ContraRich77 Posted June 10, 2002 Share Posted June 10, 2002 I play Contra because it kicks a&$, and because I've always wanted to. Having been a high brass player my entire drum corps career (sop, french horn, mellophone) I've always been in awe of contra players, so I thought I'd give it a try. Love it to death, will probably be a contra player for some time to come:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuZiK11 Posted June 10, 2002 Share Posted June 10, 2002 I play Contra because it kicks a&$, and because I've always wanted to. Having been a high brass player my entire drum corps career (sop, french horn, mellophone) I've always been in awe of contra players, so I thought I'd give it a try. Love it to death, will probably be a contra player for some time to come:) i better run while i can, they tried to recruit me to be a drummer yesterdya, hehe .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluggo Posted June 10, 2002 Share Posted June 10, 2002 I just turned out to be a natural on the Trombone, I played Baritone with Corps.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bd5times Posted June 12, 2002 Share Posted June 12, 2002 Well, as far as brass instruments are concerned.....here's my story. I was in a band in Concord California in which most members played 5 instruments or more. A majority of us played an instrument called the Cimbalom which is made in Hungry. While my sister was in the Blue Devils, I was in this other band. She was touring the US, I was touring Europe. Quite frankly, if the band had not folded, I most likely would never have been in drum corps. So.......the band director of the band passed away when I was a freshmen in high school and it soon starting going south. I made a bet with my Dad. If Blue Devils won DCI in 1979, I would join the B corps for the 1980 season. The problem was.......I had no idea how to play a brass instrument. I was a clarinet, saxophone, cimbalom, harp, and flute player......but I could read music.....sight read rather well that is. Anway, I lost the bet. I was going to give Blue Devils a try. I can still recall my first rehearsal with the Blue Devils and Jack Meehan asking me to play a middle C......."How do you do that?" After the 1980 season with the Blue Devils B corps, I figured I had another year with the B corps before even thinking about making the A corps. My dad kept pushing me to try out for the A corps for the 81 season. At that time, I had 10 months of brass playing under my belt, and the A corps had just won DCI along with a brass title. There was simply no way. Well, after constant prodding, I figured I would try out and gave it my all. I practiced my ### off, mostly playing out of my clarinet books on a P/R horn. Long story short, I made the Blue Devils A horn line after having playing a brass instrument for 10 months (made the soprano line). Surely, there was some mistake. Now, to the point of the post, why the horn I played. After a couple of months in the A corps, we had "final cuts". A rather intimidating experience. You pretty much auditioned in front of the horn line and then learned your fate. I was a wreck. After the auditions, Wayne Downey asked me if I would like to play in the Alto line.....which was my goal all along.......so.......ever since then, I've been an alto kind of guy. I've played flugle horn, mellophone, and trumpet ever since then, along with clarinet and saxophone. Rob BDB 80 BDA 81-85 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynkin Posted June 15, 2002 Author Share Posted June 15, 2002 Ah, everyone loves my turn on the nostalgia thread. HAPPY! (loser Tim) No band teacher can ever convert me to any other instrument, ever. I doubt I'll ever switch... (just watch, I end up on a mellophone next year or something) You heard it hear first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarronSopDude Posted June 15, 2002 Share Posted June 15, 2002 My father bought me a trumpet the day I was born. I think he kind of made up my mind for me. And I've never regretted it. :) Still playing that horn too. Getzen Severinsen model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randomnoise Posted June 18, 2002 Share Posted June 18, 2002 what I'd LOVE to do is meet up the Sky mellos, seven Kiltie mellos and 16 RA mellos and we could all play something together in the parking lot at DCA.Wouldn't that be way cool? And the 17 Renegades Mellos? Can we play, too? ^0^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMom8105 Posted June 19, 2002 Share Posted June 19, 2002 what I'd LOVE to do is meet up the Sky mellos, seven Kiltie mellos and 16 RA mellos and we could all play something together in the parking lot at DCA.Wouldn't that be way cool? And the 17 Renegades Mellos? Can we play, too? ^0^ h### yeah!!!!!!!! :D -Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hboyce Posted July 3, 2002 Share Posted July 3, 2002 My first instrument (regretably) was the Saxophone. I played it from fifth grade to ninth grade. Second semester of ninth grade some corps recruiter came to my shcool so I decided to play a Baritone. My Sophomore year there were no more Baritones to be played so I picked up a Mellophone and have been playing ever since (two years). I also dabble a little on French Horn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevingamin Posted July 3, 2002 Share Posted July 3, 2002 OK, here's my story about the long and winding road to becoming a low brass player. Sherman, set the Wayback Machine for 1984... 5th grade. Our band director comes into my class with some instruments in order to recruit for 5th grade band. I was one of the volunteers who tried playing the instruments, specifically the trombone. For the first time I tried playing on it, I actually sounded pretty good! I went home that night and asked my grandmother if I could play trombone. Her response: "Well, we have my old trumpet in the closet." Over the next 10 years, I would play trumpet throughout school. I wasn't too great, but I somehow ended up 1st chair in high school band, which doesn't say much about the talent level of the trumpets. Meanwhile, I start playing soprano for Glassmen in 1992. I stick with soprano for 1993 and it looks like I will do so in 1994. However, Glassmen have about 26 sopranos for 22 spots and about 16 bartitones for 18-20 spots. The brass staff pulls me aside and asks me to switch. I say yes. BEST DECISION I EVER MAKE!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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