How many band people are on NS?

[Soxastan]

Marching bands rock hard.
I'm having to cut out of Friday afternoon lectures to go back home to take part in National Finals :3

I play lead (mostly, this year) baritone. UK marching bands, btw.

They have marching bands in the U.K? I guess they finally found a good use of the Ruby fields, eh?

[Samozaryadnyastan]

Indeed.

I will admit it sucks compared to US marching bands. The bands are much larger and more professional. But then, you would be, in DCI. It's a life thing, really, over there whereas it's more of a hobby across the pond.

[Soxastan]

Indeed.

I will admit it sucks compared to US marching bands. The bands are much larger and more professional. But then, you would be, in DCI. It's a life thing, really, over there whereas it's more of a hobby across the pond.

The best part of being across the pond is that band is taken so seriously that schools are carried by it and many students love their marching bands. So much so, that every Homecoming game , my school's band runs through the tunnel, made by the the football players. That's the other way around for every game and all the time in many schools. My school is just lucky to do something like that. It also helps that 10% of my school is in band and we are actually good (look at all of our trophies).

[Manahakatouki]

I play keyboard/piano, guitar, tenor saxophone and french horn, two of which I play for my school band.

I fool around with the other two..

[Techocracy101010]

Every one in my family has musical talent but me . Although I can make some wicked fire works.

[The Psychic Horns]

I play in three bands.

Destrucity - Math/grind/comedy ; Bass/Vocals
Rip Hanson & the Warriors of Masked Destruction - you can find us on facebook; hardcore punk/crossover ; Bass/Vocals
CASKET - www.facebook.com/casketblackmetal ; Extreme/Progressive Metal ; Guitar
Nexus - Currently writing material for this one; Progressive/Melodic Black Metal

[Kronos and Krados]

Trombone in marching band!

[Soxastan]

Trombone in marching band!

Cool, I'm a saxophone.

So, tell me about your band.

[Keronians]

I used to play the piano.

[Cosumar]

I've been playing tuba for 6 years. I consider myself above-average but not exceptionally talented.

I'm in the Coppell High School Marching Band (5A Dallas, Texas area school). We are actually quite good. We got 3rd place (bronze medal yuhhh!) in the state of Texas my freshman year and got 5th place last year (but 2nd at prelims). That's saying something since Texas is probably the most challenging state. Our first contest of this year is next Saturday.

Bitch please. Indiana and Ohio are the hardest states to compete in. In Cincinnati-Dayton corridor, there is Centerville High School and Mason High School, both get in to BOA National Finals. Oh, and Indianapolis has Carmel High School and Avon High School, both have won BOA National many times.

Oh, and my band can beat bands 2-3 times its size.

Well, we're both biased towards our respective states.

Whereas the states you mentioned have a few elite schools, Texas just has so many total bands it is extremely hard to come out on top.

In last year's BOA nationals, Texas had 3 schools in the top 10 whereas Indina had 4. So they are both pretty great band states - combined they took up 70% of the BOA top 10! So I'll agree about Indiana, but not Ohio.

Also, my band has 330 people approx, but size doesn't have much to do with how good a band is by the way. And I used to live in Carmel, Indiana so I'm not completely clueless about what it's like up there.

[Soxastan]

Bitch please. Indiana and Ohio are the hardest states to compete in. In Cincinnati-Dayton corridor, there is Centerville High School and Mason High School, both get in to BOA National Finals. Oh, and Indianapolis has Carmel High School and Avon High School, both have won BOA National many times.

Oh, and my band can beat bands 2-3 times its size.

Well, we're both biased towards our respective states.

Whereas the states you mentioned have a few elite schools, Texas just has so many total bands it is extremely hard to come out on top.

In last year's BOA nationals, Texas had 3 schools in the top 10 whereas Indina had 4. So they are both pretty great band states - combined they took up 70% of the BOA top 10! So I'll agree about Indiana, but not Ohio.

Also, my band has 330 people approx, but size doesn't have much to do with how good a band is by the way. And I used to live in Carmel, Indiana so I'm not completely clueless about what it's like up there.

The Cincinnati-Dayton-Columbus area is notorious for many good bands. Schools take band way more seriously in the Midwest than in the South or the West Coast.

Oh, and the only reason (my thinking of course) that TX and OK get so many bands in BOA, is because of their size. Most of the schools in Texas and Oklahoma are combined into mega bands (250+ members). With a size like that, sound is no problem and the sheer numbers make spotting an individual messing up is nearly impossible.

Ah yes, the whole quality over quantity. How can I forget. My band of 120 beat out 5 other bands that were much bigger than us. We only lost to a band double our size by 5 points (on a 300 scale, OMEA ruling). That's 2%. The other band in our class (A), got a 5 (which never happens in OMEA, ever) and we beat them by over 50 points. It's ridiculous at what happens around here. Many upsets and new contenders.

However, Dayton is the center for Indoor Percussion. Without a doubt.

[Cosumar]

The Cincinnati-Dayton-Columbus area is notorious for many good bands.

True. Ohio is one of the best band states. Just not the best.

Schools take band way more seriously in the Midwest than in the South or the West Coast.

I can't say anything for sure about the West Coast, but having lived in Carmel, IN and Coppell, TX, I can tell you that they both take band VERY seriously. For my school, it's more like a full-time job than a hobby haha. You can't possible say the midwest is more serious than the entire south. You know nothing about what it's like here, NOTHING!

