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Continuing from the Old Picture thread, how many of us were band geeks? What instrument did you play? Are you still playing today?

Flute in grades 9 & 10, until I got braces. Then I switched over to percussion in marching band season and bassoon in symphonic band season.

I still play the bassoon, which really freaks the cats and doomweasels out. I can rock The Hall of the Mountain King!

Color Guard ya'll!! I still have all of my rifles - I'll probably bust them out today. I wasn't allowed to keep any of the flags, but I bet I could still do some moves.

I'm really not that musical, mostly because I never put effort into it, but I can play the piano well. And that's about it.

Trombone from Middle School into High School. I was a jack of all trades guy though. Band Geek, Sports Jock, Casanova, friend to all, very close to none.

Not band, but did have piano lessons, with lots of exercises and tests on music theory, which got me interested in tracking (aka amiga .MODs). Didn't stick with piano much (though I still own a full size casio keyboard), because my fingers are kinda stubby for it.

Started on violin in 4th and 5th grades. Moved on to Alto Sax in 6th and 7th. Then on to Bari Sax in 8th. In 11th I was "volunteered" to learn French Horn because we only had one player.

Did marching band, field show, and choir. Haven't played since junior college, I really miss it.

I was interested in joining Colour Guard until I tried out for it. The rifle came down and hit me square between the eyes, so I went for something really safe - hitting drums with sticks.

I know; I'm a danger to myself and others.

Trumpet from 5th grade through college. Which means, haven't played in 15 years.

Piano lessons for 10 years. Still play a bit. Trombone for HS, haven't played since. Guitar for the last 21, and mandolin for the last 5. Not good enough IMO at any of them.

I never got the hang of the saber and rifle, but I still have my practice flag in the garage because we were all required to buy our own for home.

I found our shows on youtube! OMG, nostalgia!! Do I dare post them?

I have videos of our state champs from every year I was in marching band, but they are all on VHS still.... >.>

Started with piano lessons in 3rd grade, went on to clarinet in 6th grade, kept playing that (and tutoring) through my senior year, as well as picking up tenor sax, bari sax (my favorite), bass trombone, drums, and bass clarinet at various times throughout high school, for pep band, concert band, jazz band, and briefly played tenor sax in the WSU (Washington State) marching band. I was my (very) small high school's utility player. Haven't touched an instrument of any kind since 1998, but I do really miss the bari.

Started trombone in 4th grade (still have it, though it is damaged).
Started singing in 6th.
Added trombonium/baritone/tuba in 7th grade (learned the 3/4-valve instruments).
Learned how to operate violin/viola/cello/upright bass/piano in college in order to get BA in Music.
Started learning guitar in 2002 but lessons were cut short after my employer suddenly went out of business.
Continued in vocal/choir until about 2007 when my group's rehearsal times conflicted with work too much.
Still own trombone and guitar, still sing casually, still own MIDI keyboard and plenty of computer software.

--Patrick

LittleKagsin said:

I found our shows on youtube! OMG, nostalgia!! Do I dare post them?

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Yes, you dare.

Not band, but I played flute in 5th and 6th grade. I was going to try out for majorette in my high school band, but their dancing was horrible (at least it was from the perspective of someone who had been taking dance lessons for the better part of 10 years) so I didn't bother.

I played the Violin from the Age of 3-17. I hated it and was always told "Oh. You'll be so glad you did it when you're older."

I have not touched a violin from the second my last lesson ended.

blotsfan picks up his violin for the first time in decades, EXCLUSIVE PICTURE:

[DOUBLEPOST=1397085167,1397085114][/DOUBLEPOST]Also I played saxophone from 5th grade to the end of high school. Alto in 5-6, tenor in 7, baritone for the rest. I did one semester of marching band on sousaphone. I still have shoulder problems.

Aaaaaah . . . BANG BANG!

Hey, it's in the general midi bank, it must be musical, right?

Emrys said:

Yes, you dare.

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I might have better video's elsewhere, but for now you are in for a treat, a low-quality treat, but a treat!

