is anybody a band nerd?
I am the biggest band nerd in the world I spend most of my time in the band room and I skip some classes to be in it. Is anyone as big a nerd as me?
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Yeah! Trombone players represent!
Except out here on the east coast (at least in MA) we call ourselves band geeks, not band nerds. I don't skip classes or anything, but I rarely have as much fun on campus as when I'm marching with the band. Go UMASS! |
Oh god... :P. No not me, I hate instruments. I love music, but I hate instruments >.<.
I saw this movie once though, it was like a band drill camp. That movie was awsome. |
Now, depending on where you go, band camp can, in fact, be a hideous amount of fun.
Like at my school: the band director is strict on the field, and an onlooker might think, "holy carp taht band camp is liek teh armee drill camp omgomgomg!!" But the overall experience is too fun. Too fun. |
Like, one time?, at band camp?... Etc.
No, I ain't a band geek, we don't have that shizzle over here... |
I asshat band. The flow of it, the experience. There's nothing more fun than being at a competetion far away from home and only your type of epople are there. Just amazing.
Go euphonium! |
I don't think I would survive. My little weak arms can not hold the weight of a tuba :p.
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I'm assuming you mean Gabe type band of trombones and trumpets and such. That, I think, is native to America.
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I mean I hate to play instruments... you twit XD.
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I wouldn't call it nerdy... I've skipped crap lessons a few times to play my bass/ jam on with a mate.
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I'm kinda a band geek but you should see my cousin but skipping classes to be in it, no no no no |
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You silly band geeks. I am an Orch dork. Thats right I'm in orchestra. Orchestra pwns band!
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you could strangle us with your strings, but I could beat you to death with my tuba. You could stab us with the ends of your cellos and basses but most of our instruments make good melee weopons
its a tie |
I play the drums, but i'm not that great at it. I used to play the baritone (I think thats what it's called) but not that much anymore.
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Yeah I play trombone as my main instrument and as a second the entire brass family.
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Well, looks like there arn't anymore nerd in the house.
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Yeah I'm in band play Alto Saxophone and feel no shame in being part of such an excellent organization. As soon as I can upload our top Jazz Band or Wind Ensemble's recordings from last year (don't have our compilation CDs yet for this year) I will.
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Well, My sister is just learning how to play the Alto. But what is your favorite kind of music?
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Jazz hands down, I love almost all styles of music and have a very open musical taste most of the time...but give me the old days any day of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Ellington, etc. All of them were geniuses in their own right and I'd say nothing still compares to the feeling of hearing or playing their music, not to mention people neglect to remember that almost all modern music has its roots in Jazz and classical music.
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Al, you and I should start a jazz ensemble.
I absolutely loved playing in the jazz band at my high school. My roommate has a bunch of recordings of us I'll have to upload. We'll have to see who's jazz ensemble is better. |
never will get the chance to be in jazz band, as euphonium isn't that well, jazzy. they would have that stupid french horn player have the part if there wsas one. Who knows? I seem pretty booked to become adrum major in marching band, there is some tought competetion in my grade and up, so I will have to train hard.
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Ay, euphonium. And this year, bass trombone for jazz. Gotta <3 the marching, darn good fun, and a hell of a kick to get you in shape. Just got done with a solo contest this past weekend ("Blue Bells of Scottland, if you peeps know it), and have the good ol' concert contest season coming up. Fun stuff.
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YES! BASS TROMBONE PLAYERS = THE GREATEST MEN THE WORLD WILL EVER KNOW!
We bass trombone players gotta represent! |
Well, I play a Holton 1996, 10inch bell trigger Trombone. Dave I'll take you on whenever you want. J/K. Well, my favorite music is JAZZ
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Band Nerd wannabe
I started Brass class in the beginning of the year. When we have band, it seems like my Brass group is like a big family. It's pretty fun playing an instrument down here in California. Mostly everyone I know has played an instrument, Since I started playing Trumpet, I've been adding thoughts of music into my pictures of surrealiality. Even though I'm kinda new in band( been in it for 5 months) I feel like I'm actually getting better. So, I guess i'm a Band Geek wannabe.
