Trouble with playing while marching?

dsimmons242 · New Member Joined: 21 Feb 2018 Posts: 1

Hey, I’m going to be playing in a marching band for the first time and while trying to practice walking while I play, I’ve noticed that my notes quiver and struggle dramatically, is there any excercised I can can do to help this?

khedger · Posted: Sat May 26, 2018 11:40 am Post subject:

Yes.....don't play in marching band. I'm being facetious. I know that there are a lot of people here who are into drum corps and such. They may be able to offer some practical advice if you HAVE to do this.
Personally, in all of my years of playing in school, marching band was the thing I hated most, but I was required to do it. I even played football my sophomore year of high school to avoid it. I didn't have to do the football games, but there I was the last week of November in the Florida sun, marching 8 miles and tooting my horn with the mouthpiece bouncing around my mouth like a fly on acid......

JoseLindE4 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 791

Most bands encourage a heel-toe roll, which helps smooth things out quite a bit. You can also absorb some of the shock in your hips. Minimizing the bounciness is good. Beyond that, you'll get used to it. It will sound terrible at first, but the body is highly adaptable.

Andy Del · Posted: Sat May 26, 2018 12:13 pm Post subject:

The easiest way to cope is to simply not march. Ever. Take up waterpolo, knitting, drone racing, whatever.

The next easiest is that you will need to practice. A LOT. I get my kids, who are made to march in some cases, to work on mach with out their instrument and get the hang of lifting their foot, rather than stamping it down. this reduces the shock transferring to their lips and their sound wobbling.

They also work on relaxing after and playing relaxed, ing notes to get away from the additional pressure they seem to use to keep their sound stable.

I encourage all sorts of things - as an alternative. One is a rugby referee... another took up swimming.

cheers

Andy
_________________
so many horns, so few good notes...

zaferis · Posted: Sat May 26, 2018 12:16 pm Post subject:

Yes, work on marching better.. good posture, where you actually lean back a bit, keeping a firm butt, and "roll" your steps. Keeping most of the movement below your waist. In controlling your foot placement and movement you can minimize the bouncing in your upper body.

Marching band can be hard on you playing (outside, loud, moving around, etc) but if you work on the mechanics, and balance all that aggressive playing with some quiet practicing you can make it work and keep it a positive experience (chop wise).

There are a lot of positives that can come out of marching band if you are smart about your playing. Posture, support, rhythmical accuracy, playing loud under control, etc.. besides it can be a ton of fun.
_________________
Freelance Performer/Educator
Adjunct Professor
Bach Trumpet Endorsing Artist
Retired Air Force Bandsman

khedger · Posted: Sat May 26, 2018 3:45 pm Post subject:

pinstriper · Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 2:21 pm Post subject:

OP's problem isn't a playing problem, it's a marching problem. Watch the footwork.

Link

_________________
~'77 DEG Dynasty II Soprano Bugle in G
'13 Chinese POS "Hawk" branded Flugel
'59 Olds Ambassador Cornet
'51 Olds Super
'69 Olds Studio
'40 Olds Special Cornet, Military Issued

tptptp · Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 4:38 pm Post subject:

Right, Pinstriper.
Some things are hard to do well. Marching and playing well are hard, but many groups accomplish the task beautifully. The positives and the fun are clearly valued by a lot of musicians and audiences.
_________________
Craig Mitchell

Tpt_Guy · Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 6:30 pm Post subject:

drboogenbroom · Heavyweight Member Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 697

I have never had trouble getting a really good player to march well. If you were incoming into our program, my suggestion would be to take private lessons, work on your all-state audition music, and get to where you can sing any part of the show at any moment, whether you can play it or not doesn't really matter too much at this point in the game.

I would much rather a student take the time to work on the things listed above and come to summer camp as strong a player as possible with as much familiarity with how the show should sound, and let me teach them to march and systematically guide that process, than have them come in with incorrect technique (or even just incorrect for our program) and be further behind, playing wise, than the students who put their time in on the horn over the summer.

Seriously....7 times out of 10 marching problems with young students have their roots in playing issues that have never been addressed. By the end of your first few days of summer camp, the quiver in your sound will be gone. The greater concern is once that happens, is what problems stay after that happens.

Kevin
_________________
By concentrating on precision, one arrives at technique, but by concentrating on technique one does not arrive at precision.

Bruno Walter

khedger · Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 8:32 pm Post subject:

trumpetchops · Heavyweight Member Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 2644

ohnecael · Posted: Tue May 29, 2018 5:21 am Post subject:

Betelgeuse215 · Veteran Member Joined: 20 May 2015 Posts: 186

Not playing in marching band will help that issue! Or at least only play when youre standing in one spot

Robert P · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2594

cheiden · Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 2:34 pm Post subject:

You can up the acoustics by marching on a stage!
https://youtu.be/m9KgArk4YKc
The brass ramps up around 3:30 but the entire thing is wonderful if you like brass and Samuel Barber.

I've never been a big fan of actually marching myself but I sure do appreciate folks that are and can do it at these high levels.

To the OP, there are plenty of examples of how folks are stepping to minimize the impact on the chops.
_________________
"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart

jollypear · New Member Joined: 16 May 2018 Posts: 2 Location: Missouri

I sincerely enjoyed marching band for the physical expression I learned how to control and show. I agree that hammering out some fundamentals in your playing will give you the best foundation for when you start marching, especially at your age and what I'm assuming is your time playing the trumpet so far. Long tones and breath support!

When you start rehearsals, you will be taught how to stand and then move. Always consider your posture first. What really helped my sound in drum corps was the idea of lifting up and separating my rib cage from my lower body. "Athlete on the bottom, musician on top." Just keep it in mind when you get going! It's something new, progress will come naturally and gradually.

trickg · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2018 9:55 am Post subject:

I'm right there with everyone else who says to avoid marching and playing if you can. Heck, underwater basket weaving is a better endeavor IMO.
_________________
Patrick Gleason
- Jupiter 1600i, ACB 3C, Warburton 4SVW/Titmus RT2
- Brasspire Unicorn C
- ACB Doubler

"95% of the average 'weekend warrior's' problems will be solved by an additional 30 minutes of insightful practice." - PLP

Seymor B Fudd · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2018 11:45 pm Post subject:

boog · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Jun 2014 Posts: 247

Aw, don't knock marching band or corps too much guys...It IS a form or theater, after all. And it is an art form that millions of kids grew up participating in, often the only form of art that many young people participate in while growing up.

I know several brass players that came up in marching band and drum corps. A few went through my school band programs, and a couple that actually became professional players.

My emphasis in school was ALWAYS "sit-down" band, and we worked hard on this for 2/3's of the school year. That being said, I have never had a player that could not handle the rigors of marching and playing, nor suffered ANY ill affects to "legitimate" playing.

I did have students that opted out of marching season, for sports and cheerleading, etc. They ALWAYS came back for concert band season, and some were among my strongest players. I never got my shorts in a knot because they did this...

I also had many doublers...clarinet/flute players that enjoyed playing trumpet, euphonium, mellophone, percussion, etc. in marching band.

These were young people that enjoyed the challenge.

I agree that many directors over-emphasize the sport/competition aspect of marching, but some of this is just because they are trumpet players and have the "I'm a trumpet player, and I'm better than you" syndrome!