but not for the community I serve.
It is very important to learn them both. In a 2 1/2 hour practice we at St. Aug. have to juggle between tutoring, music, and show. Shows has become a lost art in Louisiana for H.S. bands. We have very few bands directors that are willing to take the time to break down shows. We look at Da "S" progressions and think about how clean they are and they are well received and appreciated. If the lines are not straight and everyone is not properly distanced than you will never be appreciated as a drilling band. We went to a BOTB in Houston in 05 where every band had a dance routine. We went on the field a straight drilled and one 1st place. In other words our motto is No Excuses. You can't run. We are going to get you in the stands, on the field or even for concert. You should strive to be able to compete in every aspect of the game. Offence, Defence, or Special Teams.
It is very important to learn them both. In a 2 1/2 hour practice we at St. Aug. have to juggle between tutoring, music, and show. Shows has become a lost art in Louisiana for H.S. bands. We have very few bands directors that are willing to take the time to break down shows. We look at Da "S" progressions and think about how clean they are and they are well received and appreciated. If the lines are not straight and everyone is not properly distanced than you will never be appreciated as a drilling band. We went to a BOTB in Houston in 05 where every band had a dance routine. We went on the field a straight drilled and one 1st place. In other words our motto is No Excuses. You can't run. We are going to get you in the stands, on the field or even for concert. You should strive to be able to compete in every aspect of the game. Offence, Defence, or Special Teams.
I've wouldn't have said it better Eddie
Why don't H.S bands care about doing an excellent fieldshow as much as they do just standing still…
Replies
Unfortunately alot of parents are lazy and they want their kids to be at home all the time doing nothing. Some of these kids are even influenced by the adults around them not to care as much or even participate or drop out entirely. I have seen that all too often
I also agree with Josh and oldwise2!!! Fieldshows take a tremendous amount of hard work!!! But, Kids are ABSOLUTELY more lazy than ever before, and their parents Co-Sign on that "lazy-ass" way of thinking!!! Parents are quick to let there kids quit if they want to quit!!!! or not come to practice cuz "I gotta pee" or "My hand hurts"or " I don't have a ride home"or "I don't feel good...I'm sick..." I would get my ass beat by the ENTIRE neighborhood if I made an excuse for not going to practice or I said I was going to quit something I started!!!! The attitudes of young people today have changed sooo much!! If it's easy, they are down for the cause, if they have to work for it...well...working hard is just not that much fun!!! It's Work!!!!
Over time, the Mentality of the bandsmen (in new orleans) has changed.....when i came back to N.O for a battle in 2007 I was shocked when i saw Walker's kids get out of the stands and walk around or have drinks... We couldn't do that kind of thing before katrina. It was an unwritten rule of many we had...
As for the initial topic though...
It's a matter of TIME and what the band director accepts.. ALSO you never know when somebody's gonna mess up. even after practicing the same thing over and over..
When I was at Kennedy, we were always late for games, part of the reason is because we were still cleaning up the fieldshow.. so we'd suit up and leave only after the show has been done right..We also practiced field shows at between 7 & 8:45am.. Now days No Band has Morning practice here. I can tell just by how they all sound.. Nobody's putting in the hours. Yet they all want to do play loud or scream because they think thats what's gonna impress somebody.. NOPE..
This is GHASB .. Good show .. but it's an All-Star band. it is EXPECTED that they do GREAT.. .. this isnt a perfectly done show. but it was Nice.. They did everything a band at any level should be able to do... Look and sound good.. at the same time..lol
... With that said.. ,,Marching & Drilling Techniques should be taught at a young age. so that when you get in high school, you would catch on to when your band director gives a command. usually they'll explain what it is anyway, but the idea is to have general knowledge before coming to high school. it is easier on the directors part to teach a drill.
Also... In N.O. our bands practice in odd spots, some on Roofs, others in Parking lots, some on play grounds, some in Bandroom or cafeterias . most never actually practiced in a stadium or marked setting until game day.
Example.. Both St. Aug and McDonogh 35 had small parking lots and they had GREAT shows in their past.
..lol I missed out on nearly 3 years of WWE because of all the late practices we had at kennedy..lol
I know for a fact that we were hands down tha best my four years and even in tha 90s, 80s, and 70s, St. Aug was tha best, but at least in those decades, other schools cared enough and gave them some real serious competition. You just dont see that nowadays.
like Bookman said, it's gotten worse these days, especially w/ tha internet/youtube age...all these kids are interested in is "who sound better/more powerful in tha stands" and have no interest in field shows. They look at that aspect (stands, before, during, and after a parade) as direct competition between them and tha other band, but they need to re-instill that field shows are direct competition too, I think that's tha 1st step in making kids care again. It's up to band directors to place importance on not only doin field shows, but executing them well and not puttin together some half ass show, cuz if u do, tha kids not gonna wanna do it anyway
Shows like what you teach or emphasize. Right now the 'stands' are emphasized and shows are secondary.
the answers to these questions are rhetorical as they are all based on opinion.
here's the answer to the original posters question- it's not important, no excuses its just like that.
the crowd could care less about a perfectly executed drill, but will ridicule you for having obvious mess ups in the show you can dance for 10minutes straight and the crowd will love it, but you could do the sunburst drill and get sympathy claps. the proof is on here look at any show and see what gets house which is the most important factor of all.
As a band director I have had to make a decision about a show numerous times and it boils down to one decision for me mostly and that is sound or show?
realistically practice ends a 5:00 you're supposed to go on the field at 4:00 but the song just ain't right do you go on the field or work the song?
and it's a hard choice to make but I always have picked sound, just by looking at some of the BR BOTB clips and by being there myself it was easy to tell who had a more sound oriented approach, not saying that wrong or right but there was a difference to me.
For the record I love drilling precision drilling and hybrid drilling as well as corps drills its an art to me. It is important to me but not for the community I serve.
Que said:
I've wouldn't have said it better Eddie
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