Band Geek Circlejerk Funfest

[ToastmasterAlpha]

Here's a thread for those of us who play instruments that won't get us tits (e.g. not guitar, bass, drum set, etc). We're talking trumpets and tubas and shit here. I started on alto saxophone about seven years ago in middle school, started playing some tenor sax in high school, and now I play mostly baritone sax. With my high school I'm in the wind ensemble, jazz band, sax quartet, pit orchestra, and marching/pep band. I'm also trying to start a ska band with some of my friends, but I doubt it will get off the ground. I'm really not all that good at the sax, but I'm damn loud, which is enough to make me a respectable musician.

[exetra]

I picked up alto sax when I was about middle school age too. Haven't played it in about a year now but I still have all the stuff for it.

[El Mojado]

I used to play Trumpet, but my muscles got weak and I wasn't able to play. I still have it, its just needs to be oiled and tuned. Other than that, I play guitar (not electric, but classical and chords) for the School's Mariachi Band.

[Godly]

I can play the piano as well as a monkey can, does that count? Cause we have an electronic piano and it "teaches" you how to play some songs. Pretty much it tells you what keys to press and you memorize it...

I now know some of For Elise and Minuet(J.S.Bach).

I'm pretty sure I'm not going to turn it into a living any time soon...

[Idioteque]

Fuck, I hate band. I tried to drop it 2nd semester this year because it got really difficult for some reason, but I didn't get the application in fast enough.
Oh yeah, and I play Trumpet. And I actually do enjoy it, believe it or not.

[Pingu]

I've played the alto sax for a while in our school band so I guess that classifies me as a "band nerd". Guitar's my favourite instrument though, they just don't have parts for that in our band.

[History]

Well, I'm not a band geek, but I am a close relative as an "orch dork". In high school I played the violin, but switched it to viola around tenth grade. I played in the school's chamber orchestra, and I went to districts and regionals for viola two years in a row. I still play viola now with the university/community orchestra, but I'm nowhere near as good as I used to be.

[Kenneh]

I used to play trumpet for my school band, until I realized what you said. It won't get me anything so I decided to switch to guitar and dish out brutal fucking solos that shatter eardrums.

[ToastmasterAlpha]

Yep. The best I'll ever be able to do is get a few singles playing outside the stadium after the game lets out.

[TheHighwaySong]

Shun me for this not technically being "band", but I started out on Violin in middle school with the Orchestra. Then I learned Double Bass, and Cello and went back and forth between those.

[fabz]

Prepare to Nerd Out. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QNI3W8UB-s)

I used to play tuba in high school and college. I loved it and sometimes I miss it...other times...not so much.

[John Travolta]

Played trumbone in 6th grade. The manliest fucking instrument on the face of the planet.

[Dexide]

Are keyboards geeky? I play mine every now and then. It's really fun to record myself playing.

[Matterialize]

I play and own a Tenor sax. Her name is Amber.

[Derelict]

I've played the piano since whenever kids can learn to play a piano. I used to play the violin when I was younger but my brother informed me when I was ten (and was in worship of him) that violins were gay. I tried playing again recently and I think I made my family deaf.

[Godly]

Prepare to Nerd Out. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QNI3W8UB-s)

I just nerded all over myself that was so crazy.

[exetra]

Are keyboards geeky?

NO! NEVER!

I used to play trumpet for my school band, until I realized what you said. It won't get me anything so I decided to switch to guitar and dish out brutal fucking solos that shatter eardrums.

It's pretty easy to shatter eardrums with a trumpet, too :)

[GenericInsanity]

I've played flute for 7 years, piccolo for 5 and a half. And I was in choir for a while. =) I'm minoring in a music performance degree next year. I've played in our wind ensemble, and I'm currently subbing for the symphonic band, because there aren't enough flutes (shock shock). I'm also section leader and the like. Major geek, right?

[InTransit]

Hi, my name's Intransit and I play the Piccolo. Actually I can play 4 different types of recorder quite fluently, including being able to pop out the entire theme tune to Star Wars.

I also have played piano since I was 8 and dabbled with the violin (I don't own a violin, so I didn't get very far in learning to play it).

And I was a soprano in the school choir for a few years. Seriously, if you're going to be in a choir, a soprano is as nerdy/geeky as they come.

[Johnny]

I've played the piano and the cello ever since I was five. Teachers thought I was smart and shit but unfortunately, didn't attract any pussy.

[Pelican Man]

I played piano for a couple of years when I was little, and have just taken it up again.

I've always wanted to learn the double bass...

[dameon5646]

I started in concert band in middle school, and thi year i started guitar, alto sax, and trombone.

i played piano and violin in elementary too

[dameon5646]

I started in concert band in middle school, and thi year i started guitar, alto sax, and trombone.

i played piano and violin in elementary too

i mean i started on drums...

oh, and i was in our elementary school jazz choir,

has any one ever been to the lionel hampton jazz fest??

[MissRAWR]

At my High School, band kids werent really considered "geeky" in the least. We were among the most popular cliques in the school, actually, and like 90% of the band kids spent some time in the practice room foolin' around. Only thing was that like everyone in band knew everything about everyone, so no one's business was really kept private.

