 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: MartyMagnini
Date: 2008-12-01 18:48
Hello all,
I am preparing my high school band for a Christmas parade this year. I have been successfully avoiding it for 15 years, but have been told my my principal that we WILL be participating this year, so here's my question: is there a consensus on a temperature below which a band would not march in a parade? I thought I heard years ago that the service bands would not march below 40 degrees, but I don't know if that's accurate. We are not a drum corps, but a regular band, with woodwind instruments as well as brass and percussion. I would like some sort of justification for pulling the plug in the event of bad weather, other than my own opinion/feelings on the matter. I welcome all advice/opinions on the matter. Thanks in advance.
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-12-01 19:24
I believe the rule in our district is no sports/outdoor activities below 40 degrees as well.
However, we had a St. Patrick's Day parade last year and it was COLD. I didn't check the weather, but I definitely thought it was under 40. maybe 30-40 degrees.
Just my own experience...
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Author: Sambo 933
Date: 2008-12-01 19:44
Well I'm not sure for parades, but my high-school marching band goes to the football games and we play and perform at half time even when its in the twenties....so obviously we don't have any such rule regarding extreme temperatures because we have practice outside during the summer when it gets to be 100 and sometimes over and we usually have a couple games a season with temps below freezing.
again this is my experience from my school district.
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-12-01 19:48
Which also reminds me... last year, our football team made playoffs, and that was even colder than the parade!
So I guess we don't follow the 40 degrees rules! 0.o
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Author: redwine
Date: 2008-12-01 20:09
Hello,
I'm in the US Naval Academy Band. We definitely march in colder weather than 40 degrees. I remember a funeral a couple of years ago with icicles hanging off the end of my clarinet. The Army/Navy football game seems to always be very cold. If it rains, we usually cut the woodwinds off the gig.
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: malanr
Date: 2008-12-01 20:32
HA!
the last year I marched in high school, for the christmas parade, it was blowing snow and around 25 degrees.
Luckily i was playing tuba at the time......
man that mouthpiece was chilly.
Just another muscian
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2008-12-01 22:02
I remember playing for the governor's inauguration many years ago in Columbus when I was a student at Ohio University. The temperature was about 10 degrees with bright sunshine and the OSU band (all-brass) was there as well.
There was no way that we were not going to play if they did. I remember going into the capital building to thaw out our instruments and then running out to play.
On the march over from the auditorium, I remember hearing (actually not hearing) some trumpets stop playing. The bones had no trouble.
I have not thought of this for many, many years.
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Author: marcia
Date: 2008-12-01 22:27
This is not a rule, but my own thoughts. I have played Santa parades in the past with a community band. It was above freezing but cold enough that my fingers would hardly move in spite of fingerless gloves, I had no embouchure so all the air leaked out the corners of my mouth. I really wondered if there was any point in my being there. I don't do marching band any more.
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2008-12-02 00:59
I don't have any input, as I have no marching experience, but at a Christmas parade a few days ago here in wet Nova Scotia, there was a woodwind band who had to play, in the rain, on an uncovered float, for a few hours. I'm pretty sure there's now a lot of very expensive paperweights.
Isn't that awful?
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Author: BandieSF
Date: 2008-12-02 01:24
This brings back memories of my first Christmas Parade my freshman year in high school. It was so cold I had ski gear on underneath my uniform and I was still cold! I was so scared of my instrument cracking. I could barely move my fingers. Worse, the parade fell (and always does fall) on the same day as All-Region auditions. (Also always happens to be an SAT testing day...)
But anyways, the possibility of cracked instruments would be a legitimate to get out of a parade if it's really cold, I would think.
-----
Current set-up:
Classical:
Strength 4 1/4 Legere Signature Series
Vandoren M13 Lyre
Jazz:
Strength 3 3/4 Legere Quebec
Pomarico Jazz*
Clarinets:
Buffet E11 Student Model
Buffet R13 Greenline
<http://operationhighschool.blogspot.com
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Author: jeeves
Date: 2008-12-02 12:36
Yeah, I just had a santa parade a couple weeks ago, and it was about 20degrees F and windy (not fun). Couldn't even feel fingers w/ fingerless gloves, so I just didn't play. I officially hate marching band now. Anyway, I wouldn't march in the cold w/ anything but a non-wood clarinet.