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One of my best friends is the lead trombone player in our band and he made IMEA (Illinois Music Something Something Association) district and was lead trombone in their top jazz ensemble (Honor Band). Then he was selected from that group to play at the All State level with the best of the best from all of Illinois and ended up being chosen for the top band in the state as the fourth trombone. So to sum up my friend is the fourth best jazz trombonist or trombonist period in the state!
About two years ago as well, the lead trombonist in our band was the best in the state so its kind of a cool tradition now and theres an unbelievable amount of talent not only at our school but in the surrounding districts. |
Well, I was first chair in the honor band but that doesn't really say much seeing as the schools around us really suck. Trombone is a fun Instrument because it's one of the harder ones to play.
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Right on.
A buddy of mine made it to all-state level in Massachusetts several times. Our senior year in high school he was even nominated for All Eastern. All Eastern. My home town has a ridiculously good music program, and has had one for going on 34 years, becaue our music director is extremely passionate. Under his direction, he's sent countless students to All State level, brought the band to perform throughout Europe, to Canada, and across the US. Naturally this wasn't all in the same year, but over the years he has had phenomenal bands. Throughout my High School career, our band went to Symphony Hall in Boston twice. We traveled to Disney World in Florida and received a Gold Medal at some competition, performed at Epcot (I think it was Epcot, we weren't under the giant golf ball but we were in the park), hung around for a week. Our greatest concert band ever was in 1998 (which was nearly matched my senior year, 2004-2005). Our greatest Jazz ensemble was in 1993, which Macrina will remember for the rest of his life - that group performed an excellent arrangement of Hey, Jude under the Eiffel Tower. Thing is, though, that Macrina can hardly ever get a band that is great in every section, like last year. Usually he'll get only a really good wind section but a lousy brass section, or the winds will be okay and the trumpets will rock, but the french horns and the trombones will kinda be dull. But for the last three years, we've had phenomenal players in almost every section. And this is, I guess, a rarity: 5 awesome french horn players three years in a row. We had good lead trumpets. If Macrina's best were 10s in 1998, last year we had 8s and 9s. Our trombone section was, naturally, great. 10 students, 3 of us were seniors. Unfortunately, it seems that we three seniors carried most of the section, because now there are only two or three that really care to play, out of 11 this year. Cowell was on lead (he's the one who almost made All Eastern), Conroy second chair, playing first, and myself in the back, rocking the bass trombone. I miss it. We had like 30 clarinets, all of whom were maniacs, 15 or so flutes, all very skilled, some unbelieveable alto and tenor saxes, three great bari saxes, euphs, tubas ... and my GOD, the percussion! Our percussion section was unbelieveable. Really quite good. I talk big. My numbers may or may not surprise you (graduating class: 850, not a typo). Soon, I'm going to get some of last years recordings up for all ya'll to hear. THIS year I was in the UMASS Minuteman Marching Band, under the direction of George Parks. I guess he's a big deal. If anyone knows about him or what he's so great for, fill me in. I'm sort of oblivious to this stuff. And this after noon I'm working in the Hoop Band, performing in one last basketball game under Thom Hannum, who we've been told is like, The Percussion Guru or something. Matter of fact, I have to go do that in ten minutes, and I still have to browse the rest of the forum before I go. |
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Just curious, what was the name of your school? It sounds like you guys have matched the quality of Governor Livingston in New Jersey hundreds of times over. Also, did you guys make it to ACC's this year? |
Used, my high school is Brockton High School, in Brockton, MA. I don't know about ACC this year, because I'm not following their happenings too much. I'm in college now, so I don't know what they're up to. I do know that they're planning a trip to Virginia for a band trip and competition. They aren't as good anymore, considering all the really cool and awesome bandos graduated, but they aren't phenomenal.
