marchinc_pirate Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Ever since I saw the standstill performance at Nightbeat 2003 (Charlotte, NC), I absolutely want nothing more than to march corps after I graduate high school. On Thanksgiving Day, I even shut myself in a room when DCI played (finally!) on PBS and taped it-- 2 copies, just in case one messed up (which one did, actually..) I have a slight problem though. I play clarinet. I'm going to try to get a discount horn from a local pawn shop or Ebay or something, but I'm not sure which instrument I should learn, they all have their pros and cons... Trumpet- I think it may be easy since it's a Bb horn like a clarinet, but I'm not sure if I'd be able to get the right range for corps Mellophone- I've never tried to play one, and from what I've heard seem kind of hard to tune and get pitches out? Baritone- I dont think I'm strong enough to hold one up! Does anyone have any suggestion that may make my decision any easier? It'd be greatly appreciated.. thank you all so much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Is there anyway you can borrow a horn for a while to see what you might be able to play? I knew people who started out playing trumpet in band but ended up switching to baritone because their chops could not handle the higher notes with the smaller mouthpiece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BorisTS Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 Trumpet- I think it may be easy since it's a Bb horn like a clarinet, but I'm not sure if I'd be able to get the right range for corpsMellophone- I've never tried to play one, and from what I've heard seem kind of hard to tune and get pitches out? Baritone- I dont think I'm strong enough to hold one up! Some responses to your thoughts: Trumpet- The fact that it's a B-flat instrument really isn't going to help. Also, baritone/euphonium and even tuba can be read as a B-flat instrument in treble clef, too. Also, if you march in a G hornline, this all goes out the window. Mello- as a woodwind player, any brass instrument will be hard to tune at first...you have to use your ear and adjust. Baritone- Make yourself stronger. Most of the woodwind players I've known in corps end up as second baritones, euphoniums, or contras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8va fff Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 A ton of good questions, let me tackle a few. On the issue of buying a used bulge on Ebay, don't! I have purchased an entire hornline of bugles, I have never paid more than 25% of the going price for a bugle on Ebay. Look in the Marketplace section of DCP or on RAMD for horns for sale announcements from corps or individuals. Depending on the area you live, consider joining an alumni corps, they will be more than happy to provide you a horn and give instruction. Plus playing along with people on the same part will help you quickly gain confidence. As far as instrument, soprano, mello, baritone, all have thier pluses and minuses, no instrument is harder or easier per say to play. Playing baritone does require more upper body and arm strength, so if you don't think you can (or want to) do it then stick to a smaller horn. I have taught many woodwind players to play brass in my private studio, in some cases because they wanted to play the brass instrument and were willing to work at it, they quickly passed up students who have played for years. You know how to read music, count rhythms, use air, all you need is instruction for your chops and articulation. If you are looking to march a junior corps with trumpet and F mellos, then see about borrowing a trumpet or mellophone from your high shcool band, if you are on good terms with the band director. If that is not an option, consider renting a trumpet from a local music store, a very economic way to see if it is what you want to do, before you pay hundreds on a used or new horn. Good luck and best wishes on your goals. Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jared_mello Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 I'm a clarinet player too, marched one (and was section leader) for my first 2 years in HS. I taught myself trumpet in 2 or so months, but wasn't good enough to make the corps i tried out for. I eventually, because of the circumstances I was given, had to learn mellophone. I wound up realizing that I was better on it than I was on trumpet, so I decided to stick with it. I marched div 2 (Memphis Sound) that first summer, improved hugely, and marched mello in marching band. Now I'm heading into my 2nd year of drum corps. You should really try out the instruments first before buying one, to see which you're naturally best at. Good luck....it's worth it!!!!! :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miar Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 work hard. dont get intimidated out of playing baritone cause you dont think you can hold it up. dont get intimidated out of playing trumpet or mello cuz you dont think you can handle the range. every horn has its difficult aspects so it really doesnt matter which you choose in terms of the work you will have to put in to master it. just work hard and eventually you will get it. private lessons are a good thing to look into. believe in yourself and dont let anybody color your opinion of an instrument. play something you want to. not something you think would be easier to handle. they are all equally difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marchinc_pirate Posted February 11, 2004 Author Share Posted February 11, 2004 thanks so much! I was planning on asking my BD tomorrow about it as well. He knows me very well as a musician and is always pushing me to try harder so I think if anyone, he'd be the best to help me decide. He's also the best BD i've ever had.. I came to my high school knowing absolutely nothing musical and am now told almost daily that I'm one of the better clarinets in there. (not trying to sound vain, becuase i'm not sure how true that is, i just hear it often) I was thinking about trying out for Carolina Crown first, being that I live in NC and our drum major this past year marched Crown.. a lot of my friends and I who are serious about corps are considering Crown. I believe their camps start in November though, so I don't really have much time to learn a new instrument by then.. I have to think about my classes and practicing for my school's wind ensemble before summer break, and then a good majority of July-October is taken up with marching band. I would have tried out for corps this summer, but my BD decided to make it a rule that if we marched corps then we couldn't march with the school. <**> I don't want to give up my senior year of high school marching band. I love it, the adrenaline of competing is one of my favorite feelings in the world.. that and I'll graduate when I'm only 16 so that gives me plenty of time to do corps. And I found out today one of my friends who plays trumpet wants to learn clarinet. So I'm going to see if I can teach him... and see if he'll let me try out his trumpet. :) Okay, so I've blabbed on about nothing for too long, lol. I do that when talking about music.. it's my life.. Thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melloageout07 Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 sometimes I wished I had waited until after high school to march, because of the way many people treated me afterwards, but of course that's different for everyone. If you want to march drum corps then why not consider starting to learn it now, and then possibly convince your BD to let you march it in the fall, that way you can get used to it not only musically but also visually. As for what you play that's up to you. I have one friend that is a clarinet (primarily bass clarinet) that marched mello for 03, but is switching to bari this season because she wants to play something with an emboschure closer to that of the clarinet. I also have a friend that is a flute major that played mello for 03 and is for 04 as well, and she had probably the best tone on mello for being a w.w. player that I've ever heard. We also had an alto sax player on soprano. Most w.w. players that I know though end up playing baritone. just some thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bd5times Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 (edited) Most of the woodwind players I've known in corps end up as second baritones, euphoniums, or contras. Perhaps the first year of learning this statement could be true. However, I know several woodwinds that have played lead bari in corps such as SCV. I'm a woodwind that added soprano and mellophone to my resume. I would say....what ever horn you're excited about....that's the one you should play. Edited February 11, 2004 by bd5times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miar Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 just curious. why do band directors tell you not to do corps? and is it really possible for them to stop you if you really wanted to do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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