flashofthunder Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 Well, when I came back from drum corps to high school band, I was tan, skinny, and buff. My transition back into the world was made easier by the attention I received from the females. Of course, after my first year I gained it all back. However, after this past year I've kept it off, and I'm now several pounds lighter than when I came home at the end of tour! I've been lifting weights and running, and I'm in the best shape I've ever been in. I really tried to make a conscious effort to come back to my HS marching band and just have fun. I ended up having a blast. I was pretty chill during rehearsal, and it didn't take much effort to march and play our show. Every now and then I would make a comment to the group, but I was nowhere near a nazi, and people respected me for it. If anything, I came back from drum corps and I was less uptight than before. I've been told by numerous people that I am much more likable I am after drum corps. My band wasn't very good, and we didn't win much of anything, but that doesn't matter. To me, it was more about spending time with some of my closest friends and performing our show which was, god forbid, fun in some sections even if it wasn't drum corps(I know, I know, "BLASPHEMY"). I think that everyone in my band had a really fun season, and that's what counts. I don't give a #### what any drum corps elitist says, I had a great time in my HS marching band, and I'm happy to say it. Of course I would get frustrated sometimes, but then I could always entertain myself by watching people trip over themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slides of Mass Destruction Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 my friends kept looking at me in amazement cuz I became the fastest runner in the band thanks to good ol' corps training they also kept wondering how I could keep my arms in set w/o even twitching for a rele long time! (Booya Basics!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_G Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 I had marched two years with my college band before entering drum corps. When I came back in August from Orlando, I was three or four days late to band camp. These days are spent mostly teaching basics and learning the old fight songs, etc. so I only missed learning a few sets of our opener. Well our director made me an alternate. I only marched if there was a hole from injury/absence. That really fried me for a long time. I thought he was anti-drum corps.In retrospect, I was one of the very few that he could count on to jump in and learn one person's drill in a day or two and march the hole competently. Now I understand what he intended, at least that's my interpretation. He made me a section leader the following season after I aged out of PR. And people thought I was nuts, running back to my set every time and never relaxing until told to, etc... all those awesome habits that corps drills into you. I had a similar experience after my second year of corps (took a year off marching band after my first). The director designated me an "alternate" for pre-game, so basically I just wound up marching in 4 different ranks and 7 different spots that season. I honestly thought that was his way of voicing his displeasure about me missing the two day "leadership camp" after being named assistant section leader while I was on tour. I realized he wasn't too mad at me when I was named the section leader the next season. It wasn't until a few years later that I realized that was his way of having someone that was capable of learning the pre-game show the morning of the game and not look out of place in case someone was hurt or absent. As for comments, the best had to come from one of the brothers in Phi Mu Alpha after my 3rd DCI season. I came back looking prety athletic and VERY tan from that season, and being that I was used to practicing without a shirt on all season I naturally was doing the same at rehersals for marching band. Needless to say there were some looks my way from quite a few of the females in the band. Well, when we were getting ready to head in to dinner break all the brothers and those interested in pledging (I was in the pledge group) were standing in the same area when one of the brothers said "#### it Dave, put a ####### shirt on, you're making the rest of us look bad". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuskyguardd Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 Depending on where you're going, there has to be some recognition that the two are different. To with the person from the Big 10 ... I did much of the same (except in the Big 12) and showed up right on the day we started learning our pregame high step. I was a junior, but it was still different because that was also the year I marched piccolo instead of guard. Learning to march and play was a complete change from drum corps color guard and was hard enough that I didn't have much time to dwell on people not doing what they "should" have been doing (like actually, you know, being close to their dots). It helped at the time, at least, and I returned to the color guard my senior season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan H. Turner Posted December 26, 2007 Share Posted December 26, 2007 Came back after the 86 tour with VK and marched the fall with the Big Brown Music Machine at Long Beach State. Director looked at me one day before a show and said our band was louder than any drum corps. Mmmmmmmmmmmkay... Came back after the triumphant 87 VK tour, and was in a basics block during band camp for the previously mentioned band. Assistant director told us that marching should be like holding a quarter between your butt cheeks. Mmmmmmmmmmmkay...that was sort of the straw that broke the camel's back. Quit shortly after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mello - Benji Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 I was REALLY pumped to get back to my high school marching band after corps. Most of our brassline had marched Legends, the staff was almost exactly the same, and the arrangements were by the same guy who arranges for our corps (awesome mello books). The only frustrating part (besides the few people who could have cared less) was constantly getting called out for playing too loud. =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 Ahhh, it was terrible. I felt like it was such a waste of time. I stood there 95% of rehearsal as the director would attempt to fix the woodwinds or try to add some move or something. It was nice hearing all of the "Wow! you're skinny/tan/good!" It was really hot though, wearing clothes. I usually wore really tiny shorts, and it kinda made some girls mad...whatever. It took a long while getting used to dressing to blobs, not using our dot sheets, people playing out of tune, 109820398 different marching styles around me, NO BASICS block ?!?!, and really, really stupid staff. I mostly kept quiet, or reminisced with my fellow corps mates. It was a LONG marching season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvertrombone Posted December 27, 2007 Author Share Posted December 27, 2007 Well now, if you swim to a lot of odd metered music, it shouldnt really matter much. Ha-ha! I actually heard recently that there is such a thing as an iPod for swimmers...anyone confirm?? I mentioned the right hand because I breathe over my left shoulder only and when I'm actually thinking about my kick, its left leg first. I don't have much of a kick...didn't start swimming until post-30. On another note, anyone try playing baritone in MB after DC?? Ugh. Not the same parts, as you may all know. Got away with it freshman year at UNT, then was forced to play my 'normal' instrument 2nd and 3rd years. Go figure. Did get to a point 3rd and last year of MB where I was learning an entire show and music within 3 rehearsals. I think I did one in 2. Then there was the one where I never really learned all of the drill and music. Probably looked no worse than some of the other members. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashofthunder Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 and really, really stupid staff. "Always dress diagonals to the shadows. If the shadows line up, then the diagonal will be right." Sometimes there are moments when you just want to cry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 "Always dress diagonals to the shadows. If the shadows line up, then the diagonal will be right."Sometimes there are moments when you just want to cry. Hahaha Yep, I heard some things like that too haha. I just kinda stood there like : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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