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Post by marchingband1969 on Oct 18, 2022 7:41:11 GMT -5
Blue & Gold Marching Machine Schedule: Saturday October 15th
1. Up early Saturday morning to perform at the Fall Open House for prospective students and their parents 2. Have a quick snack, change into band uniforms and march to Truist Stadium for the Edward Waters football game 3. Performed a halftime show and at 4:00 o'clock perform at "5th Quarter" against visiting band after game. 4. Late Saturday evening, load up the buses for a 2 hour ride to Fayetteville 5. Performed another halftime show in Fayetteville at the "Gotham City High School Battle of the Bands" 6. Late Saturday night, load back on the buses tired and smelly for a midnight ride back to the A&T campus
This is why I'm such an advocate for more scholarship funds for BGMM members. 20 hours of practice during the week plus all day on Saturday!
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tony
Full Member
Posts: 153
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Post by tony on Oct 18, 2022 9:01:26 GMT -5
Watching this student forum and someone asked about supporting the band…lol the chancellor was readyđŸ˜‚ Cut them off at the knees I hate to say it, but the chancellor may have a point. A couple of days ago, I said the clarinets were the biggest section in the band. I looked closer and it turns out I was wrong - Golden Delight is. Clarinets are the second biggest. Unless you count all the percussion as one section - then it would be Cold Steel, Golden Delight, and the Clarinets. Let that marinate for a minute. I like having a big drum section, and I like having a lot of dancers, but something has to give. We have a 200 piece band at university that prioritizes academics over extracurriculars. Big picture. As an advocate of the band, I have to ask where does that leave us? More thoughts later.
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Post by aggie2039 on Oct 18, 2022 9:04:32 GMT -5
Cut them off at the knees I hate to say it, but the chancellor may have a point. A couple of days ago, I said the clarinets were the biggest section in the band. I looked closer and it turns out I was wrong - Golden Delight is. Clarinets are the second biggest. Unless you count all the percussion as one section - then it would be Cold Steel, Golden Delight, and the Clarinets. Let that marinate for a minute. I like having a big drum section, and I like having a lot of dancers, but something has to give. We have a 200 piece band at university that prioritizes academics over extracurriculars. Big picture. As an advocate of the band, I have to ask where does that leave us? More thoughts later. Where do the Tubas fit? We 19 this year...
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Post by marchingband1969 on Oct 18, 2022 12:01:30 GMT -5
Cut them off at the knees I hate to say it, but the chancellor may have a point. A couple of days ago, I said the clarinets were the biggest section in the band. I looked closer and it turns out I was wrong - Golden Delight is. Clarinets are the second biggest. Unless you count all the percussion as one section - then it would be Cold Steel, Golden Delight, and the Clarinets. Let that marinate for a minute. I like having a big drum section, and I like having a lot of dancers, but something has to give. We have a 200 piece band at university that prioritizes academics over extracurriculars. Big picture. As an advocate of the band, I have to ask where does that leave us? More thoughts later. When I went in the Army in the1960s, they told me I had to be in Armor. I could either go in Armor or get a oneway bus ticket to Canada. Now with the "All Volunteer" Army, recruits get to pick. The BGMM is the "All volunteer band" so if 15 clarinet players show up for Band Camp and survive, we're marching 15 clarinets. Unless Dr Ruff can entice them to switch to another instrument. I say "entice" because if they don't want to switch instruments, they could just quit! There are more Golden Delight and Cold Steel members because the BGMM is known for those two sections.
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Maxell
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Director of BDF Marketing
Posts: 12,438
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Post by Maxell on Oct 18, 2022 12:33:01 GMT -5
Watching this student forum and someone asked about supporting the band…lol the chancellor was readyđŸ˜‚ What did he say exactly?
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tony
Full Member
Posts: 153
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Post by tony on Oct 18, 2022 14:39:26 GMT -5
I hate to say it, but the chancellor may have a point. A couple of days ago, I said the clarinets were the biggest section in the band. I looked closer and it turns out I was wrong - Golden Delight is. Clarinets are the second biggest. Unless you count all the percussion as one section - then it would be Cold Steel, Golden Delight, and the Clarinets. Let that marinate for a minute. I like having a big drum section, and I like having a lot of dancers, but something has to give. We have a 200 piece band at university that prioritizes academics over extracurriculars. Big picture. As an advocate of the band, I have to ask where does that leave us? More thoughts later. When I went in the Army in the1960s, they told me I had to be in Armor. I could either go in Armor or get a oneway bus ticket to Canada. Now with the "All Volunteer" Army, recruits get to pick. The BGMM is the "All volunteer band" so if 15 clarinet players show up for Band Camp and survive, we're marching 15 clarinets. Unless Dr Ruff can entice them to switch to another instrument. I say "entice" because if they don't want to switch instruments, they could just quit! There are more Golden Delight and Cold Steel members because the BGMM is known for those two sections. There were 24 Golden Delight members, 36 Cold Steel. I wouldn't touch either of those sections. You're entirely right - that's what were known for, and I wouldn't change a thing there. But we're also known for our sound. That's changes a little bit every year due to instrumentation, and changing it is EXACTLY what I'm suggesting. Most of the high schools at the competition - especially the better ones - were mostly brass, with just a couple of woodwinds. None of them are on scholarship. And there's NO WAY that was random chance. I don't think they were better because they were brass, they were better because the same meticulousness that hand picked that instrumentation also made sure they were good at what they were doing. Anybody that knows our band knows band directors are very good at enticing. And it doesn't even need a lot. We had about 60 woodwinds out there. Entice 8 of them all at once, or 2 a year to switch to a different instrument and we're back to what we've always had. It's not hard - I watched a high school drummer become the only F horn player in his concert band and they placed first in competition last year. That school requires ALL dancers and percussionists to learn a wind instrument. Truth be told the ones that switch tend to be better on their horns than the ones that came in playing an instrument, but that's a different topic. And we're NOT all volunteer, just mostly. If there happened to be couple of thousand dollars lying around for someone good on their horn, has a good GPA, and is willing to learn a different instrument I'm sure we'd get a couple to bite. That's really all we need. Phrase it right and you'll probably get a few to do it for free. When I was marching we had trumpet players go to Mellophone, Clarinets to Baritone, Sax to Trombone, Trumpet to Tuba. Definitely possible. By the way, the band sounded GREAT at the competition. Way better than they sounded in the clips from earlier this year. Sound, showmanship, it was all there. I wondered was it just the clips from before distorting the sound. But then they just posted some clips from the 5th quarter a few hours before the competition. Those sound better too. Which means the band is clearly getting better. We were told the band was young, and it showed, but they're definitely coming into their own. As long as they open up the book a little more they'll be more than ready for Charlotte.