There is one good moment you can see me in this video. I'm behind the trumpet soloist and yeah. Wee.


This year I was a captain and three of us (me included) wrote the flag routine for the ballad.



I'm having such insane nostalgia right now. UGh, I miss marching band. I'm gonna go play with my rifles now.

My favorite band story, well one of them, we always had a 'parent night' when our show was ready so parent's could come, watching their kids without having to travel quite a ways for competitions. Anyway, the show in 06' they had one parent or sibling come on to the field and march with you/next to you/in your place and I just remember it being CHAOS. My brother marched with me and we collided with so many people and just laughed the whole time. He never teased me after that because Jazz running 3 yards in 3 counts is not the easiest thing. Ah, memories!

COME MY ORCHESTRAL BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND RISE UP AGAINST THIS "BAND" OPPRESSION!

Upright bass for me. Fingering, strings, and sheet music is the same for a bass guitar, incidentally, but I never owned my own instrument and doubt I'd be able to pick one up and play anything now.

It has blessed me in many ways throughout my life, though, so I heartily recommend music education of some sort to everyone.

CynicismKills said:

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THAT DOES NOT GO THERE

stienman said:

It has blessed me in many ways throughout my life, though, so I heartily recommend music education of some sort to everyone.

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Yes, such as being able to type <OPT>+<CMD>+P+R with only your right hand.
But were you a fan of the French bow? Or the German? Which side were you on???

--Patrick

Former percussionist here - started in 5th grade and went through 12th.

Did marching band, jazz band, pep band, concert band... Senior year I primarily played the tymps - let the "younger" crew deal with the "easier" stuff.

Never played in band or orchestra when I was in school. My folks couldn't afford instruments.

All that changed in '96

Gilgamesh said:

Trombone from Middle School into High School. I was a jack of all trades guy though. Band Geek, Sports Jock, Casanova, friend to all, very close to none.

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This is very, very me. Trombone, vocalist, speech, track, wrestling, musicals. I was very into the extracurricular life and I treated everyone pretty much the same and was generally accepted by everyone.

I loved high school.[DOUBLEPOST=1397092454,1397092374][/DOUBLEPOST]Lotta 'boners on this board!

Dave said:

Lotta 'boners on this board!

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Helps you cultivate horse sense, and a cool head, and a keen eye.

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

Helps you cultivate horse sense, and a cool head, and a keen eye.

--Patrick

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The slide is also great for lifting up dresses. Not that I ever did that.

One of my friends was our drum major and on the varsity football team his senior year. It was pretty cool.

Played the clarinet in middle school and high school.

There were a few other clarinetists at the time, three hot girls, who were quite frankly all better than me. Nonetheless, I loved playing with them. It was the time when a boy turns into a man, and playing the clarinet with them was a good way to ease into interactions with the opposite sex.

Heck, one of them played in the pit orchestra with me for our production of Show Boat. Loved that show.

Rebecca, Allison, you guys... I miss you all.

I wasn't able to keep my rifle, but I still have my sabre and a couple of show flags from my years in Color Guard. I can't remember if any of our shows are online, but I did borrow a friend's tapes a few years back and put everything I had onto DVD. And my varsity jacket!

Then there was the art classes ('natch) and singing and some other extra-curriculars. I played a number of sports, too, but I only played in the local leagues, not for the school. Some of our women's team were known for being cutthroat, and I'm not that kind of athlete. I've always played for the love of the game, not "win at all costs".

Rocked the trumpet here. The best part about being in the marching band in Minnesota was having to "winterize" your instruments so they didn't freeze up or freeze to your mouth during winter parades.

Shakey said:

Rocked the trumpet here. The best part about being in the marching band in Minnesota was having to "winterize" your instruments so they didn't freeze up or freeze to your mouth during winter parades.

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I once had my flag pole freeze to my hand at a really cold Thanksgiving game. Went to toss it, and it wouldn't come off my hand. I did get it loose shortly after, but I don't miss that part of it.

Tuba from junior high through college. Haven't found any video from HS, but here's an old WVU highlight tape from 1987. I'm down there somewhere.

