Welcome to Gaia! ::

I don't think I've even heard of a basics block, although I suppose we use it still, we just don't have a name for it. Make sure you're really comfortable with commands and all. When I had to teach freshmen, I'd go over my speeches in my head before I fell asleep (usually just because I was worrying about it, but it really helps you know what you're going to say). Make sure to practice calling commands out loud, and make sure you have the right "high low high" way of saying it (for example, Mark time hut should be said with the words mark and hut on a higher pitch than time).

As for conducting, make sure you practice in a mirror and get advice from current drum majors or from your band director.

Oh that just makes it fun!

It's good to see that there is band discipline out there, really. I go to a high school where band is literally frowned upon, even by the principal. Come next year, there might not even be afterschool band, because as of now, that's all we can have. She eliminated the class.

But I'm the current drum majorette of this... what? 18-membered band, and it's terrible. Of the 18, there's only 5 truly dedicated band members that have been to every single rehearsal and actually practiced. Members just walk in and out as they please, and the director is too stupid to do anything about it. The un-dedicated members are so bad, they won't listen to the director OR me.

Thankfully the director isn't blind, because he selected the 5 dedicated students to be in the All-State Marching Band.

Aside from that, my band is terrible. If I try to explain what the W or classical conducting is, they refuse to learn my conducting. One sax player actually yelled at me and said, "If I don't know it, you don't do it. I'm not learning your stupid fancy s**t just to play. That's not what I'm here for."

Thank god I'm transferring to a better school, with a better and bigger band.

I'm sorry. That sounds like a terrible situation. Honestly, I won't go to a school if they don't have a decent band. That's actually been one of my deciding factors for college.

hey drum majors. i'm gonna start taking a leadership class starting wed. and I need help. i'm not exactly sure, but i think we have to conduct 5/4 and 12/8. I got a question, how do you do that? i can conduct the other time signatures, but i don't know how to conduct those 2. like i know 2/4 and 2/2 is just up and down. 3/4 is down, out, up. 4/4 is down, in, out, up. 6/8 is down, 2 hills inward, 2 hills outward, up. i just don't know how to conduct the other 2. also, can you tell me some other stuff i need to know about being a drum major? i'm brand new at this but i have been practicing all year for drum major auditions. i know it may be different depending on which ever school you're going to, but just wondering! biggrin sry i talk too much hehe. but seriously, can you help me, i'm pretty sure i'll get help at the classes too with jenn and mr. york teaching it.

does anybody have any conductin tips? smile

My DM auditions are tomorrow (Kinda late to be asking questions, I know...) and we have to conduct the third movement of this piece called Meditteranean Rhythms. It's actually kinda easy, but I think I may be missing some minute techniques. I've had help from my flute teacher (she was DM for 2 years at her highschool) but that's it.

My main issues are cues and cutoffs. I can do the final cutoff at the end of the song, but there are a few within it that I'm not really sure how to do. I'm really bad at cues using my left hand. I'm also guilty of always mirror-conducting. I only drop my left hand for a few measures.

Also, I'm not sure of proper hand technique, how far apart your arms should be, where your conducting plane should be, etc. My flute teacher said your hands should be very slightly cupped, with your thumbs out, but not too far. She also said never show your palms unless its important, like cues, dynamics, etc. (How can you NOT show your palms when you go up for beat 4 in common time???) I know you don't cross your hand EVER. My director said your plane should be chest level. He is NOT allowed to help any of us this close to auditions. Any tips?