Marching Band: Glad you did it/Waste of your time?  

Being a bader was the best time of my life! I am so glad I did it. I would not trade the memories I made there for anything in the world. Late night practices, football games, state championships! The friends I made there have stayed close to me and become the best friends I could ever have asked for. Not to mention that it kept me in shape ;)

Before I did drum corps I was in marching band. I have spent a long time playing with and working with different bands and drum corps. Some of the experiences that you can have with both groups are really rewarding. People that know me outside of music have an absolute blast with me and when I tell them all of these stories they make fun of me with the "one time at band camp" line. Then I ask them to tell me stories. Theirs aren't nearly as good and after a while they realize that I have got some great stories.

Marching Band was a blast! Sure it can be alot of hard work. Especially being a drummer. And we certainly didn't get any respect (or funding). It's all about sports in ours and alot of schools. I'm sorry, but how is sports related to learning? Oh, teamwork you say? I'd like to see some of those jocks learn to march to a routine and play an instrument at the same time!
You learn how to read and perform music, which is friggin LEARNING!
Sports is definately extracurricular(sp?) and I think it should be funded by the parents of jocks. We busted our butts on fundraising activities just to buy uniforms. But I enjoyed most of it. Made lifelong friends. And those band camp memories! Ooooh!

I wouldn't change my experience as a bonafide band geek for anything. I wasn't the best musician in the world and I never made it to Districts, but the friends I had and the memories I made will be a part of me for the rest of my life. Marching band and Concert Band were really fun and rewarding for me and I am, as I always have been, proud to have been a band member. Band geeks unite!!! LOL

I was in band for two years and the only part i liked was once a year we got to march in a parade. I quit band in sixth grade because that way i could have more study hall and i got all of my homework done in school.

I was in marching band all four years of high school and I would not trade it for anything. We were the mighty Poway High School Emerald Brigade and under the Direction of Marc M. Davis we won every award under the sun and got to do a lot of fun things, like being extras in a movie, Disneyland parades, halftime show for Rams/Dolphins NFL game, etc. It was a blast!

I played clarinet. I'm glad I did it. By the end (after 6+ years) I was ready for the end. It's sad, but I haven't really played the clarinet since 1996. I used to be pretty good. I wonder how I would sound now?