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My name is Tyler and I am trying out for Carolina Crown on Contra of course.
I'm getting lessons from Tony Granados for extra help and I was just wondering if anybody had any advice?

TubaTyler wrote:My name is Tyler and I am trying out for Carolina Crown on Contra of course.
I'm getting lessons from Tony Granados for extra help and I was just wondering if anybody had any advice?

My name is Ralph and I am replying to your post of course.
I'm saying listen to Tony Granados and get ALL of the help he has to offer. This is my advice.

drum corps is a mentality. DON'T CUT YOURSELF!!!!! stay focused and believe in yourself and you can make it. Visual is the main concern (as it is the biggest part of the scorecard) they can teach you how they want you to play, but you have show them that you can move as a unit. like i said stay focused and believe in yourself and you can do it!

TubaTyler wrote: I was just wondering if anybody had any advice?

Yes.

1. Get in shape. Tuba players are sometimes round, although that is a shape, that will get you cut from a drum corps in a hurry. If you are a fatso (like I am now, post drum corps), you WILL get cut, or be at a huge disadvantage.

2. HOLD UP SOMETHING. Corps have a really really big issue with "gutters" or people that cradle the contras against their chest/gut. This is really something that needs to be trained prior to camp, or you are gonna have a hell of a time holding the horn at carry in visual judging. Get some ankle weights, load up to 19-20 pounds and hold it out in front of you as long as you can. Build that up over time, you need to!

3. Learn to march in a pretty generic corps style. No matter what your band directors tell you, your high school/college band doesn't "march like a drum corps". Find someone with prior corps experience and have them TEACH you how to march and stand correctly. There is a lot of variation from corps to corps (Blue Knights and Cavaliers specifically), but these tools will help you in an audition and make you not look "bando".

4. Worry about the sound. What gets contras cut? It has nothing to do with technique, hardly even range. It comes down to sound. If you don't have a nice sound and focus on your sound, you will get cut.

5. Be nice to the vets/staff. It should go without saying, however, many college/high school "section leaders" walk into a drum corps audition acting like they are owed something. If you are nice and friendly to the members and staff you are showing that you understand the debt they have paid every day for an entire summer at 100+ degree temperatures in the sun. Not being friendly and welcoming means that even if you do make it, you are a tickbox or sock party waiting to happen. Sometimes corps vets seem unapproachable, this is because of the bond that has developed between the members in such a trying experience. Seek them out anyways, ask them about their corps experiences, etc.

6. DO NOT be afraid to march a smaller tier corps. If you do get cut from Crown, don't be a statistic, MARCH SOMEWHERE ELSE. Many corps with VERY good instruction have a hard time filling contra spots. You can march a corps that isn't "in the running" and still get a valuable drum corps experience. If you get cut from Crown, my first phone call would be to Christian Carichner at Arizona Academy. Academy is a corps with an incredible instructional staff that puts many top 5 corps to shame. It is a tuba players dream and the fact they have a hard time finding contras is INSANE.

Wes

hey Wes,

That's all great advice, especially the gutters thing (unless you're the cadets, but that's something they do to honor a past member). I'd like to connect with some corps vets on Tubenet, where did you march?

WVUtubaman12 wrote:where did you march?

2000- Euphonium in a now defunct Div III corps
2001- Contra, Phantom Regiment
2002- Contra, Phantom Regiment
2003- Euphonium, Phantom Regiment
2005- Tuba, Phantom Regiment

do you remember Greg Donkerbrook from 05

TexTuba wrote:

TubaTyler wrote:My name is Tyler and I am trying out for Carolina Crown on Contra of course.
I'm getting lessons from Tony Granados for extra help and I was just wondering if anybody had any advice?

My name is Ralph and I am replying to your post of course.
I'm saying listen to Tony Granados and get ALL of the help he has to offer. This is my advice.

This is the best advice I have seen on this website, yet.

I'm Tony Granados.

the elephant wrote:

CC wrote:I'm Tony Granados.

I'm Chris Combest.

I'm Fat.

Yea, the phantom guys all make really good points. Go in there with confidents and don’t count yourself out, don’t tell them that your “just at the camp for the experience” I know that the crown staff hates that, so let them know you’re in it for the long haul. Some other points, Get in shape, before my 1st camp with the Cadets I dropped almost 35pounds and then another 15 before that start of spring training. Also strength is a big deal, marching contra in drum corps is like going to battle everyday, so lots and lots and lots of pushups, also holding random heavy objects if front of you helps a lot. Lastly don’t be afraid, there are always going to be the handful of vets that what to intimidate you, but just be kind and respectful and you will find that most of them will gladly help you. I happen to know some of the guys on crowns contra line, and they are really fun and good people. Yea man, no doubt that crown is an awesome drum corps with an unbelievable hornline, good luck!

The biggest thing even the best lines look for is determination, so just go in ready to work hard and push yourself. Take enjoyment in doing that and you'll go far.

Tyler, were you at the January camp?