AND NOW. Okay, here's the deal: I don't have the recordings I thought I did. While we did these songs, these recordings aren't us. But I got an idea! I would present to you professional recordings, and, when I do get my hands on the recordings our band did in a week or so, I'll post them, and you can compare for yourself how they sound. This link will direct you to a download. WinZip or WinRAR should be able to open it. Three of the best songs from last year, performed by a professional band (not sure who). This is so you know how cool these songs are. Eternal Father Strong to Save, Ride, and Mannin Veen. Frickin' awesome. This is Inchon, another professional recording. I performed this my sophomore year in high school, and sounded almost as good as this recording. The helicoptery sounds are done with bass drum heads. Sweet. This nearly 19 minute beauty is called Suite of Old American Dances. We did played it my sophomore year, and it was really freaking sweet. And now. I only have three songs for now that were actually performed by us. They are only medleys... one is a Tribute to Andrew Lloyd Weber, one is a medley of songs from the musical Chicago, and the last is a medley of Batman tunes ... all from varied years in my high school careers, but they are us. I hope that these are to you guys' liking. In a week or so I'll be able to get the recordings of us up, and you can decide for yourselves how good we sound compared to professional groups. Okay. Enjoy n' stuff. |
We sightread Suite of of Old American Dances a few weeks ago in Wind Ensemble and we played Ride in wind ensemble last year as well.
We submitted for super state contest this year in wind ensemble: Blue Shades, Magnum Mysterium, and Overture to 'Candide.' Our musical this year this year is actually Chicago and it'll be the first time since three years ago that we've had a full pit orchestra for the musical. I was in the pit as a freshman for Anything Goes and that was awesome so this should be kick ass. |
Yeah, I am in pit orchestra now for The Scarlet Pimpernel. It's good music, but half of it is C major so having 5 sharps at once on the key signature can get difficult. >_>
Al, how did your school ever allow Chicago to be performed? :p |
We did Candide last year, but I didn't have any recordings ... bah.
I've never been in pit, much to my chagrin, but I would have loved to be. And no way is your school doing Chicago. Unless maybe you're at a college somewhere. |
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And Used to answer your question, we have a fairly liberal school board, and I'm sure we'll be cutting some of the really risque stuff but who knows we've gotten away with plenty. |
Pit is gay. So is Full Orchestra.
Euphoniums ain't good enough for their shit:p Not like I wanted to anyways.[/bitter] |
Use this site to host your files. It seemed to work for me. Just don't lose the link they give you, because I don't think there's any other way to retrieve the files.
Also! Is anyone here familiar with the Grand Serenade for an Awful Lot of Winds and Percussion? It's a lot more fun to perform and/or see performed than to hear, but I've linked our band's recording anyway. We did it three years ago. It's supposed to be a fun piece, lots of strange things. At one point the clarinet section had to gargle water at a certain pitch, for one movement everyone played on only their mouthpieces, etc. And over the years, Macrina - the band director - had added things that our band would do. Feathers flying, bandos swaying in wide circles, a cowboy running across the stage (our cowboy was about 6 and a half feet tall, black, and usually silent), the trumpet section did the wave, and some other stuff I'm sure I forgot. The song is just under 11 minutes long. The percussionists, despite the overly silly sound effects, were to have overly serious faces. Note on the third movement: you'll hear a clumsily executed drum roll. Several trumpets hold up signs with 2s and 3s on it. A second drum roll: 7s and 8s. A third drum roll: 8s and 9s. A fourth, also clumsy but more enthusiastic drum roll, and at the cymbal crash he knocks his competitors off the risers. He gets 3 10s. There is a section where the first five alto saxophones come out, and it looks like they're going to have a great big thing on their own, and they all blow a single terrible note an go sit down. Okay. Enjoy. It wasn't the best band we've had, but I thought I'd share it with you guys. |
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It sucks. Badly. Just the amount of practicing required drove me over the edge. |
YES!
Got my band's music here. Boom! Now, these first four tracks are from our performance at Symphony Hall in Boston. Brockton Introduced Rifle Regiment March Eternal Father Strong to Save Mannin Veen The rest are collected from throughout my senior year. American Salute A Hymn to the Fallen (from the soundtrack to Saving Private Ryan) Ride William Tell Overture Theme from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (Marching Band Haftime Show Opener) These two are supposed to be Christmas tunes. Mary's Boy Child Cielito Lindo Please, guys. Give 'em a listen. Tell me what you think. An alright band or what? |