Cymbal Lines their Scoring/GE value & why their demise?

[MikeD]

I was talking to the assistant band director of my Son's Marching Band this weekend and he admitted, having all the electronics and large front ensemble was in part for intimidation purposes. I talked to people from Texas and the wealth of your band program is flaunted by having a rediculously large front ensemble.

Just who is the band director intimidating? I know by me, bands in a particular class rarely if ever see bands in their own class, as they are either getting ready to compete in the practice area or are cleaning up after they perform. As John said, that is a VERY lame reason...and hardy educational...to have a large pit, if true.

I arrange for and teach a small band, so we don't have the luxury of numbers. What I have done is have my pit players (all 4 of them the years I did it) pick up crash cymbals during a percussion feature and move on to the field to do some visual effects along with playing. They had a blast. I had to do it the second year too, when they were all seniors, as they loved it so much they begged me to write that into the show again.