What is your opinion about band members who do not take practices seriously, but claim that they take shows seriously?

Personally, I don't think you can actually "goof" off during practices, but take shows seriously. Practices are just as important as shows and if you aren't serious about practices, then you're basically not serious about band itself. Thats just my two cents.

You practice what you perform, that simple. I remember my sophmore year, first "real" field show (we did parade only freshmen year). My marching director comes out and is doing the classic "pump you up" for the show speech. Something he said really hit home. He told us, right then before the first show that we weren't going to do anything different than what we had practiced. He didn't want any heroes, that should've come out in practice.

We ended up taking first. But that wasn't what was important. People really put out more at practice after that. And our show got better for it.

With dozens of bodies on the field, it's pretty difficult to make everybody take it seriously. Many might blame it on the rookies, but sometimes the vets set bad examples( talking, playing around) so they think it's ok to mess around.
i don't know if you guys have people in your band that hate being criticized or not, but I can tell you that they rebel by messing up on purpose or talk when instructions are given out.
It is true that you perform how you practice. I guess there isn't enough motivation involved in rehearsals and they think "oh there's still 2 more rehearsals left." During competitions they become serious since they want to "win."

hm.. i'm not sure iunderstand this question.. but i'll give it a shot... people who dont take practice seriously? well it's possible..
like duirng on of our practices.. they dont take it seriosuly cuz they dont listen.. they're off in their own world and they talk blah blah.. and they dont give a ... about what we're trying to do and help them.. so it's like AHH! can't u take it seriously.. we're here to help. and shows are WAY MORE IMPORTANT>. ur at a show..a nd u goof off? how does that make your band look? well not to good.. it'll give other school the image: o it's just an immature band... we dont need to worry about them.. blah blahb.. but practices.. good practices where no one goofs off..b ut can stil have some fun is awesome and would make the performances better..

Quote:

diagonalssteadofarcs
What is your opinion about band members who do not take practices seriously, but claim that they take shows seriously?

Personally, I don't think you can actually "goof" off during practices, but take shows seriously. Practices are just as important as shows and if you aren't serious about practices, then you're basically not serious about band itself. Thats just my two cents.

I have to strongly agree with diagonalssteadofarcs about that. If a member of the band, color guard, drumline cant take practice serious but does take serious show that is totaly unacceptable at all.

The way we do it is That we treat every practice like a performance. That way it is always taken seriously.

One of our band camp instructors' shirts

Front

"Practice the way you play"

Back

"The only difference between practice and play is the uniform you wear"

Of course, it was a softball shirt, but it got the message across.

I don't know what we're doing with people like that though. If it were up to me I'd kick all of them out, but I trust our band director in keeping them in. It just makes it harder on us though.

Ya our band director at my high school used to do that. Keep them in no matter what. His biggest problem was throwing them in percussion with no talent whatsoever.

our band director always says ," play every practice as if it were a show" and its true, the more you practice a practice like a show the better you will do at a show.

you'll never perform as well as you practice...your best performance will always be a hair below your best practice, so the better your practices are, the better your performances.

I totaly agree practice like its a performance. IT will always be a hair under but always close.

I think the only reason why shows are better than practices is because when you're about to go onto the field in front oh a lot of people, its cold, its dark, you're one of the last bands of the night. Man o man...something just kicks you into overdrive and you play better than you've ever played before. Its exciting. I love competitions

I totaly agree. Thats why i now traverl 50 miles 1 way to do it. When its in you you just cant stop you do what you have to to do what you have to.
Its just in you or it isnt.

I think that when people goof off during practice it has a direct effect on everyone. But I very strongly believe that you need to have fun on the field. I think when it goes overboard and starts affecting the practice then a director or a drum major should step in and take control, but I think that marching band is supposed to be fun. Goofing off is fun sometimes. Sometimes it adds to the focus, don't ask me why. But sometimes certain people don't know the difference between the time to work and the time to play. I think that as a leader you should talk to those who have a problem staying on task. Ask them how much they want to be in marching band and ask them if it's fair that everyone around them is working their butts off and their screwing around. It'll make them think about working a little harder to stay on task next time.

*WARNING* go down to the bottom to get the main part...the rest is me rambling....

Practices and competions are two completely different animals if you ask me.

At practice, it is possible that you are forced to repeat a drill move over and over again. then play it without moving. then do the drill again. then stop half way. then do it together. and one more time. okay back one set.

sometimes the directors work with one area of the feild forcing the rest of the band into an adrenaline buzzed stupor. when this happens, i squat (no butts on the feild) and look for friends if it takes more than ten minutes. only if though. there are a select few who cant stand still for more than two minutes who insist on creating some sort of disturbance whether they mean to or not. its just part of their nature.

more differences i remember from this year was that during practice you know that you have a cold (or lukewarm) bottle of water waiting for you and that its only been five minutes since you last checked your watch but its two hours until you can go home and sleep!

also during practice you are in shorts and a tshirt and usually at a comfortable temperature. sometimes too hot but what can ya do. squat!

anyways. competitions, you only play about five minutes of the actual show besides your 15-20 min of warm ups, march about 1/100th of the show practicing files in rows of three, and have to constantly chug water from the water parents. not to mention the fact that your left sock fell down, you have a wedgie , your hands are freezing but the rest of you is heating up. then you start to move onto the field. bright lights, lots of noise, annoying people talking in the press box, (YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES) and not to mention the buzz you are getting from actually being on the feild and performing.

during practices you probably have about an hour out of the entire rehearsal doing nothing. when your at a tournament, there is not time to think of doing anything but FOCUS!

like other directors, 'bilski give the pep talk and he always says the same thing. just do what you've been doing, i dont want anyone to be a hero. you can do it. your practices have been amazing.

so........to sum it up!!!

it is possible to focus at practices but it is natural to have more attention at a tournament. there is more energy and excitement and i think most of us perform better with a large and caring audience. its not like a practice where you've been on the feild already for 3 hours and you just want to go home. you've got ten minutes to prove to the judges that you can march and march well and play and play well...and by golly we can do it!!!

so ya...........................sorry its so long. i've got nothing better to do than take up room in this place.