Reflection and Looking ahead...

Metz · Post by **Metz** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 5:50 pm

SaxyIrishTenor wrote:This, as with many things in life as I have learned, "will never be as good as it was in the old days." We can only work hard to improve upon things gradually, as change rarely comes overnight.

No one ever said they wanted it to be like it was in the old days. I would like to see it better but unfortunately, we are still going in the wrong direction IMO.

BGMello04 · Post by **BGMello04** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 7:57 pm

Originally posted by McMetz811:
Marching has gone down an incredible amount over the years and I honestly think it goes back to fundamentals week. It just seems leadership takes it easier on the sections every year and after awhile it is starting to become obvious.

McMetz, it sounds like someone should audition for leadership to inspire others and assist in strengthening fundamentals in your section.

What I would love to see happen is during the half hour sectionals before rehearsal, that fifteen minutes of each sectional would be used to review and perfect fundamentals. But in all honesty how many sections actually have these sectionals? I'll admit that I was disappointed with my sections lack of direction which our section leader and squad leader apologized for. I think the leadership refresher course that happens the day before the nugeyes arrive be better utilized by the leadership and directors. Don't get me wrong I still love band!

Metz · Post by **Metz** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 12:53 am

BGMello04 wrote:
McMetz, it sounds like someone should audition for leadership to inspire others and assist in strengthening fundamentals in your section.

That's a great idea but we both know I wouldn't get it. I'm not a music major and not the greatest player and unfortunately, part of the audition is playing. The only thing I could really teach is marching and spirit, and certain people want more than that from leadership. Also, if I was going to do that, I should have this past year because next year I doubt I'm coming back. All this 4th year stuff this year has made it feel like my last year and with my knee, I doubt I'll ever chair-step again.

Along with what else you said, only 1/4 of our leadership really seemed to do anything all year. I would get to sectionals at 3:30 and everyone was sitting around. When I mentioned to leadership that we should do something, they would say that's not my job or have this leadership person do it.

bgfalcon · Post by **bgfalcon** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 3:01 am

BGMello04 wrote:
Originally posted by BGMello04:
I'll admit that I was disappointed with my sections lack of direction which our section leader and squad leader apologized for. I think the leadership refresher course that happens the day before the nugeyes arrive be better utilized by the leadership and directors. Don't get me wrong I still love band!

With all due respect (and I don't mean this to be offensive), you have not participated in the leadership refresher. The lack of direction from your leadership has to do with the lack of effort on your section/squad leaders part. The tools/tips/techniques/whatever are provided in the leadership refresher and if they did the things they were told to do the way they were told to do them, the issues you mention would probably go away. Also, in my experience the staff has always been there to help with those issues. I say this not in defense of the staff but my point is that there are too many people on the leadership staff that blow off some of the responsibility and it has a much greater impact than they realize.

That's part of the pride problem. While that has to come from the staff there is so much that can/should be done from the leadership prospective that we shouldn't be having problems with this. I'm not trying to point fingers or shift blame. There are things I believe the staff could do a better job of but there is certainly a lot more the leadership could be doing (and have the authority/control/ability/whatever you want to call it/ to do) that would solve/improve a lot of the issues discussed in this thread.

Metz · Post by **Metz** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 10:24 am

bgfalcon wrote: With all due respect (and I don't mean this to be offensive), you have not participated in the leadership refresher.

If by leadership refresher, you are talking about the sessions before fundamentals week start, then you would be wrong. I may have never "participated" in one, but 2 years ago I did have to sit through the whole thing and watch while I was taping stuff for the band video.

EDIT...never mind this post! I thought you were talking to me

SaxyIrishTenor · Post by **SaxyIrishTenor** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 12:38 pm

BGMello04 wrote:What I would love to see happen is during the half hour sectionals before rehearsal, that fifteen minutes of each sectional would be used to review and perfect fundamentals.

While I agree sectional work is a necessity, I personally am unable to do anything directly before or after rehearsals on any given day due to classes. So to judge a section's "pride" or "fundamentals" based upon whether or not they have sectionals before rehearsals is unfair.

Again, I do think that sectional time is necessary but since there are class conflicts for a lot of people, there needs to be a set time each week for sectionals. For some sections it happens; for others, it doesn't. I think whether or not they have sectional time at all, regardless of when, is a better indicator of such things.

