Marching band question

[vd8m9]

Does marching band make your tone worse? Before marching season, I recorded myself playing an étude, and then I recorded myself playing it again today, and I noticed my tone was a lot worse. Has anyone had similar experiences to this? And if you did, how did you deal with it?

Also, I do know how to "fix" my tone, but that process is very tedious, and it takes a really long time. That isn't the problem. The problem is how I can maintain a good tone so I don't have to be at a "negative" after every marching rehearsal, and waste valuable time trying to fix that fuzzy sound.

[eupher61]

No. Playing with incorrect physical attributes makes you play worse. You're likely trying to play too loud, not breathing deeply enough, and not using the air efficiently. Question is: Are you doing that on the field, or back inside on your concert horn?

Could be both, could be either.

Marching band can reinforce bad habits if you let yourself fall into them.

[bububassboner]

No. Playing with incorrect physical attributes makes you play worse. You're likely trying to play too loud, not breathing deeply enough, and not using the air efficiently

This.

[vd8m9]

No. Playing with incorrect physical attributes makes you play worse. You're likely trying to play too loud, not breathing deeply enough, and not using the air efficiently. Question is: Are you doing that on the field, or back inside on your concert horn?

Could be both, could be either.

Marching band can reinforce bad habits if you let yourself fall into them.

I suppose it's because our director always asks us (our section) to play louder... How can we play with the "correct" physical attributes?

[thevillagetuba]

I suppose it's because our director always asks us (our section) to play louder... How can we play with the "correct" physical attributes?

That is a hard answer to provide in this medium as there are often more ways to be doing something wrong than right. With my students, I find them pushing air and aiming for an "impact" sound (as in something that sounds powerful or loud at the bell/right in front of it). I always try to remind my students that their objective is to provide a resonant bass sound that will carry. Play the sousa the same way you play your concert horn and let the larger bell and horn do the rest of the work for you. Volume is created by using a larger column of air and not by puching more air through the horn.

This is of course how I teach and works with my sound concept. Not everyone has the same concept or process for playing. Your best bet would be to work with a teacher one on one who can help you define how you could best use your air and technique in order to not feel as through you are always working to simply maintain what you have.

[Dan Schultz]

.... I suppose it's because our director always asks us (our section) to play louder... How can we play with the "correct" physical attributes?

Strive for good intonation. If you are in tune with each other, it will reinforce the perceived 'loudness'.

[swillafew]

You're likely trying to play too loud, not breathing deeply enough, and not using the air efficiently

Strive for good intonation. If you are in tune with each other, it will reinforce the perceived 'loudness'.

That's the whole issue in those quotes. Use enough air to tune up the notes and the pitch will carry just fine.

[toobagrowl]

Most h.s. and even some college players 'blast' on sousa when they really shouldn't. Sousas 'blow' differently from tubas due to their large bell, circular shape, and having neck & bits. But you can still use a good strong sound with edge to project out on the field without 'messing up' your 'concert tuba' sound. Playing in-time and in-tune together goes a long way, too.

[Antontuba]

My tone improved considerably because we did quite a bit of playing during marching rehearsals, and I always used the techniques I was taught in lessons out on the marching field. We were taught to play big, thick, never loud, in marching band. I didn't sound better when marching and playing, compared to standing still/sitting, but I improved significantly during the marching season.

[TheGoyWonder]

Drum corps vet here: to get more out of the instrument, you'll have to move more air while staying relaxed. In a long blow, you'll need to breathe every several counts and coordinate with your section to avoid holes in the sound. There are going to be times you can't hear yourself, times you can only hear yourself, times to listen closely and times where you'll have to play far ahead of what you hear. The trick is to maintain technique through all situations.

No hate for sousaphones here, but they do help lesser players sound pretty blatant. How you get lazertone out of a big Conn 20K I don't know, but if you're a good player or even just enjoy music you won't allow yourself to do so. You don't want to hit the short notes too hard, typical mediocre players get ratty on the short notes and fade immediately on notes of any length.

Anyways the chops thing is a myth, coming from the trumpet world where blatant playing can actually do some damage. Nothing to worry about for tuba.
On volume, you'll have to go too far to find the correct input level. Spend a couple weeks just going for it, then maybe dial it down to perfection later in the season.

[Biggs]

I really didn't consider the two events (marching band vs. individual practice) to be related to each other very much at all.

ding ding ding.

I really wish I had figured this out earlier in life. Marching band can be great, great fun, but has nothing to do with playing music.

[Biggs]

I really didn't consider the two events (marching band vs. individual practice) to be related to each other very much at all.

ding ding ding.

I really wish I had figured this out earlier in life. Marching band can be great, great fun, but has nothing to do with playing music.

Sorry to hear you didn't go to a competitive high school. My high school band is now going to it's 16th Rose Parade in 2016 and won thousands of sweepstakes and music honor trophies over the years for it's superior musicality. Nowadays, most schools aren't so musical during the fall but there's still some.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA YES thank you my friend! Few things in this world make me grin like hearing an adult brag about high school marching band trophies.

[iiipopes]

No. Playing with incorrect physical attributes makes you play worse. You're likely trying to play too loud, not breathing deeply enough, and not using the air efficiently

This.

As one who marched in school marching band, both field and street, and whose high school usually won whatever they entered, all those decades ago. This is the word.

[Three Valves]

I honed an exceptional two and a half octave range in marching band!!

[Three Valves]

One of the most fun charts was (as the movie had just been released) "Jaws". ...and sure, I taught myself how to play an extremely-loud 40,000-person stadium-noticeable low "E"...because I needed to...and (as hinted before) I wasn't getting a ton of help.

70s marching band classics;

Vehicle.
The Sounds of Philadelphia.
Star Wars.
Sir Duke.

Others??

[iiipopes]

70s marching band classics;

Vehicle.
The Sounds of Philadelphia.
Star Wars.
Sir Duke.

Others??

The original "Rocky" movie theme. We played that at a Christmas parade downtown with tall buildings. They had just the right echo to rattle the fanfare, and when the souzys hit the "Db - C" at the end of the intro, the entire street reverberated. Yes, we won first place in the parade.

[Three Valves]

Rocky; good one.

How could I have forgotten Jungle Boogie??

[Big Francis]

Your teacher can probably give you the best answer, since your teacher is that one that knows where you were then and where you are now.

So....for your peanut gallery answer:

If you're still struggling, I'll recommend changing your mental approach returning to your concert horn. Go to the practice room as if you set your horn down for the entire summer. Playing a marching horn and playing a concert horn are fundamentally and distinctly different. For all intents and purposes, they're different instruments. The timbre is different, the way it sits on your face is different, the mouthpiece is most likely different, it's potentially pitched in a different key, and the temperature and humidity are most decidedly different.

If you try to force an accelerated return plan to get your concert sound because you could play it in the spring and you're frustrated you can't play it now, you'll most likely slow your progress compared to what it could be. Start from scratch with something basic, simple, and sonorous. Make is great and move on from there.

Good luck, you'll be fine.
Frank

[Three Valves]

OK.

Enough foolishness.

More marching band hits from the 70s;

25 or 6 to 4!!

[ceili]

How could I have forgotten Jungle Boogie??

Oh goodness, Jungle Boogie, that takes me back Also to note would have to be School's Out for Summer, and even though it's not 70's I'd say Malaguena.