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jswordy
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Hey, the Barrio Cafe where our Phoenix friends took us for dinner just got a recommendation in "The New York Times" ... and it deserves it!
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/02/15/travel/things-to-do-phoenix.html
My younger son was a member of the junior version of the Triangle Brass Band for a couple of years. At each performance the director would, some time during the performance, have each instrument held up and he'd describe it to the audience.
Most of the instruments are relatively small and the player would hold it up one handed.
When they got to the tubas, the entire section pressed the instruments above their heads and held them there for 30 seconds. Maybe it's band humor, but I found it funny.
Most of the instruments are relatively small and the player would hold it up one handed.
When they got to the tubas, the entire section pressed the instruments above their heads and held them there for 30 seconds. Maybe it's band humor, but I found it funny.
Go Tubas! My son was a Rino (Tuba player) in the UW Marching Band. First on the field!
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My son played trumpet from 6th to 8th grade. Two weeks into high school he switched to tuba. He did marching band 1 year with trumpet, then 3 years with a Sousaphone.
Of course. most people think the one you wear is a tuba… it is a sousaphone. The concert version is the true tuba, but most folks won’t know what you are talking about if you say sousaphone.
I think bands and all the spectator traditions elevate college sports above pro for entertainment value.
Sousaphone?
The tuba is a "sit down" instrument. No one wants to walk across an uneven field, playing it, and hoping to not drop it. You can get a cheap tuba for $4,000 USD, but the good ones range from $10,000 to $20,000.
The sousaphone was created at the direction of John Philip Sousa, composer and bandleader. Most are equivalent to a BB♭ tuba. The player wears it, so dropping is not an issue. Most high school marching bands use fiberglass units, as they are cheaper and don't dent.
In school I played Alto and Baritone Sax, and later switched to B♭ clarinet. I still sort-of play clarinet, at least for my own amusement.
The sousaphone was created at the direction of John Philip Sousa, composer and bandleader. Most are equivalent to a BB♭ tuba. The player wears it, so dropping is not an issue. Most high school marching bands use fiberglass units, as they are cheaper and don't dent.
In school I played Alto and Baritone Sax, and later switched to B♭ clarinet. I still sort-of play clarinet, at least for my own amusement.
A lot of folks talk about how hard training is for sports. At our high school, band camp (for marching band) starts early August and the first week is 8 to 10 hours per day. There's a lot of intensive training to turn a group of students (any where from 10 for small schools to well over 100) into a cohesive unit that can not only march in unison but play well while doing so.
Marching band parents understand this -- I was SOOOOO relieved when my son graduated high school and I was freed from being a band parent. In addition to a lot of chaperoning, I was the web master for the band site for 3 years.
We also marched in the Disney World Parade of Lights (I think that's what it's called) one year, so I chaperoned a bus group (3 buses) of high school students from Raleigh to Disney. Two parents had to march with the kids in case of injury (kids tripping), and of course, I got to do that as well. Yeah, insanity runs in my family -- I inherited it from my kids.
True story. Back in the day, I was the section leader for the percussion section in our marching band. During an afternoon practice on the football field the band director allowed for a 5 minute break. A sousaphone player made it to the water fountain for a quick drink. The water fountain was built into a brick wall bordering the track around the field. Yep, he bent over (without taking off his instrument) and smashed chunks out of his new, school-supplied fiberglass sousaphone.
YOW! They don't dent ... but the certainly can break!
Next time I see my son, I'm going to ask if there are any stories that he'd not tell me at the time, but will now. I expect there's at least a few not-ready-for-parents stories.
Bryan, I am wondering if there is any difference in sound quality between metal and fiberglass. I would expect that the fiberglass would not perform as well due to absorption of some of the sound. No?
Also, for all of you football fans out there, surely you have seen the "Sousaphone" player in the OSU band come running across the field to dot the "i" in Ohio when the band does the "script Ohio" on the field.
From what I've read, the average person will not notice any difference between a brass and fiberglass sousaphone, and the acoustics of a football field make it even less likely to spot a difference.
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The weight difference more than makes up for any sound difference. Brass sousaphone weighs 30-50 pounds, fiberglass is very light 15 pounds. About the weight of the alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones I played. I never officially switched to clarinet, although, I could marginally play one.
And I am certain there are some stories not fit for parental consumption. I know my parents haven't heard some.
And I am certain there are some stories not fit for parental consumption. I know my parents haven't heard some.
I played tuba but also football so I only played in concert band. I never took music too seriously but also dabbled with the guitar, banjo, clarinet and piano, all of which were self taught.
I taught myself to play my brother's B♭ clarinet one summer. For those that don't play, the fingerings of Alto & Bari sax are identical, and B♭ clarinet has only a few that are different. Getting a feel for the clarinet took far more time than remembering the fingerings.
Roughly 12 years ago I decided to start playing again after a 30 year gap. I had my old clarinet (no-name probably made in the 30's or 40's), and the first place I took it to for reconditioning said it was junk and not worth the effort. Second place said the first guy was an idiot, replaced 5 pads, and tightened a few things. I played it for a few years until I got a deal on a much better one.
Later I gave the old clarinet to my great-niece, she played it for a few months, then her parents purchased a good one. I told my niece (her mother) to give it to someone who needed it. No clue where it is now, but I hope some child is getting use from it. It's not a great clarinet, but better than the cheap plastic ones.
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