kauliflower

OOOH! Would you be able to name that corps for me? It's just that I'm travelling from Aus to try out for an rook-out year in dci and am very short, so I'd like to give myself a decent chance :)

I've borrowed a trumpet now and managed to get a good sound out of it in two hours (rather than one), but it feels really varied as well. It's as though it sometimes wants to plays and other times doesn't. Horn angles? 2/3 vs 1/2 in the upper lip? I'm pretty scared about ruining my french horn embouchure at this stage though. The comment on the variability of tone was interesting though. I've noticed that some players manage to make the trumpet sound almost warm enough to be like a french horn. I'm guessing the mello is a bit like that. Is it really an octave higher? That would explain the high notes I've seen I guess. In terms of stability of notes, is it much better than the french horn?

lol. sounds promising. and when combined with this, I take it you would not like the trumpet too much :P Contrarich, do you think it would be worth playing around with the trumpet to get a feel for the mello then?

I'm probably not going to get to touch a mellophone until July 2010, when I come to the states for university exchange, but I have been told that the mellophone has very different playing characteristics to the french horn (which I currently play). Can anyone tell me first hand, what is it like going from the french horn to the mellophone?

some quick background on me: I'm planning on being a rookout in the 2011 season, flying in from Australia in July 2010 So here I was thinking that drum corps was magically devoid of injuries, despite it involving running around with bulky instruments all day. WRONG. People who get shin splints: are you in orthotics already? I'm now really quite worried about having to manage my pre-existing injuries on tour.

I did cast around earlier for a bit, checking out some mellophones that corps were retiring, but I gave that a rest when it hit me that I had to pay not only for the instrument, but for "import" taxes and shipping. I just checked ebay quickly just then. It reminded me that I have no idea what I'm looking for. I recall that when I was looking to buy my french horn (I'd hired from school until then), there were some bogus horns on ebay and I am really, really scared I might fall into that trap. I just don't know what I'm doing to be honest.. Update: I've been nominated for the university of california :D I need to preference one of these campuses now: Irvine, Riverside, Santa Barbara From what I've seen on youtube, I dont think Irvine's band would be suitable for the accelerated development I'm going to need. Any suggestions?

Thanks guys. Now I just have to wait another 3 months with my fingers and toes crossed. Just curious, could you put a per annum figure on how much these "cheaper" state funded universities cost?

Thanks Brasso! Drum corps keeps getting better (in my head, if not everywhere else). The more I pick up about marching music, the more impressive drum corps shows become. And I haven't even seen one in the flesh! I'm going to put this question out there again though: How does world class compare with open class?

Thanks for the info Kicks, but I have already submitted my preferences and my initial options were constrained to what my university offered. Our university has separate exchange programs and study abroad programs. Within exchange we can only choose from partner universities, which is what I'm doing, and that way we only have to pay our largely-subsidised Australian uni fees. Otherwise, the study abroad program may have let me choose West Chester, depending on how keen would have been on taking me, but then I would have to pay US uni fees which are MASSIVE in comparison to the Aus ones. Otherwise I definitely would have had a look at West Chester :)

Thanks Crown! I've got my heart going again. So Open Class.. Hmmm. Does anyone feel like comparing and contrasting open with world class for me? I did have my heart set on world class because, let's face it, this is probably going to be the only time I march in a drum corps. I thought I may as well go all out. lol. What amuses me is that it could well have been years of being deafened by drum corps that makes them seem relatively quiet now. Tehe.

Waaaaaaaait! So if I'm 20 in June 2010, and audition when all the corps are beginning recruitment around november-december 2010, I'll have missed the boat? I think I'm about to have a heart attack.. Despite just having been told OC may be open to me.

Thanks Alex and Terri, that's really useful information for me. And Terri, I'm definitely open to marching any world class/open corps (bar cavaliers and madison :P) now, especially after what you've said. Question, what ages is "open class" usually open to? Because I was under the impression that these were really junior corps, whereas I'll be 20 by the time I get stuck into anything. I'm born january 1990, and won't be in the states until mid 2010.