[horni-horse16]

Played trumbone in 6th grade. The manliest fucking instrument on the face of the planet.


I played trombone for 10 years and it was the most bad ass thing in the world.
Unfortunately I wasn't that great and couldn't grasp brass playing so I've been on jazz bass for about a year now.

[MissRAWR]

I used to be an orchestra kid until I realized that the entire class had batons up their asses and I got along a LOT better with the Band kids and band director. It didnt help that the orchestra director was an old fuck who didnt know shit about good music or how to tune string instruments and chords. Anyway, first I was in colorguard, then decided to play the clarinet for concert band (actually, the band director begged me to learn cuz the 3rd clarinets sucked and needed someone that wasnt stupid). So I learned that in a few weeks and played a couple grade 3 pieces and a grade 4 piece at concert MPAs. Good stuff :)

[Shagg]

I play drums for my schools jazz band. I'm only in freshmen year, and it's pretty easy since all I play is the swing-beat.. but I have to play enormously harder stuff next year with long solos:
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This was my school's main drummer from last year, but graduated, so I have to learn to play that stuff by next year.

[Pope]

Guitar, bass, drums, Double Bass, cello, bass clarinet, clarinet, flute, piano, sax, trumpet, violin, trombone, bongos, harmonica, and tuba.

[Pancakes]

Yeah I love trumpet. I've been in band since 4th grade, marching band for 3 years, and jazz band for 3 years. The most fun thing is playing the trumpet in a ska band that me and my friends started last year.

[Casalen]

I was sure I posted to this, or similar... anyway, saxophone players generally aren't 'band geeks', and the right kind of playing can get some welcome attention. At least that's how it was for us awesome jazz players. I also play flute, but since my main influence for that is Ian Anderson it doesn't nerd me all that much.

The difference between band nerds and others is that the band nerds aren't about the music; they're about the school band, and have trouble seeing the world of music outside of that. A nearby school is like that; they have people who practice marching all weekend. The rest of us have stuff to do, and don't really care about that crap if it doesn't involve playing something fun. We're also capable of fitting into contemporary groups if we want to.

[MissRAWR]

Basically the band stereotypes applied at my highschool.

The ENTIRE brass section (low brass included) were arrgogant ass holes,
Clarinets couldnt ever set a straight line on the field,
Flue players are whores (we had a really fat slutty girl take a home a flute one weekend and no one would touch it after that haha),
Saxes are either really gay or really gettin with the ladies,
Drummers were obsessed with themselves and TERRIBLE at theory,
Guard girls dated drummers, brass dated woodwinds...

Good times, good times.

[Casalen]

Drummers were obsessed with themselves and TERRIBLE at theory

I guess that one's universal.

Also, a sax player friend of mine got into the music institute in Boston and was really excited; then he found out the arrogant drummer he hated also got in, so anger got mixed in. Ha.

[horni-horse16]

Basically the band stereotypes applied at my highschool.

The ENTIRE brass section (low brass included) were arrgogant ass holes,
Clarinets couldnt ever set a straight line on the field,
Flue players are whores (we had a really fat slutty girl take a home a flute one weekend and no one would touch it after that haha),
Saxes are either really gay or really gettin with the ladies,
Drummers were obsessed with themselves and TERRIBLE at theory,
Guard girls dated drummers, brass dated woodwinds...

Good times, good times.


I believe that's universal as that was my entire high school band summed up. I loved being a brass player.

[dameon5646]

The idea that drummers don't get the theory is crap. Most of the drummers at my school, including me, play, or have played a real instrument before.

[MissRAWR]

Not mine. Only drummer at my school that ever played a wind instrument was a snare player, and he was and still is incredibly arrogant and disrespectful, and knows NOTHING about rhythms and theory, etc. He just plays through it the way he thinks it should sound, gets mad if he's corrected, and keeps playing that way until he hears someone play it right and copies it, then claims that that's how he played it all along.

[dameon5646]

Not mine. Only drummer at my school that ever played a wind instrument was a snare player, and he was and still is incredibly arrogant and disrespectful, and knows NOTHING about rhythms and theory, etc. He just plays through it the way he thinks it should sound, gets mad if he's corrected, and keeps playing that way until he hears someone play it right and copies it, then claims that that's how he played it all along.
Sounds like my trumpets, saxes, flutes, oboe, bassoon, piccolo, and trombones. the tuba and French horns aren't bad.

[MissRAWR]

The tuba section at my high school consisted of 3 members, one of which is probably the dumbest person I've ever met (a good tuba player and a nice guy, nonetheless), one was a HUGE egotist, and one that never said anything to anyone, but just kinda sat there and played.

When I graduated, the band had maybe 80 members, mostly Clarinets. We didnt have an Oboe player, either, and the bassoon player was a fag (haha, lame pun. Oh well.) that thought he was god's gift to performing music. He was a sax player (who, if you tried to correct him he'd give you so much attitude and he got sooo pissed when he didnt get Drum Major) that thought he could play any instrument. On his myspace he says he can play 15 instruments. Problem is, he can play none of them well.

