JimF-LowBari Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Lessons to make sure you start out with good technique and not fumbling trying to hit the right pitch with the right note. Hadn't played for about 15 years and while building my chops up I had to do the scales to make sure I had the right note with the fingering. IOW playing an D and not Bb, etc, etc.... Dynasty used to have a fingering chart online but haven't looked for a while. And building up arms/shoulders/back by using marching horn is a GREAT idea. When possible stand upright with horn up, elbow not against body, etc just like you are on the field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Hello everyone, I'm currently a Freshmen in high school playing Sax and was wondering if would it be reasonable to try to learn a brass instrument and march in one of the World class corps or at least a Open Class Corps in DCI during the time I'm in high school. ~xas I marched with someone who played sax in HS band, learned baritone for drum corps, and became drum major. Aged out DM of Blue Devils, You can do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Hello everyone, I'm currently a Freshmen in high school playing Sax and was wondering if would it be reasonable to try to learn a brass instrument and march in one of the World class corps or at least a Open Class Corps in DCI during the time I'm in high school. ~xas I also know someone that was a sax player that learned to play bass drum; aged out at Pacific Crest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Hello everyone, I'm currently a Freshmen in high school playing Sax and was wondering if would it be reasonable to try to learn a brass instrument and march in one of the World class corps or at least a Open Class Corps in DCI during the time I'm in high school. ~xas Guess I should also mention my wife. She is a flute player: Band Director currently. She played trumpet in drum corps, and her age-out summer she was practicing her flute during 'free time' for her college senior recital (in between working on perfecting a soprano solo she had). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Contra82 Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Hello everyone, I'm currently a Freshmen in high school playing Sax and was wondering if would it be reasonable to try to learn a brass instrument and march in one of the World class corps or at least a Open Class Corps in DCI during the time I'm in high school. ~xas Yes! Most certainly march! You might check out one of the cadet corps , not the Cadets they are world class. The Colt Cadets would even teach you how to play!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornTeacher Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 xas, First of all, my fullest respect goes out to you in your willingness to learn a new instrument...and a totally new manner of tone production from which you are accustomed. The way won't be easy....but I think you already know this, yet are willing to undertake the mission. For that, you have my respect. Based upon the fact that you have experience with another instrument, I am going to assume that you have developed some pretty good aural (of the ear) skills. USE THEM!! Your teacher won't be with you 24/7, so for most of the time, YOU must be your own best teacher. And that will mean using the skills and abilities you already have to facilitate the new learning of which you aspire. LONG TONES!! Mezzo-forte, or as my Italian Uncle used to say "Not-ta too louda...not-ta too softa...justa nice." Supported...straight tone...think medical show "dead line"...go for about 12-16 counts, all while maintaining constant dynamic level, pitch level, and support. BREATHE!!!!! Not from your lungs, of course...and not even from the diaphragm (tell everyone else to shut up for a moment on this one!!)....breathe deeply from your knee-caps...yeah...all the way down to your knee-caps. Then...push it all the way back up and through your horn. Oh...and that's the other key ingredient...don't blow into your mouthpiece (yeah, that's what you actually do, but let's play a mind game for a moment).....blow OUT your bell. Through the horn and OUT the bell. That-ta giva you a nice-a sound. (My Ital. Unc would give you an immediate high five, saying "You-d do-a good, I-a slappa you-a hand. You-a do-a bad, I-a slappa you-a face!!" LIP SLURS!!! On all valve combinations. Consult the "Arban Method" for many, many exercises which deal with these. Then-a do-a them. Longa, longa time. Besta luck...all joking aside, I'll be thinking of you. From time to time, please let me know how you're doing. Oh....by the way,,,that'll be 30,000 lire for the lesson. Good luck!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xas Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 (edited) Again, thank you for all the feedback and HornTeacher your 30,000 lire is on the way ;) I think I might want to try for Drum Major in an open corps. I know it seems extremely unreasonable but I at least want to try. I was just wondering if any DCI Open Class corps have Drum Major camps or auditions. Thank You again! ~Xas Edited October 27, 2014 by xas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Since you're a freshman in high school, this is the perfect time to learn (and I say this sincerely and with all the gentleness I have): There is no apostrophe in "woodwinds". A bad habit that's floating around is to randomly place apostrophes into words that end in the letter "s". Thank you and best of luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soccerguy315 Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Again, thank you for all the feedback and HornTeacher your 30,000 lire is on the way ;) I think I might want to try for Drum Major in an open corps. I know it seems extremely unreasonable but I at least want to try. I was just wondering if any DCI Open Class corps have Drum Major camps or auditions. Thank You again! ~Xas your best bet is to check out the website for each corps and email them to ask... I would guess that most DCI drum majors are either 1. veterans of their corps, or 2. drum majors for other groups (HS or college) but most importantly... I think it's way more fun to get to march the drill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurebluecoat Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 HornTeacher already gave some good ideas on how to learn a brass instrument, so I won't really go into that. I wanted to say that I started in HS on alto sax, then baritone sophomore year, and now euph. And I still play sax during concert season. I haven't marched drum corps yet but I am auditioning for Bluecoats this year. You have a long time to learn and get strong, but you should start now. I recommend baritone or euph. Baritone is heavy and euph is incredibly heavy (most rookies in drum corps get put on euph so you may want to get used to it). It may be hard to find a marching euph but just find the heaviest horn you can. Practice holding it. Make sure you have good posture. It can take a long time to build up the strength to hold it but if you start now you can be a monster by the time you're a junior or senior in high school. Also, probably THE MOST IMPORTANT THING about learning any brass instrument...buzz on the mouthpiece a lot. It will help so much. All the horn does is amplify what you're doing on the mouthpiece. So yeah definitely learn a brass instrument because they're awesome and who doesn't want to march drum corps? If you have any questions at all feel free to ask! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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