Im a section leader at my high school and everyone has a different motive of being a leader. I think being a great leader is to expect the best out of your section of what you would exspect from your self. I want to let them learn from disciplin but at the same time im close to the same age they are.. And my question is how do i hanfle that and make us better and better...
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Hey, coming from a former Section Leader of 4 years...Friendship can be difficult between the section and its leader. But if you have excellent communication, great motives, can run a good sectional. you should be fine. You cannot be the friend 24/7. I say as a leader, you need to learn all the sections parts of every piece..that way when someone is slacking and cant catch on, during those sectionals you can take care of it without having to get the director.
I played Tenor Sax majority of my time as section leader. I had that talent to transpose the alto music to my horn so i could help without having to switch horns.
But one thing i always stressed to my section and my assistant SL...THE MUSIC AND SHOW COMES FIRST. always. the extra stuff is on your own time and/or when the section is ahead of the band.
I hope this was of some help. Good luck to you
One thing that always help me was that my constituency knew that my music and marching spoke for itself. For that reason, they respected me and trusted me to lead them. We also had boundaries; I mean as a section, we played A LOT. We probably got in trouble more than any other section lol. But, because we knew when to turn that switch off and be serious. This ended with us being section of the year for 2 years running. You just have to be able to communicate with them and make sure they're aware you're the leader.
Of course, you have the ones who want to be a rouge, you'll have to handle that. Sometimes, just telling the band director won't fix the job, because a lot of the problems happen when the director isn't paying attention to you. If talking to them won't fix the problem, you really just going to have to get buck, even if you ain't "bout that life." That what I did, and I'm sure not that tough. I never got to fighting, but I threw mouthpieces and broke reeds had enough enough encounters where they eventually learned to respect me, whether they like me or not.
SaxRebel and SG826 i appreciate what yall have said. Its going to help. yea i understand that i do have to seperate friendship from band time because we all have to get things done. Dont get me wrong we all are serious when it come down to getting serious but it is a couple that like to try me and SaxRebel im going to have to be "bout that life" because they like to take me for granted. and anoth issue was how should i punish them.. should it be as a whole or just that one person.. SG826 yes i do have great communication and great motives its just that i belive they have to get use to that im their section leader an they cant dispect me when they please because i already know there going to talking under their breat h about me becasue i did it.. Im some of their ages and maybe 2 years older then some but im real with them an i tell them how i feel about the situation an i already know feelings are going to get hurt..
I feel where you are coming from on discipline in the section. It was difficult for me to do that because we never did alot to get into trouble, i used to be able to just say rop n give 10 with no problem...but i took a few weeks leave because of personal stuff and i came back and my discipline was gone in my section...this was the year that I was the leader of a 16 piece saxophone section...by january nearly half quit because during those three weeks they were free and hated the way i was when i came back...though it was for the better and im not going to say how it happened but it is important that the leadership and discipline you want is set in a very strong foundation....BTW that was my first true year as a section leader. I was one for three years and a Ass. SL for one year.
We did have section of the year for 4 years running though, it was a sight to see. I was pusher to learn the music and do everything 110%. my Ass. SL on the other hand didnt like my style of a leader...said i was too hard even though i never cussed or yelled at my section. while he did. but thats different. but never never...never never never yell at your section unless it is completely necessary. you will lose their respect within seconds...if it is one thing i have learn from being a leader...certain things that you cant do to these youngins because of how this generation is...cant handle being yelled at and told what to do from one of their own. I lost alot of good players for that reason...couldnt take directions from someone their age. felt like it was wrong.
but my question is..because me and SaxRebel are/were leaders of a sax section..what is your particular section? and is there a band captain within the woodwind or brass section to answer to below the drum major?
and SaxRebel...why throwing mouthpieces broo lol. I could never throw one of mine lol. btw which ones in the family you play man and what kinda sets up do you have?
I have a Yamaha 4C with size 3 vandoren on a Selmer Soprano SS600
Selmer C* with 4-Vandoren on a Conn Shooting Star Alto/Yamaha YAS-23(actually looking to sell or rent this horn out to anyone because i dont play it much anymore)
Metal Bilhart 6* with 3-Vibrator(yes thats the brand! lol) on a 1952 Buescher Aristrocrat II Tenor
dont have a barii to play on but i use a Selmer C*
Heres some advice from me being class clown then section leader then band director years later.