BGMello04 · Post by **BGMello04** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 11:38 pm

BGFalcon, I'm sorry that I placed blame on anyone but myself. Yes, I haven't attended the leadership course presented before fundamentals week, but after conversing with some of my close friends who are in leadership roles, and looking over some of their materials, I see that they have been given a firm basis on which to build a successful section as well as season. Again, no hard feelings, but possibly things will change in the search for leadership for the 2005 season.

Go Falcons!!

MatrixBass3 · Post by **MatrixBass3** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 3:48 am

The leadership refresher has nothing to do with it. It has to do with this..........I think..........and this alone. There are very few people who are very passionate AND knowledgeable about how to teach nowadays. Very few people in the band (music major or not) go out and work with bands over the summer, read about education, or spend timing learning from other educators. Whether anyone likes or dislikes anything that the current staff of the FMB does, they must realize that there are valuable lessons to be learning elsewhere. If there are 17 people in a section, then it may take 13 different explanations to get others to understand it. When I talk about quality, it is not just about the new people that make it in..........it's about the fact that some of those new people that probably shouldn't make it in are ending up being the leadership the next year. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that a 3-day leadership refresher can do to make someone significantly better as a teacher. On another note..........

It seems as if the FMB is stuck in the same old rut as far as teaching, rehearsal, learning methods. For instance, an easy and very sensible fix to the phasing problems that the band often endures is to use the nice speaker system that they have to run a metronome through the speakers. It would help everyone on the field to learn how to internalize pulse. Secondly, (and I don't know if they still do this) NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, should the band learn drill to a recording of them playing the music for the show. It will only habituate all of the mistakes that were made in the recording. Lastly (for now at least) there needs to be a lot more teaching going on. In my 3 years in the band I was given very little instruction, rather, I just got orders, and was often left to figure it out on my own. Although the ability to figure stuff out on one's own is very virtuous, it would help if once in awhile things were broken down and dissected such that all members would have a basic skill set to work off of. The biggest problem with the band lately is that it is a giant conglomeration of all styles learned in every high school band that people come from. Instead of letting it slide............TEACH PEOPLE! I could go on for hours............................

BGMello04 · Post by **BGMello04** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 7:51 pm

On a lighter note, Did anyone else think about how the quality of the food continually decreased over the course of our stay in Mobile...I did manage to come up with six ham & cheese sandwiches by the end of the game though...I hope the hotel/motel whatever they were staff enjoyed them!

SaxyOboist · Post by **SaxyOboist** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 10:56 am

Honestly, I think we should be sort of happy to have gotten what we got. I think that for having it completely paid for was awesome, and I couldn't have asked for more. Sure, ham and cheese sandwiches aren't exactly my fav., but I won't complain.

BGMello04 · Post by **BGMello04** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 11:38 am

Don't get me wrong, I ate everything they placed before me!

Metz · Post by **Metz** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 1:12 pm

BGMello04 wrote:Don't get me wrong, I ate everything they placed before me!

Yeah, we can tell

FliccGirl · Post by **FliccGirl** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 3:32 pm

Well, I'm not going to complain much, since it WAS free. But by the end of the trip, I made a solemn vow never again to eat a meal that consists of a sandwich, chips, a cookie, and a can of pop. Or at least, not in the near future.

When we got those ham sandwiches on the bus to the game, many of us fliccs weren't inclined to eat the second one they gave us... someone called out, "Anyone want my second sandwich?" and an immediate clamor arose from a couple trombones in the back. Immediately a good dozen unwanted sandwiches were passed to the back of the bus... I think the 'bones were in heaven!

SaxyIrishTenor · Post by **SaxyIrishTenor** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 6:29 pm

I just don't know why all the sandwiches always have to have cheese on them. I don't like cheese.

bgmaggot00 · Post by **bgmaggot00** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 1:06 pm

No cheese? Have you gone Batty? Thats usually the best thing about those "band trip" subs. Its got a distinct edge over the mashed up tomato slices, soggy bread, and rubbery "meat." If you remember the Bengals game though, THOSE were some box lunches. Great sandwiches, half-pound cookies, and DRINKS...what a concept. OK, thats all for now, Jeff