It sounds like that everyone comes out of drum corps with very similar experiences. When I initially started looking into drum corps I went onto the dci website and looked up all the corps' final scores. I was worried that there might be some laggard corps that I should avoid. Groups where people weren't 100% committed, where you would turn up and morale would be down because someone was feeling lazy that day and was letting the team down. Groups that got used to underperforming because they could never pull themselves together. The more feedback I get and the more I soak up the details, the less this possibility seems feasible. I used to think "man, I better practise hard so I make the blue devils", but now I realise that making it into a corp like bd, or scv, or the cadets, or phantom often takes people a number of seasons and that they work just as hard in the seasons before entering the highest ranked corps as when they're in those corps. A per usual, I'm not too sure if my take on things is accurate. Confirm? Yea, or nay?

The name's Rachel :) Born in Australia, but ethnically Korean. We lived in cincinnati for 9 months actually when I was 8-9, and yes I got "Are you english?", which I initially found a bit strange. I've had some a running from basketball games to concert experience myself. It just never happened to be at half time with a return leg back to basketball got to love it though Haha, I did have an inkling that the music side might actually fall away a bit. That is, unless I have chops that can last me 4-5 hours at ff. Might be something to work towards... Oh hang on, that would mean I have to practise 4-5 hours a day at ff :S Maybe not... And my french horn embouchure... :(

It's almost scary how consistent the feedback is on drum corps. Hard work, commitment to rise to the challenge as a team, the performance and the lessons and friends you make out of it. That's pretty much what's drawn me to drum corps. Just working so hard for this one show that when you perform it, you're pretty #### proud of what you've achieved and the people who made it happen. Ode, I reckon that's awesome that you feel that way about marching. I really began playing sport in high school, but it was an academic high school so we never really won much. Pretty boring really. But we did have an awesome concert band when I first arrived in year 7. It used to place first in the open division (all age) band comp. in the state. Everyone in the music program wanted to be in it. I was only in the symphony orchestra on a, dare I say it, violin back then but the thrill of competitions was still incredible. The symphony toured with the concert band to Europe at the end of my first year at high school and we would just always watch them play and be gobsmacked, moved, whatever. The concert band standard was falling though and by the time I'd progressed enough on the french horn to be in it, it barely registered.. So now I've still got an itch for what I could have been able to experience, had I been born 5 years earlier. And now drum corps is that concert band all over again. Haha, whadya think?

First of all, apologies for opening the biggest can of worms ever. But let me explain myself. I'm from Australia, hence any contact with drum corps is purely over the internet and a horn tutor who has friends who've been in drum corps. As I've explained in the new members section, I'm planning to come to the US on university exchange in the July 2010 and audition for the 2011 season for a rook-out place on mello. I know what I (think) I want to be part of drum corps, but I've never been in one, so over to you :)

heeeheeeheee

Thanks for your help Jim! I might have to make you my exchange advisor :) Lol yeah. When I think about it, we actually do the same here in Australia. University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney, University of Western Sydney. Yeah, I'm definitely having some misgivings about A&T. I did send them an email but I don't think they're going to get back to me in time... Still, it will be interesting to see what they have to say, I'll keep you posted :D A big question that's lurking in the back of my mind is whether I'd even make it into a university marching band with zero marching experience... I'm fairly athletic and not completely uncoordinated, but attempting to mark time with a french horn is already proving nigh impossible. I'm told the french horn is positively diabolical to march with, but I'm still worried.. How long does it usually take to get the gist of marching? Update: I've submitted my university preferences: 1) University of California: i) Berkeley ii) Davis ii) San Diego --> pacific crests, not sure about mandarins, and two great corps which I am not going to get into.. 2) Purdue --> midwest corps 3) Wisconsin Madison --> midwest corps and pioneer (??) 4) University of Georgia --> Spirit I passed on North Carolina because I didn't get word back from the exchange program advisor. Humm...