[dameon5646]

The one person in my band that pisses everyone off is the new freshmen trumpet player, He cannot shut his mouth, corrects everyone, and wastes time with telling everyone how good he is.(he sucks balls by the way)

[Urser]

I used to play French Horn for the school band. That thing was hell to play. I absolutely hated it.

I quit the first chance I got.

[MissRAWR]

One drummer kid in my HS band wanted to learn French Horn.
He eventually just started singing the notes into his mouthpiece cuz he's tone-deaf. Then the teacher just let him conduct for that period haha. Good stuff

[icywintersky]

In my HS everyone in the top band acts like a bunch of little kids. We brought back pokemon cards!

[MissRAWR]

We brought back Hackey Sack and coloring books

[icywintersky]

Nicely done! Our teacher is threatening to ban Pokemon if we don't put all the stands and chairs back better from now on. The signs are all over the band room.

[MissRAWR]

Haha there's random colorings of kittens all around our bandroom
And usually we played hacky sack in the hallway til someone yells at us. Then we just move the game.

God I love band kids

[MissRAWR]

We also brought a phrase to the stands for the band.
Say our competition's mascot was a cougar.
They get a touchdown or first down or something, we yell
"Naaay! Nay to you, Cougars!! NAAAYY!!!" while our fists are in the air.
:roffle: Sorry. I just think that's hilarious. Guess it's just a thing with our band.

Also, when we play this one school, they have a thing where their snare player does 2 rimshots and the band yells "HEY!" So we do it back, and it goes back and forth for like 20 minutes until one of us gives up or yells "STOP!"
We're strange. But hey, it's band. What'd you expect?

[dameon5646]

Last year a friend and i made two new rules just by ourselves, on the same trip! The first one was mine, with no external speakers. The other one both of us contributed to: We had brought a car battery and just wired a 12 volt cigarette lighter socket to it, hooked my inverter to that and had it power our laptops, dvd players, speakers, whatever else into it. To make a long story short, when we got to the place we were going, the battery shorted, and the bus filled with green smoke.

[MissRAWR]

Never on my bus, but there was A LOT of random sexual shit that went on on trips to away games.
Man, the stories. Lost rings (think about it...), weird sounds...

Gross. Band kids...

[I Don't Know]

Well, I've been a band geek for about 10 years. My first instrument was piano (still play it), and I've been playing French horn for 7 years, trumpet for 1 year, mellophone for 4 years, and I just recently started playing trombone and percussion. I have to learn how to play everything eventually (including strings), since I'm a music education major.

I also marched for all 4 years in high school (3 years mellophone, 1 year trumpet), and I'm gonna be marching with a drum and bugle corps this summer (on mellophone). So, yeah...major band geek here.

[MissRAWR]

Well, I've been a band geek for about 10 years. My first instrument was piano (still play it), and I've been playing French horn for 7 years, trumpet for 1 year, mellophone for 4 years, and I just recently started playing trombone and percussion. I have to learn how to play everything eventually (including strings), since I'm a music education major.

I also marched for all 4 years in high school (3 years mellophone, 1 year trumpet), and I'm gonna be marching with a drum and bugle corps this summer (on mellophone). So, yeah...major band geek here.


Oh shit, bugle corps! Awesome!
I'd try out for Drum Corps and whatnot, but (1) I dont have the money, and (2) they pretty much eat you for dinner everday. Hard, shit, but maaaan can they MARCH! Love it

[Petey2112]

I go to a school with around 200 kids, about 30 of which are in band. Its not a big thing, so we arent incredibly good. We have just band, where I play oboe and occasionally percussion if its needed and a jazz band where I play tenor sax.


I dont have any good band stories on account of the fact that we hardly go anywhere besides solo contest and competition, sorry =\

[ViolenceFetish87]

I was in the band when i was in HS. 6th- 7th grade. I was in beginner band then Marching band. In Alabama. It was fun until we got a douche bag band leader dude. My teacher was a crazy lady. She got pissed one day with the drummers and was beating the shit out of the drums and accidentally hit someones finger and broke it. I played trumpet. We played some really cool songs. Venus, and pretty fly. and just random goodness. I had a lot of fun in the band. and saw some really good bands form from the marching band. I hated the band camp though. It was in the middle of summer and just sucked. We were good too. we always got good scores. Our band director was crazy though so we had to do good or she might beat us all with the instruments.

[Lozenge]

For my first semester of music we just had a rock band setup, ie guitar, bass, drums, keyboard singing etc. Now all these random saxes and brass instruments came in, and every time we start a new song they take like an hour figuring out just what the notes are cos they have to transpose the notes etc. But they do make it sound better I have to admit, probably cos were playing rock and jazzy stuff, and none of the marching band stuff.

[lollercaust]

I played trumpet from 4th grade (when we all chose instruments) until 9th, where I picked up the tuba. I still play trumpet in jazz band, but the tuba is where it's at. And, although it isn't really one of those "sexy" instruments to most, it works like a guitar in our band in that it gets you girls.

Though, for me personally it doesn't because I'm also not hot.

Tuba's still rock everything, though.