Should They Be In Band?

Topics and polls that cover the overall marching band activity

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alto s@x 87
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Should They Be In Band?

Post by alto s@x 87 » Mon Nov 10, 2003 6:02 pm

Sometimes I get frustrated at the people that absolutely can't do anything right in my band. I know that because some of them are freshmen they are totally new at marching band stuff. But some people, including older members, are just more talented in other areas besides marching band. This raises the question: Should schools audition people into their bands? With this process there definitely is a more talented group of people. I know a few schools that audition and they are among the best. But just because someone isn't good, does it mean that they can't do the activity that they love? And what about the individuals who are good but don't want to give their full effort? Please share your opinions on this subject.
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Post by sabrebatgirl » Mon Nov 10, 2003 6:08 pm

If people don't give their full effort, then they shouldn't be in band, but sometimes with auditions its hard to tell if someone's not really talented or just not giving their full effort. It would be nice to have a band with auditions because then they are really good but how would you feel if you couldn't be in band? Of course, almost every other activity/sport has auditions so maybe they are a good thing. Theres lots of arguments for both sides.

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Post by TMRsaxyDM » Mon Nov 10, 2003 6:23 pm

auditions would make a more talented band, but with that there would be alot of like rivalery such between people, and people always fighting at whos the best and who is right, and there would probly be laziness, if the auditioned group knows they are the best than they might just not want to try... lol wow thats alot of negative.. but i agree that if you do have auditions, that some people that just arent good, but love band and try thier hardest might be left out.. i think that right there is enough to not have auditions for a group, i know i would rather have an ok group with a bunch of people that love being there than a group that always wins sweps and are jerks to each other and march just to win..
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Post by alto s@x 87 » Mon Nov 10, 2003 6:40 pm

While we're on the subject, what should we do about the people that don't want to try? If you tell them to work harder they always think that it's personal and don't listen to you. Is there anything you can do to motivate them or do they have to make a conscious decision to be good?
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Post by formermarcher » Mon Nov 10, 2003 6:47 pm

alto s@x 87 wrote:While we're on the subject, what should we do about the people that don't want to try? If you tell them to work harder they always think that it's personal and don't listen to you. Is there anything you can do to motivate them or do they have to make a conscious decision to be good?
Let me recommend that you post that topic in the Student Leadersip section.
You can post it here too...it goes for both marching band and student forums.

The people who don't want to try...well you need to bring that to thier attention. If trying to push them or motovate them isn't working, go up to them, and ask them:

Do they really want to be there or not?

If they say yes, then tell them to get in gear and start working like everyone else.
If they say no, well then remind them that they don't have to be there and you guys would get on fine (if not better) without them.
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Post by Lizzy05 » Mon Nov 10, 2003 6:47 pm

Band should be open to anyone who wants to join. So I don't really think that there should be auditions. Sure, some people ar emore talented, and some people are mor elazy and whatnot, but the worlds not perfect. Every band has people like that. It's just something you have to deal with. I know you shouldn't have to, but ya do.
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Post by The Aceman » Mon Nov 10, 2003 7:36 pm

My personal belief is that everyone should be given the chance to be in band. If they work hard, regardless of their talent they should stay in because a hard-working attitude helps the band. On the other hand, if they are lazy and/or always goofing-off they should be kicked out, also regardless of talent. In my opinion this would create the formula for the best and most positive band.
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auditions recommended

Post by RifleLova » Mon Nov 10, 2003 8:41 pm

i think it would be better if people auditioned for band. just because it would create a better band but also the directors could pick who they wanted. even if they're not so good, the directors might pick them just cuz they see "a light" in this person. and people have to try out for other sports and they dont all end up mean to eachother and all about winning, infact i think it makes them want to work hard for being on the team/group and makes you happier to know that you MADE out...while others didn't. it's a sense of pride. so auditioning and making it, isn't such a bad thing. like color guard...we have to try out and not all guards are "all about winning" and "mean to eachother" so i'm sure band wouldn't be like that either. i just like the trying out/ auditioning idea better than just makin it. btw alto s@x 87, dont you have to try out for upland band anyway?
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Auditions

Post by JCYS » Mon Nov 10, 2003 9:35 pm

I guess it depends on your philosophy. Is band there to win? Or is it an educational thing...like do you kick kids out of math because they aren't talented or don't want to try? Some people would say you should.

It has been my experience in my program that many kids come into the band not caring or wanting to try, but by their junior/senior year they are the biggest and most dedicated band geeks of all time. If we had "cut" them, they would never have progressed into the assets they became.

We have probably, to my knowledge, one of the few "no audition" color guards. Any kid can sign up. We take them all, including what schools call "special" kids..which is meaningless to us, because they may struggle in english doesn't mean they aren't wonderfully talented in color guard. Some people may say this results in "standard" performances..and compared to some maybe so, but we are still usually in the top 10, and this year these girls have won 1st place at everything they have been at. And these kids have 1 color guard instructor the see only twice a week for ONE hour. The rest is all done by the captains.

Why do we do it this way? Because by auditioning, at our school at least (not saying this is true everywhere) we tended to lose kids who were talented, but AFRAID to try out.

Thats the way it works here. It wouldn't work everywhere, but we are pretty happy with our system. Every kid who wants to be is in the band-even beginners, every kid who signs up is in the color guard-and it works for us.

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Post by Lehua » Mon Nov 10, 2003 9:35 pm

At our school, we allow everyone who wants to be in band to be in band... but we have auditions for marching band for the incoming freshlings. So everyone can be in band, but many of them don't have the skills to play and march well. This year, we only took about a dozen frosh... the rest are in our 'JV' band, where the kids work on counting, tone, scales etc... Our JV band is about 35 this year. They also learn marching fundamentals. The marching band is made up of two other bands, plus the percussion class. Upper classmen that choose not to march are also excused, so we get a group for marching band that wants to be there. Some have medical reasons, some have jobs... Is it perfect? No... we'd be better if our director was more of a marching guy, but that's okay.
Someone shouldn't be excluded from band on the basis of an audition. Some of our best players as upperclassmen came in as beginners to our JV band when they were freshlings. For something like marching band that takes extra skill and training and is done primarily, if not entirely, after school, then auditions are okay in my opinion.
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Post by The Aceman » Mon Nov 10, 2003 9:41 pm

To Lehua: I love the sig. go macintosh.

But getting on subject, at our school there are not auditions for to be in MB. There are colorguard auditions, but everyone makes it the auditions just decide if you will be rifle, flag, etc. same thing goes for percussion we go through a process to decide who plays what, but if you want to be in your in. However, if you dont follow the rules you can be in danger of being kicked out.
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Post by IsnipeWithAknife » Mon Nov 10, 2003 9:49 pm

i do not think it's right to have marching band try outs. it's all about learning new aspects of the music world and add some visual to it. we've had people who joined just starting their instrument and stuff like that. as long as they try hard you deal with it cuz they want to learn and you can encourage them to be as good as you want them to be. i'm totally ok with kicking out people who are just non willing to learn or work hard / brings the group down because of their negativity not their faults.

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well responding to the first message..

Post by JohnnyffX » Mon Nov 10, 2003 10:05 pm

well responding to the first message...perhaps to save time and frustration with teaching maybe it would be better ...then comes the counter : how would new high school students learn the world of marching ....quite perplexing if you ask me ...maybe you might think differently... but be reasonable....
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