JGuy1288

The problem you're describing is a result of two things: 1) insecurity in those registers of the instrument, and 2) taking the exercise too fast starting out. So first buzz the slur on your mouthpiece and make sure that you're not straining to get up there. When you plug it back into the horn, take the exercise at a slow tempo - slow enough so that you can play the rhythms perfectly. Once you get it there, then speed it up little by little, and you shouldn't have too much of a problem with it.

Baritone!

A Bach 4C usually works well with small shank euphonium. It's not too deep or too shallow, and you can produce a pretty good sound on it. A Schilke 51D can work pretty well too, but its sharp rim sometimes doesn't work out so well with big-lipped people like myself.

I'm glad so many people noticed that. It was too perfect.

Also, every year the Quarterfinals broadcast gets put in more and more theatres, allowing fans to see 15 corps for ~$18, plus usually a short drive. It's a much better deal than driving or flying to Indianapolis, or even to the nearest regional. Even though it's not the same as seeing it live, a lot of the time it's the best that people can get.

"Be" is a verb.

SCV 2000 - The ballad and tag ending, especially. Cadets 2000 - The company front to the end. SCV 2004 - The tag ending, hearing the music of the boat sailing away as the show ends. Cadets 2005 - The ballad. Cadets 2006 - The ending sequence with Alice running back, trying to get back through the mirror. Crown 2009 - Hearing the storm sounds at the beginning, waiting for the tornado to take her away. Hearing every musical motive from the show quoted at the end as the tornado brings her back. Phantom 2010 - The last chord and the girl's costume change, seeing that she made it to heaven. This one gets me every time. Cadets 2011 - The big arc push to the end, seeing the angels win.

Shopping at Dillon Music is a great idea. They may even have a few marching horns in their used section. I think you should go there and try out as many as you can! As for shopping online, I actually got my euphonium on Ebay, just like Ch1k3n with the marching euphonium. And the Mack website even says that if you're unsatisfied, they will refund your money 100%, so I think it could be worth trying out. Also, if you do things just right, you may even be able to get both a marching and concert euph for the amount of money you have.

I obviously don't know much about your situation, so I'm going to recommend that you buy a concert euphonium. It is much easier to produce a characteristic tone on a concert horn, in my opinion, and most advanced music for the instrument is designed to be played with a 4th valve, which no marching euphs include. As far as brands and prices, I have two recommendations. First is the Yamaha 642. It is a compensating horn with a side action 4th valve, and Dillon may have a used one there. It plays very well in tune, and can be used from the student level all the way up to college and the professional level. My other recommendation is a brand of horn called Mack. Their website is http://www.mackbrass.com, and there you will find that they sell a compensating euphonium for only $795 new (lacquer) or $975 (silver finish). A friend in my euphonium studio bought the silver version at the recommendation of our professor, and he is pleased with how the horn works in band, studio, small ensembles, and solo work. So in this case, the cheap option actually can pay off!

I'm not sure I agree with that. I would have to play on a King for a longer time period. Even if the King is lighter, it is weighted differently than the Yamaha (more bell heavy). So while it may feel lighter at first, the weight distribution can make your muscles tire out quicker than on a shorter but fatter horn like the Yamaha. The actual weights are probably close to the same.

FirstBeat got rained out in 08. We were on the field, and lightning struck during our closer. The crowd went INSANE when we finished, and we were rushed into a locker room for a while after.

For some reason the YEP-202 is the only marching euphonium out there that doesn't have a weight posted. I would guess somewhere in between 7.5 and 8 lbs. Also, in my opinion it feels the lightest, especially compared to the Jupiter, Dynasty, and King models (regular, not System Blue).

According to the judges: Blue Devils. According to me: Phantom Regiment.

Well, a lot of people did tell him he wasn't good enough, or in good enough shape, or old enough to march. He was also cut from one corps, which usually doesn't go over well with the person being cut. So the "haters" comment is probably directed at everyone who told him he wouldn't make it. Although I do think he should wait to say that until AFTER the season ends, at least.

I marched with people who had this issue, and it didn't seem to be a problem for them - no bent mouthpieces needed. Ask your brass and visual staffs and THEN proceed. Don't take any action to change your embouchure before you find out if this even will be an issue. This will definitely not be the first time they have dealt with this, and they'll have a solution for you. Also, take it from me - a guy who changed from an underbite to an overbite embouchure to march drum corps: it's not a good idea.

