It's time to be off to College Marching Band

[KingJoeVII]

Well, my freshman experience in my college marching band did suck and I'm rather happy to be not part if it this season.

I almost had this problem after coming back from tour in '04, but it is all a mindset thing. You just have to relax in college and enjoy the free football, the cheap beer, and the #####in' away trips. If you come into it wanting it to be like drum corps, you will be sorely disappointed. I had some of the best times of my life in College Marching Band (specifically bowl games and pep band trips).

[dckid80]

Finally: the music guys are a better idea than the frat boys. Trust me on this one B)

You would have had a tough time figuring out what to do with us then.

80% of the guys in my college marching band were from 1 fraternity. I quite understandably ended up there as well.

We were a typical Northeast band. Not a lot of precision but loads of fun.

1st day of band camp my future brothers rolled a keg on ice in a barrel up to our practice field(the Quad) and put it under a tree so that we could refresh.

Our band director was pretty easy going and rolled with it all.

[Piper]

Band was always a "foreign" thing to me. My roots go back to the days when band was band and Drum Corps was Drum corps, and the two had very little to do with each other. My how times have changed. :) Good luck to everyone....and STAY SAFE !

[Duramay]

I had experiences coming from summers of drum corps going back into high school band and starting off in college band. My worst experience, however was going back into high school band for the mear factor of since I had missed their band camp I was automatically made an alternate. Slowly but surely they let me take over a spot, but it wasn't right off and our drum guys almost pulled me into the drum line. That would of been cool, but didn't happen. After being able to do 2 to 3 full runs...because they would only run chunks... I was able to take the spot for competition purposes. Interesting to say the least and not exciting times. Also learned lots from it.

[crashhelmi36]

Thanks for the advice! I remember having HUGE problems going back to my high school band after a year of corps (ended up quitting in a huff, maybe not all my fault, my band director was a ^&*#, but still), so I'm kind of nervous about going back to the "bando" world. Fortunately, I made sure when I was choosing colleges, they either had corps-style and corps-influenced bands or no marching band at all. And luckily, I got into UMass and their band. Win win.

Despite that, though, I'm still a bit nervous and this advice helped. I'm also forcing myself to take everything very lightly. I even volunteered for mell, which I haven't played for my freshman year of high school! And the respect for corps experience is showing already; before auditioning I was given the first mellophone music. I'll still have to fight for a first spot, but the benefit of the doubt is great! And if nothing else, its great practice for my audition in November. :)

I can't wait! Band camp starts in less than a week!

Edited August 19, 2007 by crashhelmi36

[Carl306]

I almost had this problem after coming back from tour in '04, but it is all a mindset thing. You just have to relax in college and enjoy the free football, the cheap beer, and the #####in' away trips. If you come into it wanting it to be like drum corps, you will be sorely disappointed. I had some of the best times of my life in College Marching Band (specifically bowl games and pep band trips).

Yes, exactly. Was waiting for someone to bring this up. Thank you

[bradrick]

This is an excellent topic for discussion. I'll chime in with a few thoughts (which I admit may be totally irrelevant since I haven't made the transition from corps to college marching band in 15 years).

How you feel about college band after corps probably depends some on where you marched and what it was like (staff, schedule, show design, rehearsal protocol) in your corps compared to your college marching band... but no matter what, it's just not corps... period.

• If you marched in the Cadets, and then come back to a marching band where the instructors/director is very laid-back and you spend an entire 3 hour rehearsal learning 10 sets and getting three 15 minute water breaks... then you might feel you are going to go quietly insane. However, I suspect someone from the Blue Devils would have less trouble adapting to a similar situation.
  
• You may start to feel that there doesn't seem to be any point to marching basics because the style isn't defined to the level of detail you are used to. But most likely your college band will never be judged on field technique... at all. I think every college is an "exhibition" only situation. Only there to entertain the crowd. The focus of rehearsing will be quite different from what you are used to.
  
