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 Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 11:19 pm
So, my school is small. So small, in fact, that we do not have guard, pit, or what have you. The cheerleaders and dance teams fill in when we do our combined show/parade marching.
Next year, we are going to have a pit. Two of us are experienced in mallets, and only one of us (hint: not me) plays mallets in concert band. The rest of pit is probably going to be made up from our MASSIVE flute section. (We'll probably have about 15~20 next year. In a band of less than 50.)
Any tips for someone who hasn't played mallet instruments in 2 years? I remember sticking& how to play and what-not, but I've never played outside. On a field (or side-lines to be exact). Any tips for a newly formed pit full of flute players? Anything at all? Thanks!
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Posted: Sat May 29, 2010 6:45 am
Playing outside is just like playing inside, don't worry.
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Paintbrushes and Oral Sex
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Posted: Sat May 29, 2010 10:39 pm
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 12:18 am
the pit is nothing to be worried about. i ran the pit ensemble for 3 yrs at my hs. just have fun with it. when your standing stationary ppl will be more prone to watch the pit cause thats whats easier, give them a show. dont be all stiff and nervous, its great and the adrenalline rush is awesome. im sure you will be just fine. biggrin
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Who is Puffer Fish Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 6:27 pm
I've run my pit for two years so far, this coming year being the third. We've had some kind of wind player in it every year I've been in the pit, which would be going on four.
Picking mallets back up again is kind of like playing piano again after years of being out of practice. It'll take a bit but it'll all come back to you easy enough.
As for all those nutjob floutists you've got coming in, just remember: They're learning a new instrument, they can read music but they don't know what double-stops are, they're goign to be more prone to sticking errors and using one hand for everything.
Pit ensemble is the same as playing concert percussion in the back of the band, except you're in front and you have to look straight up to see your conductor (drum major) rather than looking straight ahead.
Teaching the floutists proper auxiliary will be the hardest task; they'll be so used to reading proper notes on the staff that it'll definitely take some adjustment before they stop reading every note on the staff and thinking it's all their part.
Although this task is immense, it is not impossible. I have to teach at least two kids a year in my pit how to read music--whether in general or just auxiliary percussion stuff; shakers, maracas, claves, you name it.
If I can do it, so can you. You'll be great, for a first-time pit. If you need any more advice or help or anything, feel free to message me. I'm always willing to help.
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Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 12:40 am
In my schools band room there is a paper posted that says
PIT TIPS
1) Never leave the door open (for when you go in and out of the band room moving equiptment...our BD always thinks things will get stolen.)
2) Never forget the pit kit (only pertains if you guys have a pit kit of course)
3) NO NODES (they dampen the sound)
4) even heights (yeah...)
5) back of hand=face up (we get in trouble for this a lot)
there's a few more that I can't remember, but the last one is just
If all else fails, refer to tip one.
that's the one we usually mess up on.....
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Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 12:02 am
here a few i learned
1.always use the right technique for mallets
2.no nodes at all it really does make u sound softer
3.always use the correct mallet height for dynamics
4.always have every mallet for every instrument
5.never forget music(when memorized or sheet music)
6.never ditch practice
7.always be on time
8.make sure you know the time for the music
9.playing outside is always the same as playing inside
10.have so much fun!! blaugh
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 10:18 am
Even if the music tells you to play soft, play louder than you would inside. We had an amazing mallet player, but the problem is that she always played wayyyy too soft. She had a good volume for indoor concerts, but it was too quiet on the field, so she had to play louder during competitions, even when the music said for her to play softly. So just be aware that there is a definite volume difference.
Also, always have your music memorized, but always bring it to rehearsal with you anyway. Just so if there's a mistake somewhere, you can figure it out quicker. It's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
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Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 3:29 pm
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Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 8:48 pm
Can you read music? You'll do fine.
This was my first year in pit - actually, my first year in any sort of band, with my only experience a few years of piano. Reading music was not a problem. Following my section leader's tips was not a problem. Pulling pit instruments back and forth was not a problem - in fact, one of the things I enjoyed most about this year, strange as it sounds.
I promise that you'll have a great time in pit. (You won't even have to remember how to march!) And if you're having trouble, I can guarentee that someone in your section will fix your problems right up if you ask them for help. :]
My friend is a piccolo, and runs around in pit with me as if she were in the section.
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Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 4:41 pm
Pardon me if you've already heard some of this stuff; from what I've seen of local bands, I've been taught different, effective things, so I just assume... D:
heart If you intended on being in the battery or on the field otherwise and ended up here, then this is for you (and your floutists): Don't act like a reject. Play like you really love it; don't mope and such.
heart Don't play, perform; show emotion, act like you're having fun, look at your pitmates in the eyes and smile. My pit tech tells us this before every competition (along with many other "unorthodox" tips he got from playing drum corps), and it's the thing everyone has the most difficulty with. Audiences love it, though, and so do judges.
heart As one of my section leaders once said: "Play with some balls!" Hit the bars as fast as you can, even if you're on the glockenspiel. I've seen more quiet glock players than I can stomach, and I'm afraid that they'll approach a marimba with that same weakness out of habit.
heart Another "unorthodox" tip from my tech: Don't look at the drum major if you can discern what the battery, band, or even the guard behind you are playing/counting. If you're on the sideline as most pits are, then you'll always sound ahead of the band if you look at the drum major.
Don't believe me? Think of the pit's sound and the band's sound as people in a race. One runner starts on the sideline (where the pit would be), while another starts in the middle of the field (where some band kid would be). If they ran at the same speed (as sound usually does), the guy who started on the sideline reaches the judges in the stands first, right? If the sideline runner waited for the field one before he started running, than they would tie. Therefore, pit members should listen back.
heart Be professional, and encourage others to be that way, too. A good reputation is good for the heart and soul (and for growing big heads, such as mine. 8D).
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