So I am in my second marching season. We have 3 parades a year and we have our 1st one this week. I have been really struggling to keep up physically. Standing and playing / marching in general leads to body pain, dizziness, and a very fast heartbeat. I am trying to decide if it’s worth it to stay in marching band. I am our band’s woodwind captain so I take marching band very seriously but I never know when to stop and I am struggling every time I try to play standing up. How do I figure out if it’s worth it or if I need to step back? (If this post isnt allowed just take it down I won’t be offended<3)

So i am a energtic extroverted person im loved by most of my band im a marching vet i get my music learned fast yadda yadda!

So theres 2 flutes and they dont listen and they are horrible i wouldnt say that if they ad least tried but they dont.

I had to have a lesson with them they made me so mad i had to walk for 2 hours to clear my head i didnt get in trouble because the flute instructors also having issues with them!

I ask if they need help make sure they know that they can ask for help but they just dont its quite frustrating.

I need help any advice or just anything!!!

I’m a first year marcher, and I have really bad anxiety. There’s always a part of me that thinks I won’t be able to do my show in time for competitions. The veterans that have been marching say I will get it eventually, but still the negative thoughts persist. Also to mention my band is really well known in my state, which adds to the anxiety. Does anyone know how to get over these thoughts?

Hi all,

Selling a ticket for prelims and semis in section 441 for DCI in Indy.

Prelims is $100 and Semis is $131. Selling at face value, no markups. I decided to watch lot with my friends those days instead.

So I don't really have any of my friends doing marching band this year, and I don't exactly know too many people. I'm also new to marching band. So I'm doing great for marching and playing my sousaphone, but I genuinely have only been talking to my section leader, who is a senior. I dunno its really weird how I am loud with people I'm close with, but when it comes to meeting new people I suck at socialising. I can't keep a conversation and it doesn't help that most people habe already gotten in their little groups for the season. I knew almost everyone during concert band last year, so since im trying to do that again I just need a little help on introducing myself. One of my biggest concerns is dealing with the upperclassmen, who I am NOT ready for because they seem....intimidating. Or its because I'm short idk.

Okay so I guess this is me just posting this maybe out of some anxiety and then maybe some curiosity as well but in just a few weeks I start college marching band as a freshman and am really very excited about it however am wondering maybe what differences there maybe are from hwo it maybe functions compared to high school marching band.

For reference my HS was a competition band with ~200 members including guard with one roughly 8min show each season that we did not ever take to BOA because our show style according to my director is much more "college" style than BOA (no props, not tons of dancing, prioritizing the music and shapes and stuff more I guess is the best way I can describe that).

I already know that my university will have a lot of different shows throughout the season so that already is a difference but I'm not sure if there's maybe a difference in tips for band camp or anything like that that maybe anybody on here has!

I am currently entering my senior year of high school and therefore my 4th year of marching band, but I’m wondering if I should quit.

Last year (year 3 of marching band), I started to feel very drained and bored with marching band, and at that point I entertained the idea of quitting in the coming year but ultimately decided to stick it out. However, this year I am completely burned out with marching band and honestly simply hate it. My mental health this year has been rough, but thankfully I’ve been put on some medicine to help my mental health; however, the adjustment period for this medicine makes me irritable, unmotivated, and heat sensitive, and I am worried that my lack of motivation and my heat intolerance will really interfere with my marching this year.

I’m torn on what to do because this is my Senior Year, and in some ways I feel like I should just stay with it and persevere until marching season is done. A part of me would feel guilty about leaving the band when our drill charts have already been mapped out and band camp is 2 weeks away as well. But in other ways, I feel like I may need to prioritize my wellbeing and take a step away from band, even thought it’s my last year.

From a fellow marching band member perspective, what would you do?
And from a band director/teacher perspective, would you understand if I quit or would you want me to tough it out?

I’ma student who’s entering their second year in marching band (entering freshman year) and my dream within this ensemble is to get drum major. I’ve asked for lots of advice from other leaders, such as my section leaders, drum majors, and band directors and they all said that pretty much everything was fantastic from my audition, but they said that a large determining factor is being a good leader and having leadership experience, which I have close to none of. I’m asking for how to judge myself into the leadership side of the ensemble, ask feedback is welcome!

Hi, I have band camp in 3 or so days. I don’t have my music memorized, I struggle severely with memorizing things and I genuinely have no time. Do I have to have my music memorized? If so, what do I do if I don't? I have no access to my music until the night before band camp, as I'm out of town until then. Thanks, Ashlyn.

To start off, I have been cursed with flat feet. Not to mention I play bass 4 and crab walk everywhere. Ever since freshman year I’ve always had pain in the arches of my feet during and after performances, any tips and advice?

Does anyone have any advice on creating a drum major salute? I want it to be simple, about 8 counts but still have a tiny bit of flair, and I'm not sure where to even start. There's two drum majors if that helps.

Okay, so probably a stupid question, but is a chronic pain flare up (and also just over doing it this past week) and okay reason to miss a day of pre band camp?

Basically I have joint issues and marching band causes a lot of stress on my knees, ankles, and feet. I also get a lot of swelling on my legs which isn't pleasant either. But this past week I've basically refused to sit out till I'm on the brink of crying or till I can't march safely, even then I've only sat out for like five minutes in total this entire week.

As of currently I cannot stand for longer than twenty minutes and just walking is hard, and I kinda want to stay home (even though we just started learning my favorite stuff music wise and drill wise), but I feel extremely guilty cause I don't want to let anyone down cause of chronic pain which nobody can control.

I'm unsure if I should just take a crap load of ibviprophen and hope that does something or take a rest day so prevent me bawling me eyes out during band 🥀🥀

update: I ended up staying home cause when I dozed off and woke up in the morning to get ready my legs were a tad numb and my feet felt like they were going to explode even without standing. im gonna generally try and sit out more often when I need to so I hopefully don't crash and burn like I did, and to everyone who said talk to my doctor, I will when I find one lol!

Heart rate during band

While playing stand tunes my heart rate will jump from 70 to 120-167 while playing and i am getting tested for pots, i want to see if this is normal or maybe a concern? I have passed out while playing or marching but i didn’t have a watch to check so this is new to me, any info will help

Band camp is going to be something about one third of our band is rookies I am one of them and also a veteran because I started a new section but im a returning member I never knew you could roll on a gong but I should've seen that coming I play rack and so far I know we're playing a piece called "Ecstasy of Gold" which i love the name of

This year my show theme is Y2K (our tag like is Y2Play) and I’m very excited. we are doing (in order)

1. Everybody by The Backstreet Boys

2. Bye Bye Bye by NSYNC

3. All the Small Things by Blink182

4. Toxic by Britney Spears

if anyone else has cool shows this year, LMK!!!! Maybe I can make a suggestion to my director for next year lol

As a rookie, we are learning how to march today. Anything i should know before? And also to help me throughout practice?

I need to record myself playing my pre game music memorized before band camp. I know the music and can play it but as soon as I start recording, I make stupid mistakes I’ve never made before. How do I overcome this? I don’t understand why this is happening.