• If your college band members can walk off the field for extended bathroom breaks without being noticed... that may drive you a little crazy at first. But it may be because they aren't missing much if the rehearsal has a fairly slow pace. And your band show will be easier than what you're used to. So chill. B)
  
• One of the things that was VERY different for me was the contrast between what a drum corps day feels like and a college day. In corps (for me) you were on 24/7. In marching band, you had ... Astronomy class, British Lit... etc most of the day and then we really only came to attention and "performed" during run throughs (and even then many people were on auto-pilot) and when we were in uniform and could see the crowd. Marching band is part of the college day. But only a small part. And for me, it wasn't even every day. You go to drum corps, to be in a drum corps. You go to college for a completely different reason and making the switch in your head early on will help.
  
• The intensity or need to be a certain way (projecting a corps personae or attitude) while walking from the bus to the warm up area, and then to the stadium - or while in the stands playing the Fight Song or whatever - didn't exist. We were mostly just college students who got together, did the "gig" and didn't need much more from it. And it didn't require much more from us.
  
• You can spend an entire drum corps season learning how to convey the message, theme whatever of your show. You can emote being a horse or a bird or attempt to project the emotion of a Soviet revolution ... every second of every day all summer. But your college band show may not need that from you if you are playing an opener of the Jerry Nowack Soundpower Marching Band Series version of "Main Title from Superman", then a guard feature of Lionel Richie's "All Night Long", a closer of "How Deep is Your Love" (by the Bee Gees) and a tag of your college Fight Song. It just aint the same. It's like comparing apples and ... and... something really different from apples.
  
• And lastly (and I made this mistake my first year, but tried to be different later on) if you see something in rehearsal that you believe would be improved if you tried it a different way (while still being true to your marching band's style), instead of bad mouthing the marching band director or staff - approach somebody after rehearsal or during a water break and very diplomatically state that you think there may be a way to do it that would be easier or look better or both... But be prepared to be told "No thanks" and LET IT GO if that's the answer. You are not in charge. Some day if you have your own band or are an instructor somewhere, you'll have the freedom to do it different. B)
  

Edited August 20, 2007 by bradrick

[PercussiveEric]

Great thread! I'm sure to retain as much of this as I can and use it.

Thanks guys

[DarrenE]

had fun, took everything up an octave

[Politically Incorrect]

My dad was a HS band director and a lead judge quite often in the 80's for MBA (Marching Bands of America) He used to tell me that most High School bands could have their music score improved by at least three points by somebody in the stands with a sniper rifle and one bullet to take out the "lead" trumpet. ^0^ ^0^ ^0^ ^0^

[/Politically Incorrect]

[silvertrombone]

I went back and forth on putting that on on there but I was always really heartbroken for those girls. I did what I could to help out but unfortunately my position as an upperclassmen male didn't often put me in place to help out. I did drive more than one home from parties so that someone else didn't have the opportunity to take advantage of a situation.

I apologize if I offended anyone.

I agree with others...nothing to apologize for. It speaks highly that you would, first, take such a position as an upper-classman, and second, ask the upper-class females to do the communicating.

Finally: the music guys are a better idea than the frat boys. Trust me on this one B)

Especially tall, geeky trombone players--trust me on this one!

A couple of other points...

I don't recommend walking into your MB director's office and ask for your DC experience to be counted for MB credit, unless you are lucky enough to attend JSU! Lucky dogs!!

And while I didn't enjoy MB as much as DC, remember that you only have a limited number of years of both. Like OP stated, each is immensely enjoyable if for totally different reasons. Suck it up and have a blast! OK, it won't be <fill in favorite DCI show of all time>, but neither is <fill in favorite DCI show of all time> the Rose Bowl for the national championship--even if that show was performed there!! :P

Here's a suggestion if you're a DC vet in MB. My last two years in the North Texas Green Brigade I got to where I had our shows down in two rehearsals or less. Music, sets, my whole squad and what they were doing, and where the prettiest colorguard member was in relation to my set in case we stopped at any particular point in the show in rehearsal.

OK, I made that last part up.

But see if you can achieve this level of achievement...dare I say, surpass it???

Makes it a personal challenge for yourself instead of a daily drudgery. Have fun with it!

Oh, and rally to the other corps vets. You guys don't have to be twerps to everybody else, but you definitely have shared experiences that many of the MB members don't have. Nothing in the world wrong with hyping with "brothers and sisters of the cloth!" Or comiserating!