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919aggie
Official BDF member
Posts: 2,499
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Post by 919aggie on Oct 18, 2022 15:34:29 GMT -5
Watching this student forum and someone asked about supporting the band…lol the chancellor was readyđŸ˜‚ What did he say exactly? Lol the same thing that he always say. The student (current senior DM) asked for more support (Scholarships/Band Rm) and the chancellor went into how they were supporting the band with travel/instruments/uniforms. I'm still trying to find the video.
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919aggie
Official BDF member
Posts: 2,499
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Post by 919aggie on Oct 18, 2022 15:37:25 GMT -5
When I went in the Army in the1960s, they told me I had to be in Armor. I could either go in Armor or get a oneway bus ticket to Canada. Now with the "All Volunteer" Army, recruits get to pick. The BGMM is the "All volunteer band" so if 15 clarinet players show up for Band Camp and survive, we're marching 15 clarinets. Unless Dr Ruff can entice them to switch to another instrument. I say "entice" because if they don't want to switch instruments, they could just quit! There are more Golden Delight and Cold Steel members because the BGMM is known for those two sections. There were 24 Golden Delight members, 36 Cold Steel. I wouldn't touch either of those sections. You're entirely right - that's what were known for, and I wouldn't change a thing there. But we're also known for our sound. That's changes a little bit every year due to instrumentation, and changing it is EXACTLY what I'm suggesting. Most of the high schools at the competition - especially the better ones - were mostly brass, with just a couple of woodwinds. None of them are on scholarship. And there's NO WAY that was random chance. I don't think they were better because they were brass, they were better because the same meticulousness that hand picked that instrumentation also made sure they were good at what they were doing. Anybody that knows our band knows band directors are very good at enticing. And it doesn't even need a lot. We had about 60 woodwinds out there. Entice 8 of them all at once, or 2 a year to switch to a different instrument and we're back to what we've always had. It's not hard - I watched a high school drummer become the only F horn player in his concert band and they placed first in competition last year. That school requires ALL dancers and percussionists to learn a wind instrument. Truth be told the ones that switch tend to be better on their horns than the ones that came in playing an instrument, but that's a different topic. And we're NOT all volunteer, just mostly. If there happened to be couple of thousand dollars lying around for someone good on their horn, has a good GPA, and is willing to learn a different instrument I'm sure we'd get a couple to bite. That's really all we need. Phrase it right and you'll probably get a few to do it for free. When I was marching we had trumpet players go to Mellophone, Clarinets to Baritone, Sax to Trombone, Trumpet to Tuba. Definitely possible. By the way, the band sounded GREAT at the competition. Way better than they sounded in the clips from earlier this year. Sound, showmanship, it was all there. I wondered was it just the clips from before distorting the sound. But then they just posted some clips from the 5th quarter a few hours before the competition. Those sound better too. Which means the band is clearly getting better. We were told the band was young, and it showed, but they're definitely coming into their own. As long as they open up the book a little more they'll be more than ready for Charlotte. Speaking of Charlotte, check out Norfolk.
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Maxell
Official BDF member
Director of BDF Marketing
Posts: 12,438
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Post by Maxell on Oct 18, 2022 15:44:42 GMT -5
Lol the same thing that he always say. The student (current senior DM) asked for more support (Scholarships/Band Rm) and the chancellor went into how they were supporting the band with travel/instruments/uniforms. I'm still trying to find the video. SOS LOL
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919aggie
Official BDF member
Posts: 2,499
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Post by 919aggie on Oct 19, 2022 8:20:26 GMT -5
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KidHeartless
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AGGIE FRIGGIN PRIDE!
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Post by KidHeartless on Nov 3, 2022 13:14:25 GMT -5
Im surprised there is no battle with NSU Friday.
and we clearly have to be the difference maker to band support because the chancellor doesnt understand or doesnt care to understand. if it aint R1, don't come 'round with it lol
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919aggie
Official BDF member
Posts: 2,499
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Post by 919aggie on Nov 3, 2022 18:09:58 GMT -5
Im surprised there is no battle with NSU Friday. and we clearly have to be the difference maker to band support because the chancellor doesnt understand or doesnt care to understand. if it aint R1, don't come 'round with it lol Probably because they are both headed to the Charlotte BOTB on Sunday.
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Post by marchingband1969 on Nov 3, 2022 18:39:04 GMT -5
Just learned that Alabama A&M has dropped out of the Charlotte BOTB because band students are suffering from the flu.
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Post by aggie2008 on Nov 3, 2022 21:15:39 GMT -5
AAMU band is at the MSVU game.. maybe it’s an outdoor vs indoor situation!?
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Post by Bornthrilla on Nov 29, 2022 8:27:28 GMT -5
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