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Woodwinds in DCI?


treblemaker

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Most Texas HS musicians graduate high school without ever learning their minor scales on their instrument (myself included.....and I was first chair Euphonium all 4 years of HS).

 

:o I had to play all the minor scales (and be able to explain what made them the different types of minor) even when I was all the way down in the 3rd band!

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A student does not have a duty to the school's band program. A band program has a duty to instruct that student and help them in their pursuit to become the best musicians they can be, regardless of interest. And a band director sure as he11 doesn't have the right to prevent a student from pursuing their own interests in learning music simply because it's detrimental to the sound of their ensemble. As far as usage of equipment goes, the band director is justified in seeing that the school's equipment is used to the best benefit of the band, but if a student was so dedicated that they went out and bought their own equipment to use, the school should do the best they can to accommodate the student's personal interest in musical pursuits. If the band director still refused and I was this student in question I could easily make a case to the school board that would require the director to allow me the instrument switch or risk losing his job. According to your logic, the band director has every right to prevent you from dropping band and joining choir because the loss of your person in band would be detrimental to the band's sound. Students learning music in the way that is best for them is more important than having a school band that sounds good. Any member of the community outside of band could vouche for this.

I agree with this completely. I know she is looking out for my best interest but like I said earlier I don't exactly let people limit me. Haha.

 

 

Are you familiar with the harmonic series? How about overtone series' and how they relate to equal versus well temperament? Even your average Texas All-State musician couldn't even define these terms, much less explain them to you. You're more likely to find a much less skilled musician up north who can explain these basic things to you in detail because the kids up there spend just as much time in front of a chalkboard as they do in front of a stand learning music. Most Texas HS musicians graduate high school without ever learning their minor scales on their instrument (myself included.....and I was first chair Euphonium all 4 years of HS). In a well established northern music program this is practically an atrocity.

It may depend on the band program itself with this. I know when I was in top ensemble I learned a lot about cords and such but only on a basic level. Because of this I am taking AP Music Theory so that I understand music even deeper.

 

 

 

 

:o I had to play all the minor scales (and be able to explain what made them the different types of minor) even when I was all the way down in the 3rd band!

I have to too! Except it was because of my private lessons teacher not my band director. Haha.

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This is a philosophy that's held by the vast majority of Texas band programs along with a tiny group of band "strongholds" (look at the BOA Grand Nationals roster for some good examples) that are scattered all over the nation outside of Texas (called a 'stronghold' because the band program either had a phenomenal team of lobbyists for the school board or a strong enough booster program to be able to "salvage the ship" while other neighboring programs went under as the money that was keeping them afloat got sucked away by community activists who figured Music Education was no longer "necessary" for their district).

 

 

 

This is an opinion and by no means a universal argument. [school] Band wasn't created strictly to create a group mentality for kids. Schools keep their music programs around because they want their kids to learn MUSIC (in every sense of the word) because they've accepted the reality that learning music stimulates the mind in such ways that allow them to perform better in academic subjects. Concepts like "One band One Sound" mean nothing to a school board. The only reason I believe the schools group kids in "band" or "choir" classes is for the same reason people buy in bulk at Sam's Club. It's more cost effective than hiring a dozen teachers to teach the kids in groups that better conform to the school's student:teacher ratio. Better put them all in one room and stick 1 teacher in front of them and save money. Texas is privileged to have staffs at some schools with as many as 5 or 6 band directors. Up north it's typical for a school to have 1 "music teacher" on campus that is expected to do everything from choir to band to whatever else they actually have the energy to put together by themselves. And many more schools don't even have that. You need to realize the way band is viewed in Texas is very different from a lot of the rest of the country.

 

 

 

A student does not have a duty to the school's band program. A band program has a duty to instruct that student and help them in their pursuit to become the best musicians they can be, regardless of interest. And a band director sure as he11 doesn't have the right to prevent a student from pursuing their own interests in learning music simply because it's detrimental to the sound of their ensemble. As far as usage of equipment goes, the band director is justified in seeing that the school's equipment is used to the best benefit of the band, but if a student was so dedicated that they went out and bought their own equipment to use, the school should do the best they can to accommodate the student's personal interest in musical pursuits. If the band director still refused and I was this student in question I could easily make a case to the school board that would require the director to allow me the instrument switch or risk losing his job. According to your logic, the band director has every right to prevent you from dropping band and joining choir because the loss of your person in band would be detrimental to the band's sound. Students learning music in the way that is best for them is more important than having a school band that sounds good. Any member of the community outside of band could vouche for this.

