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the school I g2 doesn't have a marching band. Sometimes I feel like we're missing out, but other times I'm extremely grateful because I think marching band would be a HUGE distraction from learning more symphonic repertoire. My school's music department was first in state the last three years (sadly this year second), and we were honors band at superstate. I think a lot of that has to do with our rehearsal time not getting sucked up with things like marching band. Instead we play college music, and perform it well. I know I have a biased opinion because I don't g2 a school with a marching band, but do you agree with me that marching band can be a huge distraction from your band getting better?

Sorry! just voicing my opinion! Don't kill me marching band fans! I love DCI I watch it live almost every year, and I would kill to be in a group like that!

I love marching band, and I support it definitely.

But I agree, it does distract. It's SO time-consuming! Full-band rehearses Tuesday nights 6-9, but percussionists and guard have after-school rehearsals like every other day or something. Not to mention the hassle of football games and competitions taking over the weekend. Jazz Band A can't rehearse during school during marching season, so for everyone in that, it's worse too. I don't really believe our band would get too much farther with no marching band, though; my director can't run concert season well at all (not that marching season's much more organized), but I guess we would be able to incorporate theory...

Yet our original director (1991-2003) incorporated theory AND we won marching band competitions AND had a great wind ensemble. So it can be done, but our current director just can't organize anything ever.

I don't really see the difference because music on a field and music on a concert stage should be brought as a same standard. Also, I don't think it's right to blame the the marching part because of this fact. Marching band music gives a different stylistic part of a person and so does your typical concert music. In my marching band our directors try to make us play like if were in a concert hall to them it's like the marching field and concert hall have to difference. Marching band is just music on the field brought to motion.

My old director always said that marching band and concert band were a lot alike. Nothing about the music changes. The only difference is one os on a field moving and one is sitting down. Yes, marching music tends to be much louder, but dynamics are still used. A staccato is a staccato, a crescendo a crescendo, and a trill a trill.

I'm a supporter of marching and cocnertXD

I think it is only distracting for schools that have marching and concert going on at the same time. My school does full amrching season, where marchingband is the only band. If you don't want to actually march the show, you can still be in band, but you will have to play the amrching music and do outside rehearsals when the class goes out. Speaking of which, it gives us more time to practice. Classes can go to the track and do phase marching or just practice playing outside. With music rehearsals in class, it gives us more time for drill during our before and after school rehearsals.

Its really not a distraction. It incredibly improved my musicality. Don't think badly of it until you try it.

@Keiko. She was talking about marching bands being distracting to symphonic/orchestral bands. Lols.
Er, well. Our school has pep band first tri then the last two tris there's symphonic and concert bands. There's jazz before school all year round. But I get what you mean; they make us do pep band the first tri because we attract bigger crowds to the football games because, besides this past year, the football teams have always sucked worse than the pep band. Football games=money. Concerts and festivals=no money. But we focus on pep, marching, and musicality to prepare for festival season...which is a lot but we don't totally neglect symphonic music.

yes it can be a slight distraction, and it is time consuming, but it is soo fun and the payoff from that "wasted time" is the best thing in the world. If my school took marching band out of the program then I would be really upset seeing as how I have already expierienced it. My concert band is really good too though. We have gone to state and not exactly gotten first but done well. All together we are a good gruop of kids and I think the only reason we didn't get first is becasue we have issues being loud *cough* tubas need to use more air!!! *cough* but I love marching band and would rather spend time with my marching band family then at home or taking a walk alone

I totally agree. And as far as quality goes Marching band should have the same eloquence as concert band, like ClarinetGoddess said "Nothing about the music changes. The only difference is one's on a feild moving and one's sitting down."