ah i got ya..one of our snare players ...he played quads my rookie year..he's a lot like the guy u describe..so yea i got ya

I just want to say, reading this seriously made me do a double take. Never should have had a drum? If somebody has the potential and drive to improve themselves from knowing nothing at all about drumming, that's something that definitely earns my respect.

I wouldn't view your directors' choices so shallowly, there's a lot more to creating a line than who starts out with the most skill. Were it me, I'd rather have a motivated beginner on the bass line over a cocky and experienced slacker any day. There could also be any number of other things at play in determining who plays what other than pure initial skill.

Not to mention, high school band as a whole is supposed to be a learning experience. The competitions are important as motivation and recognition but the point is to spread the myriad gifts of music and life lessons taught by band. The policy at our school is that if you're willing to put in the time to go the huge extra mile and learn a new instrument, you'll be embraced for that. It's not guaranteed that you'll get what you want just by asking, but it means something to have a goal and pursue it ardently. This concert season I've been helping out underclassmen who want to switch over to drumline this year with the basics, and the ones who have seriously put in time and effort aren't shabby, they stand a good chance of making the line not simply because of skill they've worked up but because they're showing a potential to grow and a willingness to devote themselves towards furthering that growth.

No I totally get where your coming from, but I meant that shouldn't you start off with some kind of skill? She could have played pit, or cymbals, but bass?

She's the reason the line never got to anything real fancy, because he had to work around her. She's definitely a cool person and everything, but this year she still wasn't good enough to do much. We helped her a lot, even referred her to Vic Firth, but by the end of this season she could still not read music, do bass splits, or much more than just simple rhythms. The judges at competitions had a knack for saying how boring our bassline was. And that's because our instructor had to write AROUND her.

reminds me of one of the dude on our line...i mean he's like guaranteed pit...absolutely no talent on the drum...but unlike ur chick on bass he's not willing to listen to us and learn..never practices or anything so unless he takes a strange curb he has little potential

It sounds like you are pretty convinced you do not need an instructor, since your quad player does not need any work, your snares sound as one, and based on your signature your are already guaranteed a snare spot for 2009.

You can't teach someone who already knows everything so...enjoy!