 

 

 

Where are you getting this information? (Texas institutions starting their students earlier I mean). Nothing in my experience even suggests this to be true. But yes, this difference in ability is due to Texas and their interest in funding full staffs of specialized teachers to instruct kids music in public schools.

 

 

 

Are you familiar with the harmonic series? How about overtone series' and how they relate to equal versus well temperament? Even your average Texas All-State musician couldn't even define these terms, much less explain them to you. You're more likely to find a much less skilled musician up north who can explain these basic things to you in detail because the kids up there spend just as much time in front of a chalkboard as they do in front of a stand learning music. Most Texas HS musicians graduate high school without ever learning their minor scales on their instrument (myself included.....and I was first chair Euphonium all 4 years of HS). In a well established northern music program this is practically an atrocity.

 

My Conducting teacher (former conductor of the United States Air Force Band) told me about a Flute player who once won a position in the AF band simply because she practiced the audition repertoire for hundreds of hours on end. She had a stellar audition and won the position, but the band later found out she really couldn't play much else and they had to fire her.

 

You make great points and may be 100% correct.

I've never seen a music school in the north nor heard any of their products.

 

I just don't think it is fair to knock down Texas schools because of that.

 

As for all-state musicians you are completely correct, they usually don't possess much musical skill they just looked and practiced their music more than anyone else.

 

I'm just saying just because some bands are the typical Texas band and only focus on winning doesn't mean they just throw away the individual aspects of band.

 

I know my school seems to care about your individual successes just as much as band success.

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:o I had to play all the minor scales (and be able to explain what made them the different types of minor) even when I was all the way down in the 3rd band!

 

 

yeah i've had to play the 36 common scales memorized.

As for overtone studies I have only went into depth with those in my private lessons.

 

And as for directors taking away your mouthpiece for learning a new instrument to tryout for DCI or whatnot. I don't believe my director would ever do that, he would simply be happy you are trying.

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I see no problem in a director threatening someone with taking away their mouthpiece if their own principle instrument skills started to digress. That is a band directors job to make sure the band sounds a perfect as they can possibly be, he shouldn't have to worry about his members getting worse by trying to do something else. He is getting paid to teach the BAND not an individual.

 

If the individual can contribute to the whole and still satisfy their hunger for musical performance, why not let them? What does taking away the mouthpiece accomplish? Why stop there? "I'm taking your mouthpiece away and I'm not being your friend anymore." There are tons of Freshman students who will march one year and then may decide to join Colorguard for the Fall because they can spin a flag or rifle. Should they not be allowed to participate in Concert Season if they want to? It is not right to tell that student, "I don't want you to play your horn during concert season because you don't play it with the band in the Fall."

 

Take away the mouthpiece? How about letting that person march and play their "new" instrument if they prove that they are more proficient on that one?

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If the individual can contribute to the whole and still satisfy their hunger for musical performance, why not let them? What does taking away the mouthpiece accomplish? Why stop there? "I'm taking your mouthpiece away and I'm not being your friend anymore." There are tons of Freshman students who will march one year and then may decide to join Colorguard for the Fall because they can spin a flag or rifle. Should they not be allowed to participate in Concert Season if they want to? It is not right to tell that student, "I don't want you to play your horn during concert season because you don't play it with the band in the Fall."

 

Take away the mouthpiece? How about letting that person march and play their "new" instrument if they prove that they are more proficient on that one?

 

 

completely right

I just feel if your going to learn a new instrument it should be on your own time and you shouldn't attempt to play in the band until you are completely competent on the instrument!

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Well, what if it's an instrument like a mell or a baritone that you borrowed from the bandhall, or maybe you can't take it home

 

well if you plan on marching something of that sort in DCI or just in marching band period you will have to either rent one or purchase one.

 

so just rent it from the band that's what our kids do

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Dude, Brass runs > woodwind runs

 

did you hear the runs in bluecoats show this year? Freaking fantastic

 

 

The only reason Brass runs are more climatic is because they aren't as easily achieved as they are on woodwinds so it's more of an accomplishment. Plus they are only a tiny bit louder. But only a TINY bit. :P

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