Instruments on an airplane

[Duramay]

I think it might be because some corps will let you audition on a trombone and others won't. Not sure about the Regiments policy though.

Regiment lets your bring your own horn. Actually they encourage it because there aren't enough corps horns to go around and they understand the comfort level of being able to play on your own horn. Even though I was a trumpet player, I would still bring my own horn for the audition portion. Throughout the weekend you will probably either be playing with your trombone or switching off with someone else to play a bari/euph during arc time.

Good luck!

B)

[niteblaze102]

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Edited October 7, 2008 by niteblaze102

[Texas]

Don't risk other people handling your instrument. I took my Shires trombone to an audition camp and when I opened up my SKB hard case.... I saw that my bell had been totally crushed in (imagine grabbing the bell and just pushing and twisting it). I knew it wasn't the cases fault since SKBs are probably the best hard cases you can have. Its just the airline people when they open it, take the instument out (for whatever reason) and try to force the instrument back in and forcing the case to close. <**> I have never checked in my instrument since then. I always just take it as a carry on in my soft case.

[MagicBobert]

I've taken my instrument on a plane before, I just took it as my carry-on. Backpacks don't count as carry-ons so I was able to take my horn and my backpack.

Although, I play trumpet, so it's within the size limitations for a carry-on. :)

I would recommend gate-checking, though. That's about as close as you can get to taking it as a carry-on. You don't want to risk having it get lost in the baggage system.

[AlanAndreasen]

NEVER, EVER CHECK ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO LOSE. As a seasoned traveler between Chicago and London (20 years - I'm a Brit) I have had nightmare experiences with checked luggage. If it's valuable, carry it.

Partially OT. Here's one such experience that's actually quite funny. After landing at O'Hare on one of those runways about a mile away from the terminal we were all loaded onto buses to take us to arrivals. I looked out the window and saw a black suit case on the road way. I turned to my wife and said "Look, some poor sod has lost their luggage." As we passed said crushed luggage it suddenly dawned on me that the red ribbon put on the handle identified it as ours! It took two days to recover it.

So once again, IF IT'S INDISPENSABLE, CARRY IT.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR AUDITIONS. Live the dream.

[roosevelt]

Audition on a corps horn and impress them with your playing - not with some fancy trombone.

Wow. that was helpful.

[roosevelt]

Do whatever it takes to carry it on.

I have checked my horn before and it has been fine, but I had a hard case and that would survive almost anything. My wife checked her horn once and she had case kind of like yours and it got really messed up. So, do what it takes to carry your horn on and if they will not let you you should try and borrow a hard case from someone you know.

Best of luck at Phantom!

[Michelle]

Audition on a corps horn and impress them with your playing - not with some fancy trombone.

Not everyone has access to a marching bellfront instrument. For instance, I decided on my own terms to not participate in my college's marching band this year. You can only check out a mellophone/marching instrument from our instrument storage if you're using for a class. I already checked out a trumpet for the semester for the student teaching I've been doing at a middle school jazz band. I think there's some kind of restriction on the number of instruments you can check out, so my only option this year is to audition on my primary instrument - my F horn.

I say go audition on trombone and good luck!

[year1buick]

I took my trombone to Regiment tryouts as well. (At least the first two, until I got to take a horn home.) I was able to stow it in a special compartment in the wall of the bulkhead facing the coach section. It was more or less a closet that people could hang suits or oddly shaped stuff in. Since it was in eyeshot of my seat, I didn't worry too much, and it didn't have anything piled on top of it. (I carried it in a gig bag--took up less space than a hard case.) For winter camps, I avoided checking any luggage, if at all possible.

[year1buick]

Not everyone has access to a marching bellfront instrument. For instance, I decided on my own terms to not participate in my college's marching band this year. You can only check out a mellophone/marching instrument from our instrument storage if you're using for a class. I already checked out a trumpet for the semester for the student teaching I've been doing at a middle school jazz band. I think there's some kind of restriction on the number of instruments you can check out, so my only option this year is to audition on my primary instrument - my F horn.

I say go audition on trombone and good luck!

I had the same problem for my last year at Regiment. For me to rehearse for the November camp, I had to check out a school insturment. (Believe or not, I couldn't find anyone in the Denton area to privately rent one from!) I was completely up front about it with the professor (I took a 1hr euph course)--told him exactly what I was doing, that I wasn't a music major, that I only needed the horn for a tryout, etc. etc. He said no problem. Funny thing was, he could never seem to remember that conversation or what I was doing, despite my re-explaining it at least 3 times throughout that Fall semester. To avoid a bad grade, I still had to prepare a Jury piece, but I half ### 'd it pretty badly. I've got the score sheets somewhere. Very funny stuff. "If you're going to be a music major at the University of North Texas, you're going to have to take your performance piece much more seriously." ("Um... I'm not. Sorry." :) )