Oh, and the only reason (my thinking of course) that TX and OK get so many bands in BOA, is because of their size. Most of the schools in Texas and Oklahoma are combined into mega bands (250+ members).

Or maybe Texas actually produces some high-quality bands? Get off your high horse

And no, most do not have that size. Only 5A (and maybe some 4A) schools commonly reach bands of that size (schools with 3000-5000 students like mine). And what do you mean "combined"? schools never combine their marching bands. and OK isn't even the same league as TX and IN

My band of 120 beat out 5 other bands that were much bigger than us. We only lost to a band double our size by 5 points (on a 300 scale, OMEA ruling). That's 2%. The other band in our class (A), got a 5 (which never happens in OMEA, ever) and we beat them by over 50 points

Congrats! Those are some great accomplishments.


Let's just agree that Texas and the Midwest are both elite marching band locations.

[Soxastan]

The Cincinnati-Dayton-Columbus area is notorious for many good bands.

True. Ohio is one of the best band states. Just not the best.

Schools take band way more seriously in the Midwest than in the South or the West Coast.

I can't say anything for sure about the West Coast, but having lived in Carmel, IN and Coppell, TX, I can tell you that they both take band VERY seriously. For my school, it's more like a full-time job than a hobby haha. You can't possible say the midwest is more serious than the entire south. You know nothing about what it's like here, NOTHING!

Oh, and the only reason (my thinking of course) that TX and OK get so many bands in BOA, is because of their size. Most of the schools in Texas and Oklahoma are combined into mega bands (250+ members).

Or maybe Texas actually produces some high-quality bands? Get off your high horse

And no, most do not have that size. Only 5A (and maybe some 4A) schools commonly reach bands of that size (schools with 3000-5000 students like mine). And what do you mean "combined"? schools never combine their marching bands. and OK isn't even the same league as TX and IN

My band of 120 beat out 5 other bands that were much bigger than us. We only lost to a band double our size by 5 points (on a 300 scale, OMEA ruling). That's 2%. The other band in our class (A), got a 5 (which never happens in OMEA, ever) and we beat them by over 50 points

Congrats! Those are some great accomplishments.
Fine. But we can agree the Indianapolis produces the best bands, Avon and Carmel?

Let's just agree that Texas and the Midwest are both elite marching band locations.

[Idaho Conservatives]

At least we can all agree that Idaho certainly doesn't have a hardcore band scene. My school has a total of eighty students even in the band, including the majors and our joke of a front ensemble. We are the fifth-largest band in our division of (IIRC) fifteen schools, which comprise the only major population center for 250 miles. I don't have numbers to back it up, but I believe it's safe to say that we are one of the ten largest groups in the state. With about seventy on the field.

Directors piss themselves when they see the regional band powerhouse, Vallivue High. By our low standards, they have an endless horde: 180 players! That's about a half again more than any other program in the state.

[Soxastan]

At least we can all agree that Idaho certainly doesn't have a hardcore band scene. My school has a total of eighty students even in the band, including the majors and our joke of a front ensemble. We are the fifth-largest band in our division of (IIRC) fifteen schools, which comprise the only major population center for 250 miles. I don't have numbers to back it up, but I believe it's safe to say that we are one of the ten largest groups in the state. With about seventy on the field.

Directors piss themselves when they see the regional band powerhouse, Vallivue High. By our low standards, they have an endless horde: 180 players! That's about a half again more than any other program in the state.

My band can take them and beat them, twice, in their own division/class. I'm assuming my band is a class lower (120 members, 100 players).

[Astrolinium]

Marching bands rock hard.
I'm having to cut out of Friday afternoon lectures to go back home to take part in National Finals :3

I play lead (mostly, this year) baritone. UK marching bands, btw.

*gasp*

[Crabcake Baba Ganoush]

Unfortunately not too many bands in my area are interested in people who can play a mean set of spoons.

[Soxastan]

Unfortunately not too many bands in my area are interested in people who can play a mean set of spoons.

What? You can't join the Pit?

[Idaho Conservatives]

Just got back from Tri-Cities WA at 6 this morning. FUCK YEAH! In both prelims and finals, we marched some of our best shows yet. For the first time all season, our three tubas made themselves heard in a performance, and it came in a final; great timing. Finished #7 out of 26 bands, pwned the other seven schools in our division by a huge margin, and outscored several larger bands as well. A look at Youtube shows that someone has been uploading judges' videos of the performances, and ours will probably be up by tomorrow evening.

[Cosumar]

Well at our first contest we just swept all the awards

[Marcheria]

Well at our first contest we just swept all the awards

Who do you march for?

[Marcheria]

Now, I bet everyone on here has a great show set up, but it cant't be as epic as this!

[Astrolinium]

Now, I bet everyone on here has a great show set up, but it cant't be as epic as this!

College band plays popular music.
Not exactly headline news. *yawn*

[Marcheria]

Now, I bet everyone on here has a great show set up, but it cant't be as epic as this!

College band plays popular music.
Not exactly headline news. *yawn*

Yeah, but I like the arrangement. Good memories of that song.

[Samdruptse]

I am currently in the School Band, and previously participated in my old schools band. I play the Cornet.