First, I cannot believe anyone on this blog would ever blast the band in such a way as I am seeing now. No matter what you think about the canned music, the truth is that the students in the band deserve to be supported. They work extremely hard to produce what 110,000 people will see every Saturday, and it is unfair to say they aren't doing their jobs when they put in that kind of time and hard work to support the Wolverines.
You say the problem is volume. Has anyone ever stopped to think that maybe the reason the band sounds quieter this year is because the canned music is extremely loud and pumped over huge loudspeakers in every corner of the stadium? Relative to that, sure, the band is quieter. They can't be everywhere at once. The Big House is not designed as an acoustic concert hall, and the truth is that there are people who won't be able to hear the band from where it is situated. This is not the band's fault, it is the design.
Every week the band works on getting more sound out of their horns. For those who say the problem is Boerma, that is not true. He has been working just as hard as any past director on volume. It is true that he focuses on intonation and good sound as well, but anyone who knows anything about physics will tell you this will only increase the volume. Besides, who wants a band that is extremely loud but sounds bad? All you need to do is go to a rehearsal at Elbel to hear him say "Fill up the Big House!", or "Are you giving 110%?!" as he does nearly every day.
Additionally, those who wish to rid the band of the woodwinds don't really know the band. I must admit I am biased on this point as I am a woodwind player, but I still think there is an argument to be made here. True, you cannot hear the piccolos and clarinets very well in the Big House; at least not all of the time. But, as it has been stated previously, those parts in The Victors are very important, even if you don't know it. Come to an indoor band concert (Band-O-Rama, Crisler Concert) or purchase a recording and listen. Making the band entirely trombones/brass would change the sound drastically. Another point to be made is that the woodwind players are usually some of the best marchers in the band and their Pregame positions are the most competitive, making them strive to be better each week so they can be a part of the Block M. Taking away the woodwinds would most certainly make the band suffer visually, if not musically.
On a final note, I really don't care if canned music is played in the stadium, especially if it works in pumping up the fans. With some work on coordination with the band and planning on what music should be played when, I think it could work, as long as the band isn't left in the dust too often. They work too hard to have their chance to perform neglected simply because they "aren't loud enough" every minute of the game in every corner of the stadium. It's not all about volume, people. Michigan is not a place for exhibiting only brawn and power, but also grace, class, and distinction. It's not just how loud we are, but what we say that matters.
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