Ask Me Questions

The Struggle is Real

I don't know if any of you are in marching band, or even really know what marching band is. My school's marching band is nothing like DCI (Drums Corps International) but today I'm going to take you guys through some marching band problems. Why? Because the struggle is real. 

Now if you have any questions about what exactly something means, don't hesitate to ask. It would actually make me extremely excited to explain some marching band things to people. And if you do know what the fuck I'm talking about, join in with me on these very accurate marching band problems. 

1. In a parade, when the drum major walks too far back and gets knocked out by a flag from the color guard.

Now I'm not the drum major, but I have witnessed some pretty close calls with our drum major about getting knocked the fuck out. 

2. Being a senior and realizing you might never see your friends again and being heartbroken.

This just now becoming a problem for me because I'm now a senior. But it always had made me sad when the seniors were graduating because I missed my upper classmen friends. 

3. Realizing you will probably never see the seniors again and being heartbroken.

Literally just said this one above. 

4. Having show tunes and cadences stuck in your head for years after you preformed them.

The struggle is so fucking real with this one. I still will sing, hum, play the songs from my freshman year in band. Hell, I'll still sing and hum the songs from the band shows when I was in junior high because I was a fucking pit crew member and American party member. 

5. Having to jazz run to your next set because its far away.

I don't generally have to jazz run because it tends to be more of a color guard thing most of the time, but my freshman year I had to go from the 40 to the other 40 in 8 counts/steps. You know how fucking hard that is? First I'm short, like pretty fucking short. Two, the typical step size is 8 to 5, this was fucking 8 to 20. 

6. Chipping your reed right before you preform.

THE STRUGGLE IS SO FUCKING REAL. I PLAY SAXOPHONE. I'M A BROKE AS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, I DON'T GOT MONEY TO BE BUYIN' A $4 REED EVERY FUCKING WEEK. 

7. Going from attention to playing position and hitting your mouth.

I feel like this is more dangerous for a saxophone, because our attention is down by our belly button and everyone has their instrument in front of their face. So they can see how close their instrument is to their face. Unlike with a saxophone it comes whipping up from the side of face and bust your fucking lip open. It's happened to me, blood was all over my instrument. 

8. When your band director spends half of practice yelling at the band for wasting time.

*cough cough* Mrs. K *cough cough* 

9. Marching anything over 180 bpm

Especially having to play then. Like man if I'm marching that fucking fast make it a front ensemble feature their just standing there anyway. 

10. Marching band: *Wins three trophies at a competition and wins first place in their class and first place overall* 

Soccer team: *Loses every single game of the season*

School board: You know what the soccer team needs? 

School board: More money

School board: We better cut funding for the marching band.