Well, I am sorry that you feel that way. But that does not make it any less insulting when people blame the band for things outside of our control. I can't control the way you react to my comments - you can though. I mean, its clear that many people on this thread are plainly unaware of why we can't simply "be louder". I would also attribute our lessening of sound to the social trend that less people are auditioning - 10 years ago, there were 200 reserves, now there are 30. That's 170 members then than now. So I think that is the most plain reason no one can "hear us" anymore, and I don't think you can fault the band for that - which, by the way, is plainly insulting.
But hey - best of luck to you. Don't form your opinion about the band based on a few angry responses to something we found insulting - we're still the same band, doing the same thing, for the same reasons. What's funny is that I'm sure if any of these people on here met in a different forum (not just online), they would be very positive toward each other.
Alright, I suppose that is a fair assessment. I just figured he meant The Victors because - well, that's the song that we play the most, and Sousa actually is not in our repetoire. But maybe he was being generic - fair enough.
As for your second remark...I can't control the way people react to the band...if they are indifferent...I don't care very much, as an individual. I mean, I would love for everyone to love us but that will never happen. As long as I know what we're doing is good and benefiting the team, and there are people out there enjoying what we're doing - that is fine. I just have a problem when people blatantly disrespect our efforts - ie, driving past during our rehearsals yelling "F*** Band!" out their car window. Now that has only happened once, but that's the type of thing that really bothers me. But it's the same thing here, saying "It's the band's fault", etc.
Alright, first of all, I was saying that the day revolves around football, and the fact that you decided to read that I meant it revolves around the band shows...well, that you're not paying clear enough attention.
Second, I know you are not aware of what goes on behind the scenes, but the Band has played for the football team at scrimmages on many occasions and they love to have us. Maybe there are a few outliers who don't like the band, but the team, I can safely say, appreciates the band...along with Rich Rodriguez, and they have told us so. In person. So...yeah...think that speaks for itself.
Third, I'm glad that you/your family have made donations to the University. That's a noble thing to do, and I say that with sincerity. However, donating requires a checkbook. It takes talent, skill, discipline, and most importantly character to march in the MMB. Which of us ought to be more proud of our contribution (no matter which the university would rather have)?
And fourth, The Victors was written by Louis Elbel...not John Phillips Sousa. It's relatively clear you don't know your MMB well enough to be making commentary about it.
The team, myself, and those fans of the marching band who understand that the very definition of the MMB is precision, musicality, and looking good doing it.
If you truly do not care about precision and musicality, then you must be satisfied with being mediocre, because without those two things, then that is all a Marching Band can be. The MMB, however, is not mediocre. If you don't like that, that is your own problem.
Well, since you feel that way, why don't we change it? Just for you.
Now, I don't mean to be rude, but that's just silly. Your opinion counts for one out of hundreds of thousands of Michigan fans, maybe even millions of Michigan fans. The greater majority of them may (or, may not - I've never taken a poll, and I doubt you have either) love to hear the Victors Waltz every game. Personally, I think it's pretty funny, and loads of fun, to play after we win. And regardless - as soon as we're done, we DO play the trio from The Victors. And perhaps you haven't noticed but The Victors Waltz, like Calyptors and Intimidation, is a variation on the theme of the Victors, so technically "Hail!" is the first thing we are saying, just in a different way than we do when we score a touchdown.
Then I was not talking to you. Thank you for your support and appreciation - as well as your reasonable and logical support of relocation, though I'm not sure there is anywhere we could be put to project our sound more properly. What's insulting is when these people are saying "It's the band's fault", this that and the next thing. Completely undermining what we put in to support the team. There are other posts that say more than mine in less words, but I still find it ludicrous for many of these people to claim the band itself is the problem, or to compromise the integrity of the band by getting rid piccolos and clarinets, etc.
It boggles my mind that some of you people are so unappreciative of the work that your Marching Band does to put on a beautiful show and perform incredible music for you. If you want the band to be louder, then join. That's your prerogative. The fact is that you have the best band in the country at your heels and you are just insulting them. Are we the loudest marching band in the world? No. Does that matter? I'd say not, because we are still a superior marching band with one of the most attractive marching techniques in the world, and we have a very precise sound. If you have ever heard the band warm up, and play the M Fanfare in Revelli Hall, you would be moved to tears. That is how beautiful it is. The first time I heard it, I was moved to tears. We play in a stadium filled with 110,000 people. The stadium is not designed acoustically. Our position in the stadium does not throw our sound properly. The stadium is designed to view football. If you can't hear the band on the other end of the stadium, it's not our fault that we're out of our setting. Notre Dame's band this past weekend was pretty loud, but in my own, personal opinion (not at all representing the opinion of the MMB), I thought their half-time show was dreadful, because their marching was incredibly subpar, and their style was simply not attractive. Volume is not as important as precision and clarity of sound production, and there must be a lot of focus on the marching.
For the record, Professor Boerma consistently is pleading with us to fill up the Big House with our sound. He knows when we have more energy and power in us than we are using to play. So don't blame him.
Like I said, if you want the band to play louder, learn to play the trumpet. Or the trombone, or tuba, and audition for the band. And if you're good enough, you'll get in, and you'll make us louder. Problem solved. We're doing all we can, and it is so disrespectful of the hard work we are doing every single week to criticize us as such. If we could play any louder - we would.
Allow me to set the record straight, also - the piccolos and clarinets have a written obligation in The Victors, that no other instrument could play and sound good, so no other arrangement would work. If you really want to ruin the best fight song in the nation, and criticize Louis Elbel's composition, then go ahead and propose the removal of piccolos and clarinets.
So, appreciate that you have one of the most hardcore, intense, musically talented, and attractive marching bands in the country, instead of insulting them and saying they don't play loud enough.
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