Getting Bandmates to Respect my Instrument

[Oceansurferg]

I'm a high schooler, and through a few circumstances of luck and after a lot of saving on my part, I now find myself the owner of a lovely new Cerveny 681. I've had it for a few weeks now and have found it to be an amazing step up from the badly taken care of tubas that my school has.

I've become very protective of it, and rather maternally defensive of it. However, this hasn't stopped any of my bandmates from disrespecting it the same way they do our school's instruments and their own instruments. I've already gotten two dents on the bell from clashes with other people's instruments by people who were being careless.

I'd really hate to only be able to play it at home and be forced back onto one of my school's instruments during class, but that's starting to look like my only option if I want to keep it safe. So I'm wondering if any of you have had to deal with stuff like that, and have found any ways that really work to get people to respect your instrument.

[sousaphone68]

the only tip I can give is be first to arrive and set up and the last to leave and you may be able to avoid the the dings you get in the scrum

[Ben]

I understand your issue.

Firstly: no one other than yourself will be as careful around your instrument as you will be!

There are things you can do to help minimize the damage to your horn.

1. try to maintain space around your seat so the bell's of other tubas are further away
2. try to sit near tubas that have the same bell facing as yours, thus they are moving in the same direction. If this in not possible, make sure you are sitting on the end of the line, with their bell pointed away from you
3. when you set your horn down at rests, do not place it bell first on the ground - rest it on your shoes/toes/insoles - bottom bow towards the ground. (set it down slowly!!) When you need to play again - just lift it up into your lap, and play... no twirl
4. NEVER leave your horn unattended - when done playing, see #3, or place it in its case / locker.

These steps will help minimize unintentional malice towards your horn. If there are intentional issues - then there needs to be complaints filed against individuals.

[Oceansurferg]

I understand your issue.

Firstly: no one other than yourself will be as careful around your instrument as you will be!

There are things you can do to help minimize the damage to your horn.

1. try to maintain space around your seat so the bell's of other tubas are further away
2. try to sit near tubas that have the same bell facing as yours, thus they are moving in the same direction. If this in not possible, make sure you are sitting on the end of the line, with their bell pointed away from you
3. when you set your horn down at rests, do not place it bell first on the ground - rest it on your shoes/toes/insoles - bottom bow towards the ground. (set it down slowly!!) When you need to play again - just lift it up into your lap, and play... no twirl
4. NEVER leave your horn unattended - when done playing, see #3, or place it in its case / locker.

These steps will help minimize unintentional malice towards your horn. If there are intentional issues - then there needs to be complaints filed against individuals.

I'm actually one of two tubas in my band, and my fellow tuba player is an instrument hoarder who completely understands my craziness, and is rather afraid of my wrath, so he's not the issue in any of this xD. My dents are actually from the baritone player I sit next to, and one of the bari sax players who walked by as I was getting my instrument out. But I think #3 can definitely help keep the baritone and I from clashing.

2/ Bide your time, and find a cheap somewhat-beat-up Cerveny/Amati (or stencil - Sear, Zeiss, etc.) similar to yours to keep at school.

I'd been saving up for years to get my current instrument. I'm a senior this year, so by the time I'd be able to get another one I'll probably have graduated. So my only options are my instrument or a school instrument.

[toobagrowl]

What the others said.

Keep your nice horn at home for practice and, if you want, to use for concerts. Use the school horns for rehearsals.

[Dan Schultz]

I feel your pain. Being around adults isn't much better. After many years of playing with a local brass band (ADULTS)... I still haven't broken the alto and tenor horns from the practice of getting to their seats from behind the tuba row!

[arminhachmer]

hm... i sat my Alex in the corner for a 10 min. coffee break at a band i was visiting and some klutz dinged the side AND the bell rim. Looks like a metal chair double whammy. RATZZ

[stockhausen]

I had a similar situation. When I was in high school, a band alum (and best friend) loaned me a tuba that, though a little older was in brand new shape (no dings at all.) The first day with said tuba a sax player turned into me and....*ding*....right on the bell. So, after getting severely ticked off (fight almost happend), I went to my band director and told him my situation. I told him that I now have a horn that will sound a million times better and make OUR band sound better. I asked If he could say a little something to the band about being more responsible. He did this and it seemed to help, no more dings. So, my recommendation is to speak with your director. Also, like others said, you may need to keep it at home.

