Comments on: Drumline Review http://www.thepittman.com/2005/05/28/drumline-review/ An open-ended account of some of my life's experiences.... Mon, 19 Feb 2007 19:54:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Benford http://www.thepittman.com/2005/05/28/drumline-review/comment-page-1/#comment-469 Benford Fri, 03 Jun 2005 14:40:48 +0000 http://www.thepittman.com/?p=129#comment-469 I'm a band director at <a>Stony Point HS in Round Rock, TX</a>. We're a fairly new school (next year will be year 7) and it'll be my 2nd year there as a full time band director. Before last year, I was an elementary school music teacher (K-5) and a marching/brass tech for Stony Point. It is SO much fun working with those kids. I've got 2 marching Revolution (a Div 3 Corps) and one alumnus who is DRUM MAJOR for Revolution. That's the corps I used to work for but they got their spots all on their own. I'm such a proud band momma..... Okay, so I just gave you my resume. Sorry about that. I just love what I do and never mind sharing with people who may be interested. :D ~B I’m a band director at Stony Point HS in Round Rock, TX. We’re a fairly new school (next year will be year 7) and it’ll be my 2nd year there as a full time band director. Before last year, I was an elementary school music teacher (K-5) and a marching/brass tech for Stony Point. It is SO much fun working with those kids. I’ve got 2 marching Revolution (a Div 3 Corps) and one alumnus who is DRUM MAJOR for Revolution. That’s the corps I used to work for but they got their spots all on their own. I’m such a proud band momma…..

Okay, so I just gave you my resume. Sorry about that. I just love what I do and never mind sharing with people who may be interested. :D
~B

]]> By: Samuel http://www.thepittman.com/2005/05/28/drumline-review/comment-page-1/#comment-468 Samuel Fri, 03 Jun 2005 06:07:46 +0000 http://www.thepittman.com/?p=129#comment-468 Very true Benford! I think the movie serves it's purpose which is along the lines you described. I have appreciations for the black university bands, DCI, and predominantly white unversity bands, but the source of appreciation is different for each. I love DCI personally and would have enjoyed participating but I choose to take advantage of a long-term summer internship program right out of high school instead. I did audition for the Colts though which was fun. DCI is intense and you learn much faster and gain confidence quickly in one summer than you do in 4 years of high school marching band in my opinion/experience. I didn't learn of DCI until I was a senior unfortunately though... Anyhow, welcome to the site Benford! Where are you a band director at? Very true Benford! I think the movie serves it’s purpose which is along the lines you described. I have appreciations for the black university bands, DCI, and predominantly white unversity bands, but the source of appreciation is different for each. I love DCI personally and would have enjoyed participating but I choose to take advantage of a long-term summer internship program right out of high school instead. I did audition for the Colts though which was fun. DCI is intense and you learn much faster and gain confidence quickly in one summer than you do in 4 years of high school marching band in my opinion/experience. I didn’t learn of DCI until I was a senior unfortunately though…

Anyhow, welcome to the site Benford! Where are you a band director at?

]]> By: Benford http://www.thepittman.com/2005/05/28/drumline-review/comment-page-1/#comment-467 Benford Fri, 03 Jun 2005 03:38:27 +0000 http://www.thepittman.com/?p=129#comment-467 I have yet to see Drumline. I hear that what they drum and what you hear don't match most of the time but I think you have to know what to watch for to notice. Being a band director, I think that drumline is key to helping kids see that band isn't just for the geeky, nerdy kids. Anyone can excell and be successful in band. From what I understand, the movie is quite Hollywood and not necessarily accurate but if it makes kids look at the band world (and it IS a world in and of itself) in a more positive light, good for it. DCI is a different form of competiton and intensity than that of the black university bands. There are several mostly black universities that have HUGE Battle of the Bands like they show on Drumline (I did see a snipit of that part) and the competition is harsh there but it's more a competition for social reasons than musical ones. I have worked for a drum corps and have students currently attending Texas Southern and Grambling and I get to hear many stories. I'm sure they are much more fun to hear than Drumline is to watch. LOL. Someday, I'll sit down and watch it..... ~B I have yet to see Drumline. I hear that what they drum and what you hear don’t match most of the time but I think you have to know what to watch for to notice. Being a band director, I think that drumline is key to helping kids see that band isn’t just for the geeky, nerdy kids. Anyone can excell and be successful in band. From what I understand, the movie is quite Hollywood and not necessarily accurate but if it makes kids look at the band world (and it IS a world in and of itself) in a more positive light, good for it.

DCI is a different form of competiton and intensity than that of the black university bands. There are several mostly black universities that have HUGE Battle of the Bands like they show on Drumline (I did see a snipit of that part) and the competition is harsh there but it’s more a competition for social reasons than musical ones. I have worked for a drum corps and have students currently attending Texas Southern and Grambling and I get to hear many stories. I’m sure they are much more fun to hear than Drumline is to watch. LOL.

Someday, I’ll sit down and watch it…..
~B

]]> By: Samuel http://www.thepittman.com/2005/05/28/drumline-review/comment-page-1/#comment-465 Samuel Tue, 31 May 2005 10:05:28 +0000 http://www.thepittman.com/?p=129#comment-465 Your are right in that DCI would never hold a competition like BET did Lenfu. DCI is very competitive and has full season of competitions actually leading up to a big championship every summer that is usually televised on your local public broadcast channel. Many people that are aware of DCI try to participate just so that they can take their skills to the next level. The movie Drumline was more characteristic of southern-style HBCU college marching bands while other typical college marching bands have a more traditional style of play. The latter I actually prefered because as an instrumentalist it was important to me to advance my skills as much as possible versus being able to dance with my drum. Before I decided to become an engineer I considered being a percussion instructor at a high level so my skills had to be tight... The very end of the movie actually showed a higher level of difficulty than the rest of the movie as far as the drumline was concerned but most of what was displayed was actor-turned-drummer level music. Everyone in the DCI corps is under 21 (age-limit). Anyhow...I can talk all this band talk forever - lol. I'll let someone else have the podium :) Your are right in that DCI would never hold a competition like BET did Lenfu. DCI is very competitive and has full season of competitions actually leading up to a big championship every summer that is usually televised on your local public broadcast channel. Many people that are aware of DCI try to participate just so that they can take their skills to the next level.

The movie Drumline was more characteristic of southern-style HBCU college marching bands while other typical college marching bands have a more traditional style of play. The latter I actually prefered because as an instrumentalist it was important to me to advance my skills as much as possible versus being able to dance with my drum. Before I decided to become an engineer I considered being a percussion instructor at a high level so my skills had to be tight…

The very end of the movie actually showed a higher level of difficulty than the rest of the movie as far as the drumline was concerned but most of what was displayed was actor-turned-drummer level music. Everyone in the DCI corps is under 21 (age-limit).

Anyhow…I can talk all this band talk forever – lol. I’ll let someone else have the podium :)

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