Halftime

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 7:10 pm

Whatcha think?

http://csmonitor.com/2005/0204/p09s02-coop.html

Dylan King · Post by **Dylan King** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 7:12 pm

Marching bands do not look or sound good on TV.

Tubaryan12 · Post by **Tubaryan12** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 7:27 pm

I bet if they spent as much time and money as they do to make rock stars sound good on a football field (although,they should have spent a LOT more money and time on Jessica Simpson) they could figure out a way to correctly mic and mix a halftime show for a band. I have heard great bands sound horrible on t.v. also.

Captain Sousie · Post by **Captain Sousie** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 7:35 pm

[quote=Christian Science Monitor]What I wouldn't give to hear those big tubas [/quote]

Well, at least they have their priorities straight.

Captain Sousie

And they're not 'tubas', They're SOUSAPHONES

(most of the time). There, that's better, it's been a while since I've gotten to do that.

JayW · Post by **JayW** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 2:53 am

The sad reality is that I do not think "most" of the superbowl watching crowd would appreciate a marching band. no matter how well the sound was done. When looking at some of the tremendous bands that are out there in Junior/ Senior Corps and the TOB curcuit, I stil dont know if the crowd or the TV watching public would care enough to keep the channel on. I do like the idea though, I guess it would just need the right marketing to get "normal" people interested. Something about a band with 15+ sousaphones just seems so RIGHT. as long as there are no mouthpiece or slide malfunctions

Tubaryan12 · Post by **Tubaryan12** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 3:02 pm

Bloke said:

"I guarantee you that if there was any measurable interest in marching band halftime shows, they would be shown on television"

Not really.....because no matter how much interest there may be in the bands, it cant even compare to the interest in celebrity acts (Garth Brooks will keep more people in front of the tv longer than any marching band and then they can charge more for for the comercials). Commercials are the reason that they stopped showing marching bands in the first place and the celebs are only brought in to solidify the audience for those commercials. I remember when you could see Ohio State do "script Ohio" most of the games they were on tv...now maybe you will see it once a year.

TubaRay · Post by **TubaRay** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 3:58 pm

bloke wrote: Is the institution of modern-day $XXX,XXX "marching band" primarily for the sake of "marching band directors"????

Unfortunately, the answer is "probably."

Joe Baker · Post by **Joe Baker** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 7:50 pm

I have to disagree with Joe & Ray. I think the fan-base for marching band is at LEAST as great as it is for any other band. You're right, most of the people who come to see a half-time show are the family & friends of band members, or other people who are or have been in marching band themselves; but how does that differ from most HS symphonic band concerts? I don't think you can base the value of an arts program on the size of the audience.

I know quite a few students in my son's band. They have a very good marching band and a very good symphonic band. I'm very pleased with the musical education he's receiving there. But when he started High School he wasn't planning to do concert band -- he just wanted to do marching band. Several of his friends had the same plan. Now, though, they're all in marching band, concert band, jazz band, and private lessons. They trade cds of jazz and symphonic music more than rap & rock.

Marching band may be the "lowest common denominator" of band music in a lot of cases, but it's also an entry point for a lot of kids that would otherwise just spend their time riding skateboards or playing video games. A lot of those marching band kids will never be good enough to play in a good symphonic band, but they AT LEAST have the opportunity to experience the joy of performing music for an appreciative audience.

BTW, this particular band program does NOT require participation in marching band to play in the symphonic band. I think that's an important difference between this band and the one I was in 25+ years ago.
___________________________
Joe Baker, who seldom disagrees with Joe or Ray.

MaryAnn · Post by **MaryAnn** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 4:26 pm

Since I was a violinist in high school, I never got the marching band experience. I think it might have completely turned me off to music if I had though, because the uniforms were heavy wool and people fainted on a regular basis. Personally, I can't imagine anything more unpleasant than being forced to partake in a marching band, but every once in a while I read about someone who seems to thrive on it.
MA, who says "different strokes etc"

Joe Baker · Post by **Joe Baker** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:32 pm

Maryann, you'd probably have done fine in marching band. I grew up in Texas, marching in some real heat, and healthy people usually had no problem with the uniforms. Most of the people who faint (and please note that I said MOST) were either really out of shape or drama queens -- and most of them were the latter description.