1. Practice hard. Make sure you are the best person in your section musically period.
2. Lead by example. Dont try to make anybody in your section do something you cant do. Be on time and dedicated and your section will follow. Make posters and other things with your sections name on it. It shows a lot of pride.You can also recognize people within your section who do things out of the norm. Even if its something from the Dollar Store, they will still appreciate it because they are being recognized.
3. Try to be physically in shape. Its hazing if you give the section pushups BUT if you do the pushups or run with your section, its conditioning..... It makes punishing them a lot easier if you can do exercises with ease and they cant.
4. Its ok to be their friend outside of practice. But when the band is called to attention, its all business. Feel free to be yourself during down time. Humor and fun are vital parts of a band because it brings chemistry into the band.
4 words DONT BE A DICK! Dont over use ur power! Lead by example. Respect them and they will respect u. If they don't thats where the dick in u comes out. Key thing use ur power wen u HAVE TO. not when u WANT TO. Push your section past their limits. If you feel ur section didnt do great during practice then after practice yall better work on that shit until ya lips bleed. Make sure your section exceeds your expectations. In the end they will relize why u push them so hard in practice wen they're the best section in the band. A real section recognize a real LEADER.
OMG yall are such a big help thank you soooo much!!!
(1) SG862 my section is the clarinets. We have the Ass. Drum Major as clarinet leader with us but barely many people like him because he is so talkitive and outrageous. There isnt anything wrong with talking dont get me wrong i love to talk 2 but its like whe we break into sections he want to explain thisto much an every1 knows how to do it. We have pre band camp and we use this time to teach the ones who have forgot to march correctly and the fundamentals and our band director gives us like 5-10min just to make sure every 1 section got they way things suppose to go. But the otha leader like to explain things thats UN CAUSED FOR and Me i like to get to the point when we have to be serious and make sure things are greatbetter then what i expect and top notch but he waist ou time just talkin out nonsense and hats the down fall about it... and last year he was just the section leade and nothing else and i wasnt..but i paid attention to him and the otha leader an they wre horrile they screamed yelled and did things ot of te ordinary and i was like OH HELL no and i got tired of it so i made sure i wanted to make my secton great and stay on top wit ur game!!!
(2) Goldy_1914 thank you for your advice and ima make sure i will take note of what you said.. and i unerstand the advice you gave :) and i make sure i dont make them do things i cnt do becsue i wouldnt want my band ircto make me do somthing and i get caught not knowing how to do it. and what type of posters should be made like what ideas are you talking about??
(3) Musicislyfe LMAO i was laughing when you told me the main four words "DONT BE A DICK" you gie great advice with a nice choice of wods but trust i know imnot going to go off on them because im jsut straight real with them and many of them knowi dontplay when its time to get down to bussiness. My hardest job right now also is to get my partner to understand the hard work we have to put forth instaed of always waisting valuable time talkng its stressing with him an i might have to pull it out on him if he dont straightin is ways smh btw thanks for your great advice
(4) Saxrebel Yes i agree 100% they enjoy me being a leader bc i understand their spot and i be real with them and i told them my job and how things gone be and they know im going to put my words to action and nt go back on my word i thnk me and my fellow section have about 25-30 clarinets with us and its gone be a job to do but im ready to do hat i need to do im just wondering.....
QUESTIONS: what should a punishment be. i thought about tmaking everyone do a punishment together including me.. then say if someone forget something shuld it just be that person or should every1 act as one and if 1 look bad we all look bad???
sorry.... i couldn't help but chuckle at this lol
Band_Swagg2013 said:
@TBoneSuave lol Really ore you serious?? Smh lol i think you know what i meant
If I ever had to discipline the section, WE (all of us) did it. No matter what. Even if it was someone forgetting music, it mean we all messed up at some point. However, you section is much bigger than mines was. You might have to learn how to delegate and have some upperclassmen work with you. It will be much faster and easier to get things done when you have people isolating certain sections. Have a person working with the beginners, one with the 1st clarinets, one with the 2nd/3rd clarinets and one with the bad players. That's how you get work done.
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