inspiring your band

[the_DRUM_MAJOR]

This past Friday, my band had a section leader meeting in which I was shocked to see that when the question "Do you want the band to do good this year?" was asked, 3 of the SENIOR section leaders failed to raise their hand. The 3 who did not raise their hands are pretty reputible players and one of the most looked upon. But seeing them not wanting to raise their hand to not see the band do good got me pissed off. Of all people I would have expected them to answer "YES. I Want my band to do good". But apparently they dont. I can understand their views since one is "mad" about not getting the DM title and other issues, the other has "senioritis" and could care less about band except for the credit, and the other seems to just not believe we can do it at all. I don't understand why they cant put their issues aside and not want to be part of the group that changes the whole standards for my band program. I know my band is good but we havent been going up to where we should be. Personally I think its because these kids have been led to believe that our location automatically says we suck so they in turn believe that we cant get away from that assumption. BUT WE CAN. Other than that, the other drum major for my school tends to sway into the more "popular" side about "i dont care" and etc. For example, as I walked away from rehersal one of the section leaders told her "I don't care about being in attention at rehersals I just talk anyway." And she replied " [laughing] I dont care if yall are at attention or not." I was thinking "What? You support that? Goofing off at practice?" Yes I know its just talking and what not but still I know now the importance of focus when at rehersal. In all, right now is a really hard time because without those 3 believing, how will the rest of the band be if they dont care. Especially the freshman. . As DM this year for the first time, I'd like to definately change the band but Im stuck at the point where inspiring the band to do great things is hard. What would you guys do to inspire your band?

[Dynasty]

Well I think the first question that needs to be answered is why do those seniors not want the band to do well, and why are they section leaders and still in band?

 

Perhaps the wrong leaders were chosen?

[TRtrumpet]

Just do your best and be a good role model for the younger ones (seems wierd but they actually do look up the you) if you make your attitude positive it will rub into them.

 

... and yes I agree, I think the wrong leaders were chosen.

[Clarinot]

At my school, leaders like that are de-leaderized

[arundo]

Obviously they shouldnt be in leadership, or band for that matter.

You cannot expect a band to be good one year, its a long process that starts with:

1.Getting rid of kids that dont want to be succesful.

2.Choosing right leadership.

3.DM's who care.

4.Keep tradition, such as being at attention...Keep those, be strict about it..enforce it.

5.Make it a fun environment.

6.Make sure everyone feels apart of the group.

 

Those are just a few things that could help "inspire" a band to be succesful, And successful does not mean to win a competition, its for the band to look back and say,"I did everything I could to make this band better."

just my opinion...

[the_DRUM_MAJOR]

they dont want the band to do well because i think one has issues with the Drum Majors because she wanted to be one and didnt get the position so shes mad about that and because the band didnt vote her into any position for president, vice pres. etc. The other doesnt want the band to do well because she plainly doesnt care and is just in it for the credit and the other just thinks we cant do anything so she doesnt want us to do good. Theyre still in band because of the credit i think....i agree with u arundo ill think about those 7 points you made

[CvS_BaRiToNe SeCtIoN LeAdEr]

heyhey love!! well yeahh i totally agree with u on that! i mean what is up with sara, lauren, and erin! and especially with noe siding with lauren just bc she doesnt want to look like an *uncool* dm.. u know what i mean?? Noe is just going along with the seniors bc she doesnt want any of them to dislike her! And with this whole Sara thing.. she needs to get over it already! she shouldnt be getting mad at u when tate didnt pick her as dm! she just needs to go on with her life and face it that she didnt make it.. and her bein so negative is gonna take her no where in life! so for the time being dont let this bother u! u have other things to worry about and her is just one of ur least! i seem to think that shes only doing this for attention.. bc come on.. the sara that we knew wouldnt have done what she did at the section leader meeting! ugh this pisses me off that u(my best friend) have to go through this when u dont need this at all.. well ill talk to u later about it! til then im offff.. buhbye!

 

Nessa!

