Well you can help him out by offering to practice bass with him Trimen. Ask him if he would like your help and you would be delighted to give it to him. Tell him if he wants that bass spot bad enough he will get it. The main thing is motivation which is interesting since we are in the section of that here. Well anyways tell him just because he didn't make it to bass this year doesn't mean he has to quit all together.

Yeah, just tell him that he can get the spot on the bass line if he just practices. Or you could try and show him how fun a cymbal line can be. Like, show some videos of cybal lines doing some crazy visual stuff. Thats what makes playing cymbals fun.

I really wish I could do all of that, I would do it too. But well.. We're under very limited conditions, unfortunatly he lives about an hour away from me, and we have only one 3.5 hour rehersal each monday night wich is cramed with all of our normals stuff. So that's the only time I get to see him... I'll see about maybe getting some coll visuals down and showing it to him or maybe the whole cymbale line next monday.

So you only see him once a week? Well, maybe you could just pull the cymbal line aside after the practice, and show them some visual stuff or some drum corps.

I dont know if they wil agree to that, but its worth a try. You could also give a speech to them about taking the cymbal line (and maybe the whole line) to the next level.

Ok I know what you mean man. I just recently moved it sucks so bad I had to leave a really good and tight line. I played bass down there I got 3rd since I was a sophmore but was better than 2 and the bass leader really liked me. Well comeing up here I found a line full of beginners all but one to be exact and he is pretty good. I can't seem to help some of these guys though I just don't know. We got me on quints now even though I'm not a quint player even though they are fun to play. The good guy and two beginning 8th and 9th graders (yes the hs band has 7 & 8 grade in it is there something wrong with that) They have gotten alot a lot better since I got here. The two bass players though they both are pretty bad as in they can't keep tempo one is motivated and wants to learn but he can't seem to get it. The other one just doesn't care and I really hate him with a passion. Anyways I'm looking for ideas to help us turn around for better.

The best way to encourage a line in my opinion is to show them some DCI Videos. Any time I am tired of long practices or sick of working on an exercise for hours, I sit down and watch some videos. After watching them, it makes me want to practice even more so that I can join a drum corp.

Once the people in your line realize how cool it is to sound great, look great and even have people watching them warmup in the parking lot, they will want to practice more and it should help the line out alot a lot.

Good Luck!

Always making someone feel important helps.

Post deleted by Middle Age Man

well, the motivatoin thing has been stated. i can't add anything. as for the band nerd problem? try this-make it COOL. be like, dudes. you rock. we are the shiznit. [don't say that if its not what you usually say..i do say it so i can but dont be fake.] plus, come up with either a name [like the perc. mafia] or a slogan [we stick it better] that they can say or whatever. part of hte problem may be that your line isnt as close as it could be...have everyone over for a party/sleepover and do the 'bonding thing'. but dont tell them its bonding or they migth not come. if they're closer, they'll want to come to practice. if they want to come to practice, they'll want to work hard to get things accomplished. if they work hard, they'll sound good. if they sound good, they'll feel good about drumming. end of story! good luck!

Right before my senior year in high school, my school district decided to spit our high school into two different high schools due to over population. As much as I loved to see most of these people leave my school, our drumline went from 20-some members down to 4. (2 seniors and 2 juniors)

Fortunally, we had around 12 new members come in as freshmen and sophmores. So a line with 18-or so people.. not so bad right?

Here was the problem - no one knew what marching band or drumline was all about. Sure, they may have seen a football game or a DCI video in jr. high, but we all know theres far more work and effort that is behind a marching performance. Not only did my co-captain and I have to teach the show, cadence, and the typical "newbie" stuff but we had to teach almost everyone about the strong sense of unity, dedication, and passion that goes behind every note.

Anyways, what seemed to work best was to make it fun for everyone and show our group of musicians is unlike any other in the school. We were family. We WANTED to play. If theres a line who doesn't have fun when they play or doesn't want to be there... it's going to take longer to get any better whether you want to be like the Cadets or not. Just my 2 cents