I need 6th chair in band, how do i do that?
Okay so im a freshman right now. I decided to continue band into high school. Im not very good clarinet player. there are 4 bands at my high school. 1st band is the best band, 2nd isnt as much as 1st, 3 a little less than 2nd, concert band which is where usually most freshman land. So i wasnt even going to continue band into high school but my mother chose otherwise. i dont really mind that though. So during tryouts for band i played my Bb concert scale and Fanfare for the Common Man. I ended up making the 3rd band. Im not even good. The past week since we started school my band teacher has been handing out music and weve been sightreading though it and comparing this music to my Jr high band music is so much more difficult. Anyways there are 3 sophomores and 1 junior in my section 3 freshmen. I want at least 6th chair because as a freshman i probably wont get above any of the upperclassmen. There are only 7 clarinetist. I pretty much can play this almost clean http://www.ilmea.org/site_media/filer_public/2014/06/12/ilmeajuniorscales.pdf minor and major but i doubt thats good enough. So what could i do to help me become better chair placement is in 2 weeks possibly less!
What should I do, unfair chair in band?
Here's a story. I was in high school, in the late 70's early 80's. A tall guy, playing flute in band. Pretty good too, as when all others were mastering "smoke on the water" I was trying to dig into the works of John Coltrane. As with you, I knew I could terrorize the the 1st chair flute position, yet I was never a wise guy. In my case, it was favoritism, as I played circles around the first chair occupants through my years in high school. I know this to be true, because 20+ year class reunions often reveal some history..funny stuff. My band directors didn't like the fact that what they were trying to teach, I and a couple others were well beyond. One guy who really got the raw end of the deal, by these same band directors, is a world famous trumpeter currently. Yes, encouragement is suppose to be a quality of teaching yet isn't always there. And..It is possible you may not actually deserve it...yet! Maybe the band directors are approaching and dealing with you wrong or visa-versa. Maybe the first chair occupant is a bit better by some fashion, maybe not. You being your own judge is tough and maybe not as accurate as you think. In my situation, I had a somewhat overwhelming amount of adult professional musician folk disclose some positive opinions of my playing back then. If your case is similar, just ride the wave. If your case is dissimilar, just ride the wave. If music is a strong desire of yours, high school may have only a minor if any influence. There are many other venues, if you have skills and determination, you'll get it your story out. Plug on! Cheers and good luck.
Is my band director being unfair? or is it just me?
Welcome to life as a musician. Practice hard and play better than the rest, even if you don't get the chair. If you don't already take them, get private lessons. Hopefully your director will recognize your work and promote you as necessary.
What to do about an unfair audition?
I am in a high school band, on bassoon. I am a boy, and the other two members of the section are both girls. After our auditions this year I was given third chair, while the other two got second and first. However, when we play I always end up carrying the section, and have for the last three years. I am the only one who can play with the right volume and tone, as well as hit every note. Even though I am the only reason the bassoon section sounds good, I still am the last chair. I am also the most dedicated: I practice multiple nights a week, and spend my own money on having my school instrument tuned. I think the band director is biased against me, because I'm not an attractive girl. I am a senior, and want to spend my last year in band in the chair I deserve. What do you think and what should I do?
My parents treat me unfair?
My parents had always treated me and my brother fairly, but when I turned 13 my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. My mom had had screamed at me, hit me, treat me unfairly. She never did that before. She would find anything to just scream at me She treats my brother the same. He is 19 and just graduated high school , even before that my parents let my brother go to friends' houses, parties, and even go watch a goddamn movie and not meet the parents once! But when it comes to me I can't even go to my best friends' houses of 5 years even once! They had met my friends' parents about 50 times but Im still not allowed to go to their house. I've been depressed for about half a year. Yes Ive had suicidal thoughts a couple of times and thought how great my family's will be once Im gone ( I don't selfharm and will never start) but Ive been ok ever because my favorite band, One Direction, had saved me. They keep me alive and with faith. It may sound stupid, but without them I wouldn't be here writing this. Also when I do a small mistake like spilling a cup of juice, my parents scream at me to the point I'm already crying. When my brother does a giant mistake he gets of with a warning. Also my parents expect me to clean every mess like a maid. My mom says Im a woman so i need to clean after the men. I mean my dad has chemotherapy so he occasionally has moody behavior and my mom i know shes under a lot of stress, but I don't know why they take their anger at me but not my older brother. He still lives with us cuz he is illegal but will be getting his papers soon. I dont do anything bad, I clean, have good grades, have all advanced classes, skipped 2 grades, and dont talk back at all. Im also grateful for allyhe things i have and never picky, unlike my brother, but I mean I can't take it anymore.I can't confront them because they will make me break down crying because they are the kind of parents that scream and im really sensitive so I will cry. I just need help. (All real)
Why is my band teacher so mean?
My band teacher is really obnoxious. OK, I was in band this year and I sat first row first chair directly in front of my band teacher. He would flip out on my over the littlest things, like if i missed a note he would get really mad at me and it made me so mad. Some days he was so hard on me It made me cry. This one day I screwed up one note and he told me I didn't know it. That made me really mad. He chooses favorites. There are a few select people that hes constantly complimenting and he doesn't really get mad at them. I don't know whats wrong with him, he makes me so mad.
Is Laurie Ann Gibson fired from making the band 4?
yes she is diddy and her got into a huge fight because she only gave the guys 8 hours to learn a dance and he specifically told her that he wanted them to have all weekend to learn it. He thought it was unfair to do to the guys and he would have to make a cut based on her mistake.
How do I tell my band teacher I want to switch instruments?
Hi Chris, A band director is a teacher and all teachers prefer to answer questions rather than take orders. So instead of telling him you want to change ask him what he thinks of you playing bass. His first answer will be that he had high hopes for you on Bb and he'll want to know why you want to change. Have a good but honest answer. Why DO you want to switch anyway? Are your bored? Are you having trouble keeping up? Is it too much workload? Think in those terms. As for buying a bass, be ready for sticker shock. You won't need a low C foot in high school. If you find two basses that are the same price but one has a low C, buy the other one. If they build a low C for the same price as a standard student instrument then something has been made cheaper. Put the money in the parts you need. A standard bass of good quality is better than an extended bass made cheaply. You want to make sure the idea of switching is more than a passing fancy. Giving up first chair is a big deal that says a lot about you, and they are not very good things about you.. You need to have a really good reason to pass up an opportunity (and a great compliment) for the sake of playing another instrument.