So, since the first day of band camp, most of the line, with the exception of about4-5 people, have been working on a cadence one of the tenor players made up, but the band director goes ballistic every time they try and practice/play it, Especially this morning, when it was the first time they got to practice with their instrument in a non-required practice, where they just practice music and stuff. (you know the band room in the morning before school.) He yelled at them to stop playing what he did not give them to play, and they were playing quietly for a morning session. "Practice the material I gave you or get out. You can practice that... at home, but not here." They were practicing it during lunch break in band camp, but then when the entire line started playing it goin to the practice field, they had to stay after and run laps on the last dya of the first week of camp.

I'm not saying that I don't think the band director is right about what he does, and I cannot object to it, but that the drumline could at least have a part in writing a cadence or something. They need a little more freedom than just to play whatever the bd gives them. The parts the have of it sounds really good, but nooooooo, they aren't allowed to play it.

Do the students in your line have drum corps experience? Instructional experience? A music degree?

I think we'll say no, so they have no idea of the director's intent.

Is their show perfect? Are they performing now at an end of season or higher level?

I think we shall say no to that as well, so there's no reason to practice material that doesn't relate to what you're given for the show.

There are two reasons.

My 2 cents, (usual caveat that we're only hearing one side)

I agree with the BD that this is not something to work on during normal practice time, even during a lunch break (at least, not with instruments on.) Some of this is probably a general "keeping order" thing -- the situation can quickly slip into chaos. I don't know what the your BD's policies are on the apparent morning "open practice" time -- you may just want to talk to him about arranging some time to hold extra practices just to work on cadences, etc.

I expect that his intent isn't to stifle your creativity, but rather to keep things running smoothly and get you to work on your show material first before you can "play."

Creating your own music can really give kids a feeling of ownership in the band and make the program better; but, you have to get the show music down first: if you can't play what you're *supposed* to be learning don't expect much sympathy when it comes to "extra" activities.

Cadet311:

>>Do the students in your line have drum corps experience? Instructional experience? A music degree?
>>
>>I think we'll say no, so they have no idea of the director's intent.

Perhaps I'm being dense, but I fail to see what this has to do with the subject at all. Sounds rather snobbish, actually.

>>Is their show perfect? Are they performing now at an end of >>season or higher level?

>>I think we shall say no to that as well, so there's no reason >>to practice material that doesn't relate to what you're given >>for the show.

That's much more to the point, and I certainly agree as far as official rehearsal/practice time is concerned. On the other hand there's fun, creative expression, music education...I see no reason to be a robot and practice only the show music 24/7. If they want to hold extra practices to work on other things, as long as the kids aren't sandbagging on the show music I think it's a good thing.

I agree with Cadet311 and will take it way further.

Every program I have taught or performed in (HS, DCI, DCA, WGI) was absolutely ridiculous about their image.

Consider, for one moment, using Cadet311's point that none of these kids have any notable experience, that what they have come up with may not only be outside of their instructional realm or capability, but is embarassing.

If this "piece" was created by a student and has never been practiced before the time the students played it in an open forum (albeit it the practice field, it is still public) it probably sounded less than clean.

From the information provided, the band director is not hindering creativity as the thread title suggests, but rather reminding the students that his rehearsal time is not the appropriate forum for their experiments.

From the other side- Note that there is no mention of any percussion staff. That allows for the existence of boredom and reduced enthusiasm among the membership who most likely haven't seen beats harder than a hal leonard stock chart. Further, the author of the post is not a member of said section, and may not be aware of all the facts, nor their pertinent order.

Well I agree with both points. While the drumline shouldn't be goofing around without having the show down, this is high school - not Drum Corps.

"If this "piece" was created by a student and has never been practiced before the time the students played it in an open forum (albeit it the practice field, it is still public) it probably sounded less than clean." (Snarepaint)

If you were a bd, and your line sucked at the show music, at everything, would you make them run laps or punish them?
They aren't in a professional ensamble and I'm pretty sure that if a trumpet player warmed up on carnival of venice I'm pretty sure it'd be unethical to scold him for being that good.

Of course jackettenor is biased, but from his point especially it sounds like this guy is just being a prick.
I mean let the kids have some fun, when bd's do things like this it discourages intrest in music from the students.

In my opinion, bd's should encourage music creation - not impede it.
Maybe if you wrote out all the parts and gave it to him he'd let you do it. Or if you don't have time, send me an mp3 - I'll transcribe it for you. Or, you could handwrite the cadence over the show music and then exclaim that you are just playing the second movement lol
don't do that... our tbone section got in trouble for that hehehe

i want to transcribe it but the bd wont even let me get a recording.Besides, since now we have "2" cadences (i think. i wasn't at percussion practice, I'm not allowed)I doubt he would accept it. He hasn't EVER accepted a cadence I gave him, and most likely and of the stands songs either.

Besides that, half the drumline *hates* me, especially the guy that wrote it. (He just mad cus I beat in a drum battle, of sorts)

I do agree with my bd to some extent, since half the drumline are (what's the politically correct way to say this) idiots. I think a couple of em need to be let go. One is one sarcastic bass-beating-during warmup away form being kicked.

I have a freind that goes to a school, where besides what the bd hands out, they make their own cadences, stands tunes, etc and almost the entire drumline broke their arms and the band made straight 1's.

edit- we have zero percussion staff. Our BD was a percussionist at Auburn University (that explains a lot) so he does everything. H eteaches highschool and begining band, while the [b]butt[/b]. bd teaches 7-8 grade

Well i do agree that the band director should care about the bands image, and the fact that he dosent want to have his drumline sounding bad on something that is an experiment.

but i dont agree with him not accepting any cadences from students...in my school, we do have a percussion director for the marching season, but every cadence weve ever played has been a student or section creation. this year being my senior year and that im head section leader i wrote all the cadences for this years show. and none of them were denied to be used.

oh just fyi to the mods, on my last post, i abreviated "assistant" wrong

i said a s s.

I understand where the BD is coming from, because thats the same exact problem with my line. Our show music is not clean, and they have no drive to clean it up, 95% of the time they don't follow the music anyway. Then the percussion like to go on creating cadences, If you want to call them that. I do believe my BD went on a rampage one day and yelled about creating "500 new beats, and he hasn't heard a cadence yet"

Then they get so worked up about getting this new cadence, they stop working on show music. Then they start trying to add visuals, then they think since the BD hasn't yelled that he is okay with it, and they are aloud to basically do what they want. Its funny how things fall into place like that, but thats how it works, I back your BD for that. If the percussionists really want to play said cadence, have them clean the show music, and have them meet a seperate time to do it. Band directors are thrilled when the percussion takes time to work as a section on their own time.

A lot of the times with the line is just hacking or just making stuff up or say there going to practice this "cadence" or lick or something I usually tell them no and to practice the show music cause its not as clean as it could be.

I mean I've seen bands who could destroy us as far as cadences and stands tunes but when it came to what mattered, the show, they were no contest.

However, I am just section leader...therefore I'm a student so every once in a while a couple of us will get together about an hour and a half before rehearsal and just let loose those creative juices.