I've seen a number of posts, here and there, that mention intentional destruction of equipment -- from picking fuzz off of puff mallets and intentional breaking of heads to mistreatment of drums and carriers.

So, I make the following proposal:

Parents and students must sign and date a sheet, to be kept on file, stating that they are financially responsible for damage to instruments due to intentional mistreatment/abuse, vandalism (e.g. picking fuzz off mallets, poking hole in drum heads with a pen, etc.) or horseplay.

No signatures = no drumming. I suggest a new sheet every year.

This would obviously have to be a band director issued item, and might need approval from the principal and/or school board.

Let's see kids intentionally tear stuff up when their parents will come down on them for it, and even the most lackadaisical parent will take notice when they find out how much this stuff costs.

I also think that it would be a good idea to assign a student to a particular instrument or carrier for as long as they are on that instrument until they graduate -- no more "seniors get the equipment that's in the best condition" crap. If they want a "good" piece of equipment they'd better take good care of it and have it fixed or fix it themselves if it's broken or held together with duct tape.

amen to that!!!!! I do that with my students, but if one breaks soemthing i divide the cost to the entire drumline. So some numb nuts throws his cymbals on the ground and cracks them that = him plus 31 more people to pay for it. I dont charge them for stuff such as accidents, or wear n tear. But it is as seriouse as if you dont pay you dont graduate as will be an example in 2 weeks when 2 of my seniors who did the most damage refuse to pay plus other fees they owe the school.

oooo i like this idea, ill pass this along, thanks guys

I understand some of these rules such as being on time and not talking while the BD is talking, but rules such as not doing concert season? I did my full set of concert seasons but I really didn't care for them. Most college drummers only do marching band just for the line. Drummers don't need concert season to learn rudiments and such. I have my line tryout every year and as long as I didn't have a problem with them, they can tryout for whatever they want and if their good enough, they have earned that decision. Also their school work is important so extra classes can also be good for them so I would say chill on the whole you better be in concert band or else.

Yea dont say No snare/tenor spots if your bass and u drop concert band,That makes Bass drum seem like a lower instrument.It really isn't.It's just as hard and at times more challenging than snares/tenors.
(This is NOT because i play bass,i also play snare)
Just drop rules 3 and 4 and your golden

I think that 3&4 kinda suck.... not that its a bad rule its just at are school most cant do concert band due to that its a semester class and theres so many we have to take already, not counting the honors classes and extra collage classes. Pluse our sophmore class got jipped into taking a new required class that they just had to add!!!! Its SUCKS!!! I am currently in the position that I wont be taking concert band next year..... and I still get to play whatever I try out for and make!!! so Kinda lighten up on that rule, some kids just cant do it!!!

DRUMMER GIRLS ROCK!!!!

BANG IT, DANG IT!!!!

Honestly, I gotta agree with every rule here. If drummers here don't have time for concert band, they don't have time to perfect their snare or tenor parts, since that's all our concert percussion really does during class.

Of course, there are schedualing conflicts, but otherwise, dropping concert band should be a sure fire way to find yourself playing bass next year.

There's a difference between someone like me who goes through a set of heads every month and someone who gets pissed and does rim shots

if they INTENTIONALLY break something...make that individual pay for it
i've never made an entire line pay for something one jerk-off did

but...if, for example, a senior witnessed someone doing something like someone breaking mallets or bending stuff, and didn't do anything to stop it, then i also hold him/her responsible

just my opinion...


and btw...cymbals are what most kids don't want to play, not bass

It's really both they don't want to play, neither get their appropriate glory so people don't want to play them. If they only they knew how amazing they are

On topic, those are all god rules, I don't know about the concert band ones but they do make sense. The only reason I'd keep those rules is because concert band is a good way to show commitment, but there are lot's of other way to show commitment so I don't know.