[ClaireAnnette07]

  CvS_BaRiToNe SeCtIoN LeAdEr said:

heyhey love!! well yeahh i totally agree with u on that! i mean what is up with sara, lauren, and erin! and especially with noe siding with lauren just bc she doesnt want to look like an *uncool* dm.. u know what i mean?? Noe is just going along with the seniors bc she doesnt want any of them to dislike her! And with this whole Sara thing.. she needs to get over it already! she shouldnt be getting mad at u when tate didnt pick her as dm! she just needs to go on with her life and face it that she didnt make it.. and her bein so negative is gonna take her no where in life! so for the time being dont let this bother u! u have other things to worry about and her is just one of ur least! i seem to think that shes only doing this for attention.. bc come on.. the sara that we knew wouldnt have done what she did at the section leader meeting! ugh this pisses me off that u(my best friend) have to go through this when u dont need this at all.. well ill talk to u later about it! til then im offff.. buhbye!

 

Nessa!

Jeez Nessa, how did I know that CvS Baritone Section Leader was you?! Haha..anyway, I totally agree with you with the DM thing..I didn't make it either and you dont see me getting negative or anything. I understand that there are other circumstances with all this, but in my case, I'm content with being clarinet section leader and I can only hope she can be as content, eventually. Anyway, Ralph, here's what I want you to know: I (and I know Nessa will too) will help any way I can..just tell me when you need help with this sort of stuff and I will be there. We're on your side....

[the_DRUM_MAJOR]

thanks guys i appreciate it

[mnkyman]

wheres your location?..and how can it affect your performance?

 

as for the other drum major..set him/her straight....make sure they know all the rules....

 

 

an incentive to not talking is not doing extra jumping jacks or crunchs in our band.........and seems to work......

 

(we do jumping jacks and crunchs every day after stretches)

 

 

 

 

...take the band for a run around the field...i remember one day that everyone was just talking..(and this was on the way to a pep rally)....so the dms said everyones running 3 laps....as a group...as in no one can pass up the drum majors..

 

its been quiet (mostly) ever since....

 

 

and get director back up..in the sense of...when u tell the band to do something and they dont..make sure the band director is backing u up...like by saying something as simply as...if u cant follow instructions...may someone who can ..can take your marching spot

[bariphonium]

  mnkyman said:

an incentive to not talking is not doing extra jumping jacks or crunchs in our band.........and seems to work......

 

(we do jumping jacks and crunchs every day after stretches)

 

 

 

 

...take the band for a run around the field...i remember one day that everyone was just talking..(and this was on the way to a pep rally)....so the dms said everyones running 3 laps....as a group...as in no one can pass up the drum majors..

 

its been quiet (mostly) ever since....

 

 

and get director back up..in the sense of...when u tell the band to do something and they dont..make sure the band director is backing u up...like by saying something as simply as...if u cant follow instructions...may someone who can ..can take your marching spot

One problem: hazing. Some kids feels tired, tells his mom about it, and the mom proceeds to call the local news station and the school's principle, ranting and raving about how the band is going to kill her son, who could probably use the extra exercise anyway.

 

My way is very hard, and I haven't done it myself, but I've seen it work (VERY WELL) in other areas. Persuasion, mostly by example. Get all the section leaders, all the student leaders (including the good-players that aren't classified as "leaders") to be so into it, they director says to back off some. If they can psyche the band into following them, then it ends up being a snowball effect, and if you can keep everyone working, if you can keep it fun (again, exampled by the leaders when to play and when to work), and if you can keep the feeling amongst the band, then it should only improve. A big helper to this is if you start it, and it works, you can boost it by talking about how well the band has been doing, how much they've been improving, and encourage the same things to happen: work when it's time to work, and work hard, and play during the other time. Also, competitions among sections are good, and that can be put up by the director: "Hey trombones, the tubas are beating you back to your spots. You gonna let that keep up?" "Wow brass, those woodwinds sure can march. Maybe you can learn something from them." and so on. Just a few ideas.

[TRtrumpet]

"marching band is gonna kill my son"

 

 

 

thats the most RIDICULUS thing ive ever heard in my life...

[Skippy]

There are such things as heatstroke and dehydration. It is entirely possible.

[TRtrumpet]

I guess when you put it like that your right.

[Dynasty]

I don't want to bring up any hard feelings (and I am truely sorry if I do) but who can forget the James Bowie student that died at the Rose Bowl?

 

I feel that we are all becoming a little more aware of health on the marching field now. We had mandatory physicals, free heart screenings for those who choose, and water breaks/hydration were an important subject for marching band this year.

 

The argument has been placed before: Is marching band a sport? Should band students get less health attention even if marching isn't considered a sport? No. No matter what the answer, there should always be precautions to protect every person who participates.