Oh bummer (to marching being over after football). Mmm, I actually emailed the Penn State band director to find out what the go was and he said they usually preferred band be done as a general ed unit because the program was partially funded by the Arts faculty. Of course, it turned out Penn state does not equal UPenn I should have seen that coming. Indeed, I did some further reserve on the Cavaliers and apparently they ONCE had a female in the colorguard. Or maybe my horn tutor is jsut confused about her friend's gender :P Another burning question now (I'm still preferencing universities): Do you have to be black to attend an HCBU?? I'm looking at UNC A&T, but have noticed that it's an HCBU. I want to apply for UNCS, but we have to preference three universities within the UNC system to be allowed to apply there, so I'd rather go somewhere with a band (and engineering).

Thank you so much guys! Sorry, uni's dragged me away from my little obsession for a bit. I was under the impression that the cavaliers were an all-male corps, but I just rang my horn teacher who used to live in the states and she's told me they're not. Purdue and Wisconsin are looking pretty good at the moment. Case Western would be an option, were it not for the fact that their marching band appears to be close to non-existent. :( Actually, marching bands seem to be courses you need to take at university. Like another subject? Can someone please clarify that for me?

Thanks for the suggestions Will! It's pretty crazy trying to source a mello in Australia, but I will look into it. Australia's not much of a band country :( To be honest, I almost got the band geek sucked out of me when I graduated from high school, so I have gone a period of half a year without practising.. eek. Anyway, I've noticed various corps retiring their instruments. Do you think they would be game to sell one to me and ship it to Australia? I'm really worried about not making it into a corps.. My birthday is Jan 1, 1990, so I'd only have one shot at making a dci corps, which is really what I want to do. It looks like open class corps are out of the question, because of my age, and I'd really rather march with people around my age. It's the intensity and challenge of putting together such a demanding show and doing that with a bunch of like-minded people that really appeals to me. And then the fact that it just looks so awesome. I sort of feel I wouldn't get that at quite the same level with a senior corps. Do correct me I've got that all wrong, I'd rather find out now than later! So on second thoughts, I would be open to joining other corps around the country. Really, I'd have to be a genius to get an exchange place to berkeley, and I don't think I am quite that... My exchange options are limited to: Case Western Reserve, OH Louisiana State Purdue, IN Arizona ("very competitive") California ("very competitive") Georgia Miami North Carolina Pennsylvania Austin, Texas ("very competitive") Washington Wisconsin-Madison I'd really like to find a university with a drum corps nearby and a marching band where I can work on my skills. If anyone knows anything about these universities, please help me!

Hey everyone! I'm not, strictly speaking new here, but it's been a couple of years so I'll say hi all over again. My name is Rachel, I live in Sydney and am currently at university. I've played the french horn for some 6 years now, but never marched. And I'd dearly love to. So much so that I've looked into going on exchange to the states and hopping on the bandwagon as a mello. The plan is.. July 2010, exchange to UC Berkeley, join the Cal band, bootleg myself into SCV or BD. Am I mad? Absolutely.. dear god help me! One more thing.. I'm actually freakishly short. Just under 5ft. Would that affect my chances of making it into a corps?

Thanks Piper! I must take a closer a look at SCV, but they don't seem to have many youtube videos :( Yup yup, sydney. I did find brisbane drum corps on the net! It looks exciting too and I reckon it'd be great to get experience there as well. Hehe, marching holiday to queensland :D Maybe I'll have a talk to the teachers, but because i've graduated, every time i go back to school i get strange looks, as if to say "aren't you sick of school already?!" Pipe bands look really cool too, but I was hoping to build on my brass skills rather than reskill to percussion/fife/bagpipe. I have always wanted to play the bagpipe though, hehe.

Sorry for going AWOL, I needed to focus on finishing high school for a bit. As for joining different corps, do people often go interstate to join a corps that they really like?? I've watched a few videos, but they're all div 1. cavaliers 2006 renegades 06 cadets 06 phantom regiment 06 blue devils 07 cavaliers 07 I'm not really sure about div 2 and 3 because it sounds like it'd be tricky tracking down all the corps which field older age groups in these divisions.

Oooo! I'll introduce myself first of all. My name is rachel, i'm 17, live in australia, finish high school this year and really want to play in a drum corps at some stage. So I'm basically here to gather as much info as I can about drum corps so that i can try out for a drum corps one day. Oh bother, you need your own instrument. In general, do many other corps offer trial clinics where you wouldn't need your own instrument?