A Rant: Gotta love band instructors

[aarono]

My school band blows. I'm not going to lie to you. Basically a team of 14 playing clarinets to the tune of two songs. Back in the 70's and 80's though it was a different story. A huge school band, and not to mention we even had a school rock band called the Dirty Dozen.

I want to help make the music program what it used to be and to have some fun in the process. I planned to do this by playing music with an instrument most teens could relate to and the one I'd have the funnest time playing. My weapon of choice: bass.

I talked to the instructor last Friday and she sounded like she was on the fence about me playing (since we currently have a wind setup). I offered to bring all of my own equipment, carry it to whatever performances it be needed, and she said she'd think about it.

I return to her today to find out she doesn't want me in the band. She stated if I were to join "tons of guitarists would come to wanting to join band" (yes, my playing bass in a highschool band and perhaps the program becoming more interesting would definatly be a bad thing). I haggled with her a little more and I just finally gave up, I could tell she believed more modern instruments were simply not classy enough for her wonderful crew.

Another thing that ticked me off was when she asked me "are you any good", and "can you read sheet music, because I don't want kids who only read tab or whatever you kids to now days" as if I have to prove myself. She should be happy to be getting what interest she is already getting in the program. I can understand a little hesitation in accepting anyone because that would cause her to have to give out more lessons during the school day for no extra pay, but I told her I'd go to lessons in the summer (on my own dime) and practive very hard to become proficient at sight reading, etc.

What a bitch.

I'm done.

[tplyons]

What kind of band is it? Concert band? Wind ensemble? Jazz band?

My concert band in high school was 97 members strong and we had the exact opposite problem: a no cut policy, so we had a bunch of people there who simply didn't care, watering down the people who did care.

[flatwoundfender]

For one thing if you're playing electric bass it probably won't fit, in a wind band a tuba or at least an upright would be much better. If you can't read already she's not going to let you in. Maybe after you take lessons and learn to sight read you can ask her to reevaluate her opinion.

[aarono]

Thats the thing though, I told her I'd learn how to read sheet music over the summer and be ready for next year. I had no intent on joining to finish off this year.

As for the band, it's just "whatever you can get". I know if she were to open up the band to everything she'd still have the same amount of players.

[flatwoundfender]

Originally Posted by aarono

Thats the thing though, I told her I'd learn how to read sheet music over the summer and be ready for next year. I had no intent on joining to finish off this year.

Except if you're in highschool a lot of these people have been reading for 4+ years, so compare that with your one summer, she has reasons to be skeptical. Try woodshedding this summer then come back and ask. And if is a wind band then maybe electric bass just doesn't fit. Do they have a jazz band?

[Dkerwood]

A wind band is no place for an electric bass. The closest I've ever come was playing double bass with the wind band when we only had one tuba.

Now, JAZZ is another story.

From a band director's POV (that's sort of what I do for a living), you don't include an electric bass for much the same reason that you don't ask the drummers to play drum set for concert band. Tonally and traditionally, it just doesn't work.

Now if she's desperate, that's one thing. But if she's got a decent instrumentation, I wouldn't bother with it if I were her.

As far as asking if you can read music, well, duh. If you can't read music at a high school level, then you can't play in the high school band. That's pretty logical, don't you think?

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Originally Posted by tplyons

What kind of band is it? Concert band? Wind ensemble? Jazz band?

My concert band in high school was 97 members strong and we had the exact opposite problem: a no cut policy, so we had a bunch of people there who simply didn't care, watering down the people who did care.

Ditto except 78 members. However we still are all superior , only one in our county, and 4th place at regional marching competition and 10th at state. Not too shabby considering we compete with bands that are 150+.......Class 4A is a Beeotch!