There is an obvious....decline in the current high school bands. GRANTED that it is the responsibility of the band directors to maintain the students. HOWEVER...as the most visible and heard examples to kids, and with the change in focal points...do we have part of the blame?

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  • I just dont get where yall keep getn these "decline in band" statistics frm?? Do u mean decline n muscianship or possibly a decline in dominant-participation in traditional events? I guess its just a perspective thing or sumtn?!? It's ben lik that since i came up, old heads always say there times was da best time n anything after is neva quite as gud. If this is the case, do us all a favor n get ova it!! Band is where it needs to b....n its grinding stage! U want a gud band....u gon hafta wrk fo it!!! Mayb this thread should b mo appropriately titled "...Y r so many directors not focused on having a gud and competitve program"??
  • No, they do not share part of the blame. There are a lot of good college bands, and a lot of sorry bands. When I was in high school, my BD exposed us to many quality band programs at the time(SU, BCU,FAMU, UAPB, Tenn State,JSU, and Norfolk). He also placed heavy emphasis on concert literature, so we were exposed to North Texas, LSU, and Southeastern as well.

    • Agreed.....had this discussion with a friend of mine and I tried to tell him it ain't on us anymore...they trippin. @Underage Thinker...I agree with as much as the last statement u made....they are so lax now....both in music and presence. I for one REFUSE to be the director that lets them settle or just crank all damn day....like that emphasis on Concert Literature...tried teaching that last year, but the kids fail to want to learn the importance of it. I figured it wasn't on the colleges....we just keep getting the products of these....incompetent directors.

       

      • nothing is ever as bad or as good as it seems.
  • Ive asked this more than once on here......only got a few good responses. 

     

    As for me......YES. We NEED to be a better example. We come on here and praise the bands that "beast" then turn our noses up when high school bands try to play loud. I mean.....who do you think they are trying to be like? You think those kids showed up one day and invented playing like that by themselves? 

     

    Kids in corps style bands can look at DCI and get an ACCURATE idea of what they should sound like. Kids in military style bands can look at the military bands and get an ACCURATE idea of what to be. But its up to black band directors by themselves to teach kids how to be a quality showstyle band? Cmon man......be forreal. 

    • i've never seen beasting praised on this site over sounding good. There are Corp bands that sound horrible. WKU for example. So i can't really see your point on this one. In the end its up to the B.D. I pretty sure every high school band student isn't surfing youtube for the most beasting band all day.
      • That first sentence is a lie....it happens on here all the time
        • Yeah unfortunate but true.  For example, folks repeatedly use and create slang for playing loud or "powerful" as some bands claim. I rarely hear slang or equative enthusiasm for playing with control or balance (I personally call it "jammin").

          Speaking from my own experience, beastin was frowned upon because it usually led to overblowing and missing pitches. Intonation was the main priority because everything else would eventually fall into place with practice. Note that if you ever played against the Marching Storm one of the first things we did after getting into the stands, or any performance, is individually tune every musician. Not all bands do this. May not seem like much to some, but the human psyche is complicated as you all can imagine.      

        • so you mean to tell me if band A is beastin but band B is sounds good the majority of this site will give band A the W. I guess i'm out of touch with band head.
          • Yes.....you are sir lol. 

             

            My point is that there are ample examples (QUALITY examples I might add) for students in those other two styles I mentioned to model themselves after, yet some people in our genre want to make the case that its solely up to band directors in our style to show kids the correct way. 

             

            #NotBuyinIt

             

            And notice I said military bands and DCI......not just any ole corps style or military style band.....you cant be in DCI and be sorry. Even the Division II bands dont sound bad, they just dont have that level of "perfection" it takes to compete in Division I. And Chances are, if you are watching DCI, its Division I anyway.

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