show_mellow

How about listening to 04 and 05 back to back and telling you Crossmen felt the impact of having only 3 drumline vets compared to 10+. There's a few more factors to a drumline's success other than their caption head. Let's keep this in perspective.

Drew has been program consultant for them the past 2 years. I was simply trying to emphasize that he must be doing something correctly... Drew Shanefield is in his first season with the Northern Star Drum and Bugle Corps. He has spent the past six seasons with the Cavaliers, serving as both brass caption head and programming consultant. Prior to this appointment, Drew was a brass caption head at the Carolina Crown and Cadets of Bergen County Drum and Bugle Corps. He is a former music instructor and marching member of the Cadets. He spent 04 as Crossmen Caption Head and arranger and is arranger again in 05. Drew graduated magna ### laude from New York University in 1992. He received his Masters in Music Education degree from Queens College and a Masters in Trumpet performance from West Chester University. He is an instrumental music teacher for the School District of Haverford Township (PA) and is currently pursuing doctoral studies at Widener University. Drew is a music adjudicator for Bands of America and the United States Scholastic Bands Association. He is also Yamaha performing artist and clinician. Drew resides in Drexel Hill, PA with his wife Liz and daughters Hannah and Evelyn. Crossmen should give him up? Not so sure about that.

Drew Shanefield is genius. I believe he wasn't along the ride for the season. So perhaps it was other staff that changed it up. If you listen to the preseason recording, there is a MAJOR difference between that and finals. Seriously...Drew Shanefield doesn't seem to be a problem with Cavies for the past 5 years. EDIT: I love the black uniforms. I love the early '90s even better. Crossmen's greatest period of their history is probably 92-98 give or take a year...that kind of image and groove would be fantastic to bring back to the table. Visual program needs to be improved as far as what (drill and addition of horn moves, dance, etc) is given to the performers. I believe the members did the best with what they got. Marching consistently placed in the high 17s (nearly box 5) toward the end of the season, if I'm not mistaken. (DEF want capes! b**bs :P )

Shanefield is def a keeper. But don't count Darren Hazlett out of the mix. This guy marched Xmen from 92 to...98 I believe and was part of the original London cast of Blast! (among other credentials). I think if the 05 drummers return for 06 along with Darren and stick around for a while...this drumline could seriously escalate in quality. At this point, I really don't think it would make a difference to dwell on the fact that Beddis is with the Scouts. Drill - could def use a revamp in this department.

wow. who pays for an airplane...sheesh

what?

yeah blue magic!

YEAH! I have a Conn8D also...but I'm still trying out a variety of mouthpieces...I've played on UMI's and different Holton Farkas pieces. I just got a Holton Farkas Slurs MC today (I opted not to get MDC). I can't wait to play on it tomorrow! About the whole cutting through the ensemble... That's if it is necessary, horns can bring the sound out above the rest of the ensemble. Conn8D's are especially good for this... anybody here prefer the YHR-667 over the 8Ds? I'm not sure about myself...for now I'm stickin to the 8D. and yes, movie music is always sweet for horns...star wars, signs, etc, etc... b**bs

the sweet part about the horn (nope...it's not french...most of you should know that! ;) )...is the fact that you can play pretty much any note open...it's sweet. another cool effect is stopped horn and rips...yup...ripping from G to G is sweet... but for myself...the hardest has to be trombone or tuba...mostly because of my chops not being used to the giant mouthpieces that eat my face...but for overall, I did, indeed, pick horn. PS...I only read page 1 and 2...so forgive me if I've gone off topic or repeated something... Love yall! Peace! B) Horn since 2000 Mellophone since 2002

