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Auditioning for Div. 1


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Don't use alot of wrist :P

Make sure you put a lot of tension in your shoulders when you play... :P

Seriously though, any mallet players on here have any advice for a Div I audition?

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I asked my folks if I could try out for Crown...

They had a good laugh before definate (but gentle) "NO!"

I hate to hear about some of you getting shot down by your parents, before you even get a chance to try out. A word of advise, if you know any parents who have supported their kids in drum corps, see if those parents are willing talk to your parents.

Our son marched for his first year this summer. To be honest, if you look at the thing holistically, it's not a bad deal. Feeding a 15 year old is not cheap. Not having to feed that 15 year old for a summer and getting a good life experience is a fair trade for what we spent.

We also look at his participation as an investment in his future. As other threads have said, it won't hurt on the right college application. It doesn't matter whether he ends up going to school for music or not. The work ethic, discipline and general maturity we hope he'll gain will pay dividends in the long term.

Also, as others have indicated in this thread, never underestimate the generosity of others when it comes to funding your corps fees. If you're willing to work, talk to people, send letters, etc. $20 here and there will add up.

2 cents worth from the old guy...

Jeff

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I understand what you are saying. But people stay at those corps for reasons other than winning. If people stay at corps like G-men, Colts, BAC, etc. there are probably good reasons. ALl are respectable corps that do well every year. Not everybody chases rings...(not saying you do, just saying in general)

I am not auditioning because I aged out in 2001, but more so here to give some advice to some kids.

Words of advice.... If your goal is to march a certain corps, but you doubt how good you are so you audition for a weaker corps first get experience don't do it.

What do you have to loose? If you want to be a Cadet, Cavi, or Blue Devil try out. You never know you might be better than you think you are. Too many talented kids try out for glassmen or colts, Boston with the intention of going somewhere else in a year and then they never do. They march there for 3 or 4 years. I'm not saying you can't have a great experience there, but why did there goal change. It almost happened to me. Let me tell you there is nothing better than marching a drum corps competing for the top spot every night.

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This post had some great advice, even if it didn't read that well.

I am not auditioning because I aged out in 2001, but more so here to give some advice to some kids.

Words of advice.... If your goal is to march a certain corps, but you doubt how good you are so you audition for a weaker corps first get experience don't do it.

What do you have to loose? If you want to be a Cadet, Cavi, or Blue Devil try out. You never know you might be better than you think you are. Too many talented kids try out for glassmen or colts, Boston with the intention of going somewhere else in a year and then they never do. They march there for 3 or 4 years. I'm not saying you can't have a great experience there, but why did there goal change. It almost happened to me. Let me tell you there is nothing better than marching a drum corps competing for the top spot every night.

On the contrary, there's nothing better than being the team that'll shock the world :P

People's goals change because they realize they're getting what they want out of drum corps where they are. Maybe you go in wanting a ring, but you find out that nothing could possibly be better than the high you get lighting the crowd up every night. Maybe people value loyalty to their corps mates more, and decide to march the rest of the years where they started. And like I hinted at earlier, maybe the guy who wanted to be in BD now wants to beat BD.

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Carolina Crown-Snare

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I WILL be a member of the Cavaliers mellophone section in 2008 :P

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  • 2 weeks later...
I am not auditioning because I aged out in 2001, but more so here to give some advice to some kids.

Words of advice.... If your goal is to march a certain corps, but you doubt how good you are so you audition for a weaker corps first get experience don't do it.

What do you have to loose? If you want to be a Cadet, Cavi, or Blue Devil try out. You never know you might be better than you think you are. Too many talented kids try out for glassmen or colts, Boston with the intention of going somewhere else in a year and then they never do. They march there for 3 or 4 years. I'm not saying you can't have a great experience there, but why did there goal change. It almost happened to me. Let me tell you there is nothing better than marching a drum corps competing for the top spot every night.

Here are some general tips

So corps in the middle and lower echelons of Div. 1 shouldn't get talented players? I definitely wouldn't consider any of these corps weak. To be honest, everyone I've known to want to march a championship level corps and winds up marching in one of the middle pack ones does so because they want to. Whatever it may be, they like the corps identity more, they like the shows/music, the family aspect, whatever it may be, it was their own choice. I'm really sorry, but not everyone was meant to march in The Cadets, the same goes for my corps or anyone else! If people find a little niche they can call home in the cluster of drum corps that exist, why fight that? When I first found out about drum corps, in early 10th grade, I wanted to march at the Blue Devils. I couldn't get enough of the Blue Devils. One day I met some soprano players who marched the Blue Devils in the mid-90s. I didn't have much of a desire to march Blue Devils after that. I'm pretty confident I would have been able to make any corps I wanted if I wanted to, I'm more than qualified as a player, I know how to prepare for things efficiently and etc etc. I still didn't go for that "championship" corps, I went for a middle echelon corps. Why? Because the appealed to me more than any other corps had. I WANTED to wear that uniform, I WANTED to march with those people and that staff, I just knew it was something I had to do no matter what. Anyone who's looking for a place to march needs to find that. There's more to drum corps than a ring. Of course, you don't want to suck either, finding that balance is always good.

P.S. One other thing I'd like to point out, in reference to your "talented kids" comment, I've known kids to get CUT from middle/lower echelon groups and then try out at The Cadets or Blue Devils and get a spot.

Edited by Einstein On The Beach
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Anyone who's looking for a place to march needs to find that. There's more to drum corps than a ring.

I think this line alone sums up my view.

I'm just not as articulate.

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