Jeeves
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Author: redwine
Date: 2008-12-02 12:56
Hello,
So, I asked the drum major at work about the temperature policy. We follow the D.C. Navy Band's instruction (they do way more funerals than we do). There are different rules for different ranks of the deceased.
For a funeral, support for Captain (Navy and Coast Guard) or Colonel (other services), the band will be downgraded from full band to a drummer and a bugler under the following conditions:
1) Temp is 32 degrees or lower.
2) Temp is 33-34 degrees and the wind velocity is greater than 10 mph.
3) Temp is 35-39 degrees and the wind velocity is greater than 15 mph.
Flag officers (Admirals and Generals) will be fully supported by a band, however under the above conditions, the drums and a bugler will play only, except for "Ruffles and Flourishes", which will be played by the entire band.
When icy conditions exist, the band will not march. The band will play at the chapel and at the grave site.
When lightning is visible in the immedate area to the extent that it presents a health risk, the drum major will secure (dismiss) the band.
All this being said, sometimes we don't follow these rules, which I can attest to. The call is completely up to the bosses. While we may be miserable during the funeral, it's always rewarding after we've thawed out to know that we've honored a national hero.
As for a street parade, the call is totally up to the drum major and we bail a lot more easily.
If I can give you advice, I'd say do the parade without complaining. Your presence will definitely go a long way to satisfying and maybe even impressing your boss--the one who ultimately controls your funding for the future!
So, there's more than you ever wanted to know about marching conditions and even a nickel's worth of free advice.
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: davyd
Date: 2008-12-02 16:09
How long is the parade route? Seems like that might be a factor, though your mileage may vary.
When I was in high school, we did a parade in 25F weather that was only half a mile, though it seemed longer.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2008-12-02 23:12
Since most musicians would not march in good weather with decent wooden horns, I am sure that most clarinet players would also have a backup instrument in ABS, hard rubber, Resonite or something similar. In that case, weather is more an issue for the health and comfort of band members, than it is for the sake of the instruments. On general principle, I NEVER took my Wooden clarinet out onto the field for a marching show or a parade. That's why the powers that be gave us Bundys. ![[tongue]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie6.gif)
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
Post Edited (2008-12-02 23:14)
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-12-02 23:50
I've marched with my wooden clarinet 2 years ago for 1 week during pre-camp.
I also marched with it during the 30-40 degrees St. Patrick's Day parade.
This year, i marched with it for 2 or 3 days during pre-camp again.
I don't think it has cracked... hopefully.
Why are WW instruments (not wooden/easily-cracking material) not supposed to be played in rain? Is it because of the pads? And aren't there waterproof pads (i think Valentino is one of them)?
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Author: marzi
Date: 2008-12-03 00:34
You did ,as a courtesy of course, invite the principle to march as a special guest with you, dressed the same way as the band,including lack of full hand protection against the cold holding an instrument. ?
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2008-12-03 11:12
Marzi,
I have worked for principals that would have done it and really made an event out of it. Careful about blowing your horn at the principal; he or she might use it on you as a funnel :-).
HRL
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Author: modernicus
Date: 2008-12-04 16:21
We always marched under any conditions in High School. I remember it being so ludicrously cold and windy one time at a competition (way below freezing), my clarinet would not make a sound at all. I was trying to make it play, but near the end I could literally not move my fingers. To add insult to injury, we had been standing at attention forever before going onto the field. I could only hear a few people playing. I also remember being berated by a senior student in the section after a parade because I did not step in a foot deep pothole full of slush in terribly cold conditions and had to break my stride for a moment, even though this was at the beginning of the parade route with virtually nobody around! Needless to say, I hated marching band. I wouldn't make people go to quite these lengths, otherwise they would probably feel the same way, and it should be somewhat fun, even though it can be very hard work. I guess marching band in general did make me a better player at the time, FWIW.
Post Edited (2008-12-04 16:25)
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-12-04 22:34
All I can say - you'll curse when you're there, but you won't want to miss the memories, and what you learned there (eg how to breathe for walking *and* playing, especially when it's uphill). There's a lot of "team glue" in these events, don't underestimate that.
I sort of look forward to each year's winter marches.
--
Ben
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