 

Now on a side note.... holding your horn can really hurt. I've never really gotten past 10 minutes, but I'm sure it would kill you eventually.

[bariphonium]

Agreed, on all aspects.

[Tnilli]

I'll give some words of advice...i hope they help.

 

I went through a hard time at SHS. We were on top of the world my freshman year, then we started falling to the point of not making finals my Junior year. I was elected band president for my senior year and my entire goal was to motivate the band and get it to be fun again.

 

We have always used "punishments" as motivation in my section and it worked very well. I say "punishments" b/c it really wasnt a punishment. Everytime the director said something that effected anything the section was doing be it playing or marching, we took a mental tally. At the end of practice we would make a circle on the field and do push ups (all of us, including the director at times), this really helped straighten out some of the kids that are just messin around.

 

Another thing i would do would be to hold everyone after band, and i mean everyone, and give talks to the band monthly. Just let them know what they needed to know. Talk about how they are doing, encourage them... it seemed to help quite a bit. By that time there was only 1 class that was involved in the Spring band that people on these forums really talk of. Just talking to the kids as a group, with no directors around, really helps. Telling them to get out there and do their best, show that the leadership doesnt slack and if they want to be the best they have to earn it.

 

Also it was noted competition between sections...its a great way to unify. Do it as even an organization process...liek with water jugs. Race to see who can set their water jugs the fastest on the sideline...but make them have organization to it. By sizes, colors, directions they are facing. Then explain why that was important.

 

So there's my 2cents. I hope it was clear, cause i had a lot in my head and not fast enough fingers to type. Good luck!!!

[bariphonium]

Here's a question of my own: What do you do about kids who will absolutely not cooperate? Kids who will just walk off the field when everyone else gets ready for push-ups, kids who talk and talk and talk, and never shut up, kids who simply don't care. How do you take care of them?

[Tnilli]

For those types of kids, we get the section leaders to talk to them. If that doesnt work, we get the Drum Majors to talk to them. If that doesnt work the leadership would meet with the head director and talk about the kid, and in most cases he almost instantley becames a mirror/alternate.

 

We really didnt have a whole lot of kids that would just absolutely not cooperate but the few times we did, the alternate thing pretty much shut them up.

[TRtrumpet]

We used to have a kid like that. He got kicked of the band...

[mnkyman]

marching band is a health hazard...

 

..heatstrokes....just today we had 4 or so ppl go in.......but water breaks..have always been mandatory......we get water ever 30 minutes or so...

 

...but other things can be health hazards too..

 

last year at a football game...a tenor drummer clipped his heels..fell over backwards..and (if u dont know tenor drums fold up.) the drum folded up...and hit him in the mouth..cutting his lip..(to the point of stitches) and breaking his 2 front teeth...at that same football game....a trombone player...was hit in the temple by a stray color gaurd flag...he pretty much went onconcious right when he stepped off the field...

 

^both of them performed the rest of the show and ...yeah..but didnt stay the rest of the football game...

 

 

...we have started this new policy that works..but sucks....

PUSH UPS>..

 

whenever the director on the tower sees 1 person talking or just goofing off or something...the band goes down for 5 push ups...and the next time someone doest something its 10..and so on..and so on...

 

we are up to 30 or something..

 

ok your thinking 30 isnt so bad...right..but it is..when u just got done doing 25...and 20 before that....

[ClaireAnnette07]

Well, our (Drum_Major's, Cv_Baritone or whatever Nessa's sn is, and mine) band director doesn't approve of doing laps and stuff...that was actually brought up at that section leader meeting we had. I personally think it should be used for punishment, but that's just me. Oh, I'm sure holding a horn up wouldn't kill you, but it wouldn't feel so hot. I wouldn't know, because i'm a clarinet player and we don't hold our horns UP. I feel for the people that do, though...

[Sockercon]

what doesnt kill you only makes you stronger

[bariphonium]

One problem with the push-ups, laps, etc., is summed up in one word: hazing. The Texas State Law that says you can't make someone do something physical, emotional, mental, or social, that might hurt them. So no push-ups, laps, yelling too much, hurting someone's feelings, etc., because they may be scarred for life, and thus could take the hazer, and probably the band program with him/her, to court.

[afterburner2020]

  Sockercon said:

what doesnt kill you only makes you stronger

amen