You're right, though, marching band isn't for everyone; but I think it serves numerous valuable purposes. It gives a wider bunch of students some exposure to making music; it provides a great team-work exercise; it builds discipline among the students; it serves as an outreach to younger students who attend the football games with big brother or sis; and if the directors run the program right, it's good fun and good entertainment.

I'll agree with Bloke that a lot of programs spend WAY too much money on it, but that's the parents' fault for letting the director get away with being overly extravagent. My son's band, for example, wears black pants, white tux shirts, and a black sweater vest. Total cost per uniform is about $50. There are two directors plus a part-time percussion assistant for a band program of 200+ students -- and they're really very good (symphonic band was invited to play at the Tennessee all-state music educators conference thingy last year).
_____________________________
Joe Baker, whose HS marching band STUNK but who still knows he benefited from it.

Tubaryan12 · Post by **Tubaryan12** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 6:06 pm

I am one of those folks that loved marching band.....high school and college. It was great exercise (I lost 30lbs my 1st band camp), huge fun, kept me out of trouble and gave me lifelong friends. If I could change anything from my past it would be the one part I wouldn't change.

p.s. I've gained that 30 back and then some once I stopped marching

ThomasDodd · Post by **ThomasDodd** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 7:59 pm

Tubaryan12 wrote: p.s. I've gained that 30 back and then some once I stopped marching

You could always march again.

Find a senior Drum and Bugle Corps near you:)

MA, go to a DCI or DCA show. You'll find lot of people that love marching. Imagine paying over $1000 to march during the summer!!

hurricane_harry · Post by **hurricane_harry** » Wed Feb 09, 2005 8:20 pm

AND NOW ENTERING THE STADIUM IS THE CONCORD BLUE DEVILS

tubatooter1940 · Post by **tubatooter1940** » Wed Feb 09, 2005 11:14 pm

I was one of two tuba players for the Mc Gill Institute Yellow Jackets.We ventured North to Milry,Alabama for a football game.It was obvious that as a "big city school" we were gonna beat the stuffing out of these guys.It was raining buckets by halftime and our band director announced that the only reason all these Milry people came out to this game was to see a first class marching band because thier ball team was losing big.He offered us a chance to not march and stay dry but the band members were hot to show Milry,Alabama what we could do.We marched in ankle-deep mud and the two tubas danced a soft shoe to "Tea for Two"in the muck,and had one of the best times we ever had together.Big fun!
tubatooter1940

ken k · Post by **ken k** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 6:34 pm

Back at the 1984 LA Olympics they had an all american collegiate marching band. It was about 400 strong and rocked the opening ceremonies. Then they did one in NJ for the 1985 rededication of the Statue of Liberty. That one I saw in person and it was awesome. This would be a great halftime show and for half the price of paying Paul McCartney they could put on one hell of a show.

Although I must admit that this year's halftime was pretty good. At least they didn't have slutty dancers and Sir Paul's costume stayed on; although he did take of his jacket....

Anohter great idea would be a march off like in the movie Drumline...
ken k

MaryAnn · Post by **MaryAnn** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 10:48 am

Well, "actually" I had an interesting opportunity last fall. I got a letter in the mail encouraging band alumni to come and play Homecoming at NMSU, where I got my EE degree. Two problems....the letter arrived the week after Homecoming, and I never played in the band. Pretty funny, but you know, if I had got the letter in time I just might have loaded up the tuba and gone and done it, assuming I would be able to sit in the stands with the alumni band and just blatt away. It could have been a lot of fun, especially seeing old friends I had never met.
MA

sinfonian · Post by **sinfonian** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 4:45 pm

I think each of the NFL teams need to follow the example set by the Baltimore Ravens http://www.baltimoreravens.com/template ... ing_ravens and have their own Adult marching band. Then the two teams in the super bowl could each bring their band for a half time competition. That way if your team loses you can always say "At least our band was better then thiers"