Played Trumpet till 10th grade, then switch to Euphonium and landed first chair for the last two years. It was true--section leaders did have all the fun.

Dave said:

The slide is also great for lifting up dresses. Not that I ever did that.

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Actually, I was hoping you'd catch the reference.

--Patrick

Terrik said:

Played Trumpet till 10th grade, then switch to Euphonium and landed first chair for the last two years. It was true--section leaders did have all the fun.

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I beg to differ. Orchestra was the best for me when I was in the back and goofing off with my friends. The people in front couldn't talk without the conductor noticing.

blotsfan said:

I beg to differ. Orchestra was the best for me when I was in the back and goofing off with my friends. The people in front couldn't talk without the conductor noticing.

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Come now, Euphonium is low brass. First chair or not, I was always in the back.

Alto sax, from 6th grade through high school and a little but in college. Started guitar lessons for a year or so in grad school. Would love to learn electric bass.

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Tuba4Lyfe

Wanted to play alto sax, but rental for that was like $30/mo. Tuba rental from school system??? $4/year. Ooompa indeed!

I was a very good baseball player - played in Babe Ruth World Series @ 15, we won 2 state HS championships. My HS marching band was/is the cream of the crop in the state & region, having won the state championship like 25 of the last 30 years or something like that. Point being, you didn't "diddle" around with marching band... you were either in or out. I chose baseball over band camp.

A few months ago I got a wild hair & looked up Tuba prices on eBay. Holy shit wtf happened in the last 25 years in low brass technology!?! I know back then they were just starting to bring in trigger trombones... but... FOUR valves!?!? On a tuba?!?!?!? I could barely find a 3 valve tuba, much less afford one.

Trombone and cello. High school was all fingering G strings and doing it loud in 7 positions for me.


Zero sex.

So I went to a small private school when I was younger and they started a band the year I was done there (6th grade). All I had played until then was piano but I wanted to join so my mom had her sister send up her clarinet from when she was a kid. It was this beautiful thing, real wood and the sound of it was just unmatched by the cheap instruments most kids rented or used (which I'm not putting down, why on earth would you buy your kid a 1000+ dollar instrument when they might only play it for a year or two?).

Played for a few years when I moved on to a public junior high before I decided to other musical interests, my mom still has the clarinet, kind of hope someday my daughter might play it.

Ahh, clarinets. In high school we referred to them as "the parsley of the band".

redthirtyone said:

I know back then they were just starting to bring in trigger trombones... but... FOUR valves!?!? On a tuba?!?!?!? I could barely find a 3 valve tuba, much less afford one.

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Tubas have always had 4 valves (that I remember). A three-valve tuba was called a Baritone/Euphonium in my band class.[DOUBLEPOST=1397158232,1397158088][/DOUBLEPOST]

phil said:

Trombone and cello. High school was all fingering G strings and doing it loud in 7 positions for me.

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Don't forget that pulling that trigger would let you go...even deeper.

--Patrick

[DOUBLEPOST=1397158338,1397158304][/DOUBLEPOST]So, it wasn't just my high school. Trombonists are the biggest pervs out there.

Emrys said:

[DOUBLEPOST=1397158338,1397158304][/DOUBLEPOST]So, it wasn't just my high school. Trombonists are the biggest pervs out there.

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Yeeeep.

Emrys said:

[DOUBLEPOST=1397158338,1397158304][/DOUBLEPOST]So, it wasn't just my high school. Trombonists are the biggest pervs out there.

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NOPE, not just your school. The Bones were the worst in my high school. Bones and Tuba's. Man, the Tuba's got so much action it was insane.

Emrys said:

So, it wasn't just my high school. Trombonists are the biggest pervs out there.

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What do you expect from the second-loudest instrument in the orchestra?

--Patrick

This makes me so inexplicably happy.

Gonna brag on my old band, the Morgantown High Red and Blue Marching Band, a bit. This weekend they'll be doing the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC. Last year, they did the 2013 Tournament of Roses Parade, and before that, the 2009 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Meaning the Class of 2013 got to do *both* Macy's and the Rose Parade.