I will send you a PM.

Not to mention that many - maybe even most - conductors and private brass instructors dislike drum corps and see it as a very possible detriment to their students, and also as something that they aren't familiar with and have no control over. They want to see their students grow and improve, but drum corps is a gamble. Also, most music students I know are very opposed to drum corps. It's almost impossible to even get them to go see a SHOW, let alone go to a camp, so I doubt you would be able to find enough members from most colleges or universities. Also, you mentioned that people are taking away spots from high schoolers. All the holes in DCI corps during finals week suggest otherwise.

I think a push to be more competitive isn't just for competition sake. It's about opening up the corps to new prospective members. The corps that get close to 200 people auditioning for 72 spots are the ones that are currently doing well competitively, or have in the past. The Colts have only made it to Finals 8 times and have never placed higher than 9th. Their last finalist year was 2007 with a 10th place finish, and that made recruiting a much easier task, but their unfortunate drop out of Finals after that year made it so they just didn't get the exposure that the finalists get. As for "50 horns" showing up to a camp, that's unfortunate too, but one phrase that's often said at the Colts is, "Success is dealing with Plan B." I'm sure they'll be just fine.

You mentioned Bluecoats and Crown earlier, and both of those corps use Yamaha instruments. You can contact these corps directly to see if they have any horns for sale, because most corps try to sell off some (or all) of their brass every year so that they can buy new horns for the season. I know that the Colts have their Yamaha horns for sale through their store at http://www.colts.org/store/site/department.cfm?id=A79F5CB7-1372-FC85-5C175FA16BBF0F59 . Good luck!

I stood next to a 14 year old in the horn arc in 2008 all season. He wasn't the the youngest member of the corps, and actually the youngest members did much better than some of the 19 or 20 year olds. It's funny how that works out sometimes.

Some people march in drum corps with even less experience than that. If you feel you may be ready, or are willing to take the next step, go to a rehearsal camp and see how things go. You'll immediately see what's expected of you, and you'll know where you stack up in terms of readiness and preparation. Then you'll either be in and moving at a good pace, or you'll know what to do next in order to improve. I hope this helps! You can PM me with any questions if you want.

A corps' website may say that their audition camps are done, but most corps will accept new people at any camp. The way they see it, it's the more the merrier. And even if you're told that the line has been filled as of right now, you may end up on a call list for hole fillers, or at least they'll know you for next year, and you'll learn a lot in the process. I say go for it!

I'd say you should work on a few things especially, and they are very basic: 1) Basic tone production - Some people can play fast, loud, and high, but they don't sound good doing it. So sit down (or stand up!) with a tuner and make sure you're centering your tone. Make sure that people will enjoy hearing you play. If you have a private teacher, talk to him/her. If not, talk to your band director, because your bell is pointing at him/her all day! They'll have some good advice for you. 2) Initial articulations - Also known as initial attacks, attacks, the first note, etc. What's the most important note you will ever play? The first note! What's the most important part of the first note? The articulation! Every day, practice in a room where you can hear yourself clearly (this may actually be harder to find than you think), and just play some short attacks. The progress from short attacks to longer, and longer, and longer, and finally just air attacks with a long note. Don't use a metronome for these, and exhale fully after each one so that you can start the next one with a clean breath. If the articulations sound "split" or "uneven", then there's some work to do there. Concentrate on always having your air either moving in or out. Never hold your air in, or "lock" your throat up in between inhaling and exhaling. If done right, this will help your response immensely. But it could take a while to get the hang of it, so stick with it! 3) All other articulations - Practice them all! Tenuto, attacks, marcato, staccato. You'll have to use them all in drum corps, so get a head start. You can only become a better player by starting early. 4) Flexibility - Also known as lip slurs. So many hornline exercises are built on these, so it will be good to walk into an audition already having some experience with them. Do these with a tuner in order to make sure you stay relaxed through the whole exercise. If you tense up, the pitch will go out of tune. You'll find exercises like these just about everywhere! If you don't have any, I have a packet of trumpet lip slurs that I use on euphonium and give to students of every brass instrument. PM me and I'll send it to you. So get these 4 things reasonably down, and they'll LOVE you at your audition because you'll be able to do everything you're asked for. Happy auditioning!

I dreamt that I got lost at the stadium and missed my own ageout ceremony. That's the only time I remember crying in a dream.

1993 was by .1, I believe.