The Scoring May Be Jacked ... But I Still Like It!

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Evolution.  Progress.  Modernization.  The beat may go on and on, but it certainly does change over time. 

According to those in the know, at least around these parts, marching band is not the animal I remember.  In fact, as nearly as I can tell, it might not even be the same species any more. 

Who knew?

I learned some interesting, interesting things today.

•Marching band field shows are competitive OR they are crowd friendly.  They cannot be both.  Crowds at football games don’t appreciate competitive field shows.

•Competitive marching bands don’t adequately support the Friday night football experience, which is specifically what a marching band should do.

•Marching band competitions provide little value or meaningful feedback. The scoring is jacked.

•The reason high school band directors don’t have long careers is because marching band sucks the life out of them.

•You can buy a show entire field show in a box for $200.  That’s what normal bands do. Freakishly winning-obsessed bands? They pay thousands upon thousands of dollars for their show and each piece … drum book, ensemble book, field show design … comes separately and will break the bank. 

•Winning marching bands practice obsessively to the exclusion of all else.  To win, a band must practice way, way, way more than non-winning bands.  In fact, competitive classes at competitions should be broken down by how much bands practice, not by band size, not by school size. 

•If trombones are God’s instrument, then the saxophone is the bubonic-plague-carrying rat poo on the bottom of the devil’s shoe … or worse.

•Concert band is the single most important thing a high school band can do.  Period. End of discussion.

•Indiana and Texas are the best states for marching band.

•Many students are not familiar with Bands of America.  No matter.  It’s not all it’s cracked up to be any way.  Band students don’t need exposure to BoA because it has a marching focus and a competitive nature.   Refer to the concert band point as well as the point about the lack of value in marching competition.

•High school band directors have to be unbiased, never favoring one component of their program over the other.

•Winning high school marching bands have a large staff.  Drawing upon volunteers – usually former band members – isn’t always possible.  Or, if possible, it might not be wanted.

•High school marching bands can have directors who never, ever marched.

Clearly, things have changed dramatically over the years.

Or, have they? 

Call me a skeptic, but I’m not convinced.  In fact, I am so much not convinced that I think I’ve found my book.   I had a mission when I started this research project, but now I think I have two.  And, a point to make.

My hackles are up.  How did I forget that … at heart … I am a marching band girl? Although I might have forgotten that tidbit, other matters have not slipped my mind. I still don’t suffer excuses well. 

Perhaps that is just where my growing need to write a book comes in. Thank goodness I’m not a high school band director.  I can … and will … be as biased as I want.

Oh … and to my fellow marching band alumni.  If you are reading this, I know your hackles are up now, too.  You are welcome.  

Band, ten-hut!