Klarinet Archive - Posting 000030.txt from 1998/10
From: ROBERT ABRAHAM <rkabear@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Marching band
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 15:40:28 -0400
I wasn't going to prolong the commentary on marching bands, but...
I just have to add that I truly am sorry to those people on the list who are adamant against marching band just because they were not lucky enough to go to a high school/college with a musical marching band director, and good arrangers on staff who could score for brass, percussion, AND woodwinds without using the "masking" technique that made the woodwinds disappear.
The masking technique is part writing with the woodwinds doubling parts of the brass to bolster the volume without being heard as a separate entity. Bad arrangements (like most stock/bought arrangements) place the woodwinds in the middle to low end of their horn where they can't be heard on the field, and brass in the top all the time, where NOTHING else is heard anyway. This is a problem with the idiot arrangers who don't know how to write for color layers in a marching band setting, even though they might be good at concert arrangement (and of course, lots of marching bands buy these arrangements.)
I had the priveledge of playing in a marching band in which the other band quite frequently was overheard saying "Oh my God! You can hear the woodwinds!" when we were on the field. Putting the brass at different angles to diffuse sound when woodwinds are playing (like in asymetrical drill - not block writing), putting woodwinds in a higher part of their horn, while the brass in a lower part for non-tutti playing, having unique parts for woodwinds instead of "playing alond with the trumpets", and placing brass farther back on the field with woodwind players in front when playing an independent part are four good ways of doing such a feat. Another good use of woodwinds is to use them for contrast. Try THAT kind of color change in a concert hall...too live, would get lost in the reverb. I did take marching band arranging from this anomaly of marching band writing (who's name is Rod Harkins...no longer at my alma mater) and found out why I enjoyed marching band...BECAUSE I WAS CONTRIBUTING AND IT WAS MUSICAL.
I love concert band and orchestra, but hate when people write off things because they have had bad experiences with it. I have had bad experiences with opera, but listen often (at least a little at a time) to appreciate it, and have found some types of opera that I like. Ironically, I have no problem NOT listening to Wagner, after the big discussion, but love the people influenced by him. I dislike the sentiment of his music, but I am indebted to him for the influence that created some of my favorite composers.
Again, my apologies to those not so fortunate...but try to understand that while YOU might have not had a musical experience or not even a remotely positive experience with marching band, some of us have played with marching bands far superior to concert bands at other schools. And WE didn't compete! We just simply blew the other band off the field, both volume-wise (we were in tune too <grin>) and musically. Please do not try to negate the others' good marching band experiences, just because your experiences with marching band sucked.
Also, if you would like to comment on MY experience in marching band DON'T...you don't have a point of reference on MY marching band experience, only yours. People on this list (and other lists) too often criticise people on a list who post about their experiences. This is not a valid, unless you can get inside the experience in their mind...you DID have to be there, and you weren't. This kind of commentary or "YOUR EXPERIENCE IS NOT VALID, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATCH MY EXPERIENCE OR MY MINDSET." is very detrimental to people on this list who are afraid to post what they feel, or have experienced because they don't want to be shot down for their comments. Correcting incorrect facts is a necessary thing for knowledge, trying to correct another's experiences can be downright belittling, and is quite RUDE.
Now my soapbox is resting...
Kelly Abraham
Woodwinds/Computer Geek
New York City
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