Comments on: Marching to the Beat of a Different Slide Instrument

By: Paige

Paige — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:23:36 +0000

Why all the trumpet hate? Every trumpet in my band is pretty humble. In fact in my band it’s the sax players that are cocky. It changes from band to band I think.

By: Julia

Julia — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:45:00 +0000

How do you get two piccolos to play in tune?
Shoot one of them.

I love playing my clarinet. Marching band is the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me in my life. I don’t want to leave high school- leaving marching band is going to suck. My boyfriend plays euphonium and he might try out for Carolina Crown soon…and I might try to find something to switch to so I can do it with him.

Trumpet players are most certainly the cockiest of the instruments. My best friend is a trumpet player, and he thinks he’s just king of the world every time he plays a note. But I have to say, I am pretty cocky myself (because I know I’m good- case in point) and my boyfriend is too. I think it just varies with your level of talent…that is, if you’re not on the trumpet.

And I have to argue with the trombone slacker theory- I believe that the most irresponsible section is the percussion. At an All-County band clinic recently, the director made a joke- you can tell how hard a percussionist is looking for something by the length of their “uuhhh” when they respond to your question “where is it?” Example- “Tyler- where’s your music?” “uuuhhhh…” “Tyler- where’s your brain?” “uh..”

By: David

David — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 05:32:00 +0000

I would like to give a shout out to all clarinet players, mello players, trumpet players, baritone/euphonium players, tenor sax players, and finally (of course) TROMBONE players. I have played all these instruments in various ensembles in high school – they are all awesome. Though I must say that trombone/euphonium/baritone was my favorite for marching band.

MARCHING BAND RULES. Enough said.

By: Bari Girl

Bari Girl — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 04:38:00 +0000

I have to say that Marching Bari Sax would have to be one of the hardest… to have not only the weight of the horn on your neck, but to march in in front of you with the weight resting on your thumb… I haven’t marched in about 12 years now, but the muscle at the base of that thumb is still easily twice as big as the other… my husband makes fun of me all of the time for it..LOL.

Most embarrassing song ever for marching band… Purple People Eater… was completely ridiculous.

Props on the article… time to check in on all of those sax variations now!

By: Ike

Ike — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:17:00 +0000

I learned to play trombone in HS in 1959 and eventually qualified for the concert band (no marching band, no football team either, so we got to practice in rehearsal hall only). We did all the Broadway medleys and concert band material. Then I got to spend my entire 2 years as a draftee during the Vietnam war at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina in the 282nd Army Band, thanks to the trombone. Most draftees cannot say their entire 2 year Army stint was fun all the time- I’m very fortunate. Although never being embarrassed by any music personally- I’d have to say the worst piece of music for marching band would be ‘Louie Louie’ played in the ‘Naked Gun’ movie.

By: Dbus

Dbus — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:48:18 +0000

Once a boner always a boner. and like our band motto WITH PRIDE.
I always liked to freak out the woodwinds and pour a little extra water in and then empty the spit valve out in front of them.
How about some songs with trombone solos in them.
Rack Em Up by jonny lang,
Sweet home Chicago by Blues Brothers
Saints Come Marching In, Louis Armstrong
anybody know anything else

By: Will

Will — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:44:11 +0000

I played trumpet, and I don’t think I fit those stereotypes. But only because the rest of the trumpets did, and I hated them. The lead trumpet (he is a proffessional now, go figure) would dress up in green for concerts (no marching band, sorry) and purposely play down a half step. The rest would pretend to touch themselves an every oppurtunity. Clearly you can guess why I didn’t want to associate with them.

By: Reba

Reba — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:17:50 +0000

In my high school marching band, we had two seniors who were close friends: a saxophone guru and a trombone player. The saxophone had a jazz solo in the middle of “Rockin’ the Paradise,” but on senior night, the two friends conspired to make it the best solo ever. They took the saxophone mouthpiece and put it where the trombone’s mouthpiece ought to have been. Thus, the solo was played on the “saxobone.” The rest of the band could scarcely play their background music; they were laughing too hard at the offensive notes coming from the saxobone.

By: Kendall

Kendall — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:26:44 +0000

Bb clarinet and bass clarinet all the way.

By: Isaac

Isaac — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:45:40 +0000

I play 1st trombone on an F-attachment horn at my HS. I’m gonna be a sophomore this year and I love band. A lot of people are quitting though. As far as trombone variations go, look up the buccin. It’s a normal tenor trombone, but the bell is shaped like a dragon head!