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DarkAudit said:

Gonna brag on my old band, the Morgantown High Red and Blue Marching Band, a bit. This weekend they'll be doing the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC. Last year, they did the 2013 Tournament of Roses Parade, and before that, the 2009 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Meaning the Class of 2013 got to do *both* Macy's and the Rose Parade.

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Jealous of the Macy's Parade! We got invited every year, but our band director said our first priority was to our (highly mediocre) football team.

On the other hand, we got to be in the Miss America Parade for many years back when it was still in Atlantic City. We also played half-time for the NY Giants and the Jets, and my senior year we got to play in Disney World in one of their parades. We did the CBS This Morning thing when they used to have people play "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning", and Bill Clinton's 2nd Inauguration.

As much as they call us "band geeks", it was a great source of travel during high school! I don't think any other activity or sport got to do as much as we did.

And heeeeere they are...

Alto sax in Elementary school, haven't played in years though.

What's with the chick in the native American outfit?

I know it's Thanksgiving and all that, but that could be taken as a little offensive.

Tinwhistler said:

Never played in band or orchestra when I was in school. My folks couldn't afford instruments.

All that changed... when the fire nation attacked.

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FTFY

Dave said:

What's with the chick in the native American outfit?

I know it's Thanksgiving and all that, but that could be taken as a little offensive.

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Head Majorette. School mascot is Mohigans. It's supposed to be for MOrgantown HIGh ANnual. But since it sounds like Mohican, that's the way they went.

Weird thing is, as far as I can recall, there's never been much pressure to change it.

We were the Trojans. Condom jokes abound.

Woo! I'm not the only bassist here! I played upright bass from grade 4 through the end of high school. I even played in some provincial audition only groups. And was in every choir imaginable as well - and still am. I tried to learn drums and piano and guitar, but they never really stuck.

Haven't had my bass in a number of years, all the places we've lived have been too small, but I'm getting it back once we move! And then I will discouver if I can still play at all or not. My money's on yes, though I highly doubt I will still be able to sight read Dvorak cleanly.

Dave said:

We were the Trojans. Condom jokes abound.

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We were the Redskins. Then we became the Knights.

--Patrick

Marauders.

Da Bears.

Bulldogs

Hornets

Emrys said:

Hornets

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That was college for me, not HS.

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

That was college for me, not HS.

--Patrick

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What college?

Emrys said:

What college?

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K

--Patrick

Piano lessons since I was very young (I can't remember *not* having lessons).
Clarinet since 4th grade, and continued through graduation.
Alto sax in 7th grade (though I preferred clarinet but wanted to learn alto for jazz band). Completely gave it up in 8th grade.
Oboe in 9th grade, but just for a short time.
Started teaching myself guitar after graduation, and picked it up quickly, but then gave up after a few months and just let Twiggy have my guitar and amp.

I HATED marching band. 9th-10th grade my school did not have a marching band, but we did pep, and only during homecoming did we do any marching.
11th-12th marching band was required to be in band... ugh, I hated it.

PatrThom said:

Tubas have always had 4 valves (that I remember). A three-valve tuba was called a Baritone/Euphonium in my band class.

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Baritone was slightly smaller & a little higher pitched. This was 30 years ago. BB♭ 3-piston valve tubas were prevalent due to the fact that most marching band sousaphones were of the BB♭ variety.

Anyways, 9th grade year (last year of middle school) the band director tried to get me playing bass guitar in the jazz band. Figured since I could already read bass clef, I'd pick it up easier. 30 years later I wish I'd have taken it more seriously.

PatrThom said:

K

--Patrick

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Ah, Klown Kollege. I hear they have a good kurriculum.

College? I shit you not: Pygmies.

When did this...

become hotter than this?

This video made me feel things. Also reminds me of helping my daughter with marching shit in this time of remote learning, when I barely remember everything myself.

Thanks to the necro I can participate. I played Tenor Sax mostly in stage band but I did play some concert band as well in highschool and after graduation.