[tclements]

Good luck with that. I've had a professional collegue step on the bell of my tuba TWICE (same guy). Even after I said, "Hey XXXXX, please be careful where you step around my horn. Thanks," He stepped (heel first) on the bell. Nice heel-shaped indentation right on the edge of the bell. Be as protective as you can, but don't EVER expect ANYONE to respect your instruments, EVER.

[Mojo workin']

1/ Leave the new one at home.
2/ Bide your time, and find a cheap somewhat-beat-up Cerveny/Amati (or stencil - Sear, Zeiss, etc.) similar to yours to keep at school.

That is the answer, unfortunately. High school kids haven't a clue as to the value of a dollar, or anything else for that matter.

Be as protective as you can, but don't EVER expect ANYONE to respect your instruments, EVER.

Truer words were never spoken.

[ralphbsz]

My dents are actually from the baritone player I sit next to, ...

Your honor, I rest my case.

My son has a new horror story about the baritone player in his (middle school) band. But I won't post it, it is too terrible, and one trombone lost its life.

Even with the school-owned tuba that my son plays in the band, there have been troubles. He always leaves it in its hard case, mouthpiece removed, case neatly stored in the instrument storage room. As he is the only tuba player in school, it should remain there, right? Occasionally he comes back the next day, and the case is open in the middle of the band room, the tuba is laying on the floor next to it, with mouthpiece inside it. Fortunately, no damage so far.

[Dutchtown Sousa]

High school kids haven't a clue as to the value of a dollar, or anything else for that matter.

I completely agree with that. I see people just deliberately damaging either instruments their parents bought for them or the school instruments. I get mad when I see people doing this its as if they have no respect for their parents or their band director. Kids will eat while they are playing and once addressed do it again and again and again. There is one person who keeps on doing that and dropping her clarinet and was surprised when the instrument didn't play correctly. There was this kid that was hitting the brand new french horn he was using (school owned) with his mouthpiece putting large dents in the bell and laughing as he did it. There are countless other examples but such harsh treatment of property whether it be their parent's or the taxpayer's just really isn't cool, it shows how untrustworthy and irresponsible a person is. If they actually had to pay for their own stuff with their own money I am sure they wouldn't do this. If I were a parent I would make sure that my children would take care of anyone's property and if any damage was done, they would be the ones having to pay to have the repairs done (or at least some of it) so they would know to be more careful or just not to do anything that is wrong with it. A great example of this for me would be one day at one of my dad's school help/tutoring centers a kid went into the bathroom with a lighter and intentionally set off a sprinkler. The fire alarm goes off, the fire department is called, they have to lug their hoses through the building, ruining the carpet, a ton of the furniture has to be replaced along with computers and other various things and the bill comes out to be over $20,000. The kid obviously can't afford that but what was worse was that the family was almost entirely broke and this pretty much bankrupted them. If the kid had known to be respectful of property, this would have never happened. Well end of rant but I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way

[Dean E]

[quote="Mojo workin'] . . . . That is the answer, unfortunately. High school kids haven't a clue as to the value of a dollar, or anything else for that matter. . . . [/quote]
Not exactly 100% true. Many youngsters work their tails off with part time jobs, saving for themselves, or even supporting their families.

[sousaphone68]

My experience both as a child and adult is that most children from modest or reduced means are very aware of the value of everything and the work involved in acquiring them.

Invariably when I come across a child misusing or abusing any object they all have comfortable parents who have the money to indulge them.

That is not to say that all children from comfortable back grounds are careless or uncaring.

The problem of other people not respecting your instrument will never end which is why a lot of players myself included keep beater instruments for certain groups or outdoor public performance.

[jonesbrass]

I have the same attitude with my Harley and my tubas:

Wanna find out if there's an afterlife? Touch my Harley/tuba and find out . . .

[swillafew]

I wouldn't want to bring a nice horn into a high school; It's hard enough to keep from picking up dings with routine handling (by a mature person).

Aside from that, most musicians have few clues about a tuba. Tubas are mostly associated with slapstick comedy and jokes about toilets.