*no I don't march LVK* I greatly disagree with you. LVK definitely deserved their place if not higher. I respect this corps as possibly one of the hardest working corps in D2/3. That's right. They had an awesome show with dedicated members and staff. I guess you would just have to see them at rehearsals to know what I mean. Either way, they def deserved their placement. Good job LVK. Keep bringin it. (just like to add that their show is better in person...) b**bs

obviously you only read certain words in my post above because as I had said I use the silver polishing cloth after useing the wrights it adds a little bit a shine to it... Next time read the post before you make a stupid about it and call someone lazy..... <**> Excuse me, but it was a general comment not meant for anyone in particular. Second of all, notice I said, "If it's the ONLY thing you are going to use, that's laziness." My statement does not directly call anyone lazy, but warns that you should take more care of your horn than simply using a silver polish cloth. In other words: Besides the fact that I never declared, "You, hiccups05, are lazy," you have stated that it's not the only thing you use, therefore that section of my post didn't need your attention. I am slighted and do not appreciate your harsh and impetuous remarks. I can't help but notice your hypocriticalness. I shouldn't be the only one around here reading the post before I "make a stupid" about it. On another note: I can understand how you, hiccups05, got confused about the blackness on the horn. My hornline also showers with our horns on tour.

As far as ruining the horn goes, I was not talking about the blackish film resulting from Blue Magic. I was refering to the black crud that cakes onto your horn when the horn reacts with (most commonly) your sweat. You do not have this problem? You must have horns that aren't really old with dents in them and stuff. That's my least favorite part: getting that black stuff out of the dents and scratches. <**> Just to let you know...I (along with many of my comrades) have found that silver polish cloths don't work very well. On another point: If they are the only thing you are going to use, that's laziness. drumstix-I've had your problem with the runniness too. At first it really puzzled me as to how to apply it better. What I do is pour out a bunch on top of the bell (when the bell is facing the ground of course), and I swipe a cloth across the top and start cleaning. When I need some more of that magic, I just swipe that cloth through it again until there is no more. Repeat as needed. I prefer not to use wrights due to the 'H2O factor'. Go Blue Magic. *straight from the label*: "Blue Magic Liquid Metal Polish. Safe and nonabrasive: Chrome, Aluminum, Copper, BRASS, Gold, SILVER, Stainless Steel, Fiberglass. Removes oxidation and tarnish." Included with other facts, on the back it states: "Leaves protective coating."

hey...use Blue Magic. Find it in your wal-mart automotive section. It's great stuff. Take a soft cloth add a little of that magic, rub into the horn until there is a black film and then wipe off with a clean cloth. If there's any blackness on your horn, get it off right away! It will take the silver off and you will have nothing but brass showing. It happens when your sweat reacts with the horn. I polish mine to make it shiny and clean as often as I can and every couple of times I do a full scale, all out, cleaning. This means I took every slide, valve, etc apart and scrubbed the individual piece for minutes at a time. Use torn up t-shirts or some kind of soft cloth. To clean between the vavles use strips of the t-shirt or cloth and some cotton swabs. Grease up the slides, oil up the valves, and put the horn back together. Rinse the leadpipe out with warm water often and get used to playing it clean, then keep it clean. There are a bunch of books with sections in them on how to clean your instrument, plus I'm sure there will be more people replying. Good luck.

hmm...I think I would much rather take up more space than sacrifice tone and stuff...I mean what were the inventors thinking?!?!?! *"Hey! I've got a GREAT idea! Let's take the trumpet and make a bunch of tight curves in it! That will make it sound so awesome!"*...I wouldn't get a pocket trumpet, but that's just me. peace...

welcome to my world! of course...on mello I use a MELLO 6V mouthpiece....I totally love the 6V...It doesn't blow my chops...I soud great...wow I love that mouthpiece...of course...I started on a french horn mouthpiece...Holton Farkas Slurs...that could have something to do with it...it may just depend on what you're used to... but yeah....mouthpiece work....lip slurs, long tones, articulation...all that good stuff...and if you want to find a good horn book (since you are using a horn mouhpiece) get: ~335 Selected Melodious, Progressive, and Technical Studies for French Horn by Pottag & Andraud ~40 Characteristic Studies by Kling It's the books that the etudes for Texas All-State auditions for horn have been selected for the last 2 years...I especially enjoy Kling and Gallay etudes... Get them here (Southern Music Company) GOOD LUCK! (and sorry for the long post! lol)

how bout instead of using a horn, trumpet, or cornet mouthpiece...you use a mellophone mouthpiece I got my Mello 6-V for a good price...and I love it better than my cocnert horn mouthpice... yes...embouchure and tone comes first...no 'extra octave key' (AKA pushing against the mouth)