Reading all the posts about the Band's music in the Sound System post, reminded me about something that has been on my mind since I attended the Bowl Game. It seems like there were more Band members than usual at the game. When they came onto the field, it looked like there were an extra 50 or so members more than games played at the Metrodome. Is this true or was I imagining it?
Question about the Band at the Insight.com Bowl
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AeroGopher
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For pregame, yes. All band members audition to get into the pregame block. Around 60+ don't make it. And in each non-home game week there is a re-audition process. For bowl trips the director has been inserting the extra members during expansion to spell out the current year around the block M so that the students that didn't make the cut still get to participate in both the pregame and halftime shows. However, typically for bowl trips the band is slightly smaller than usual because some students have family conflicts, injury, illness, or otherwise and can't make the trip.
strokemonster
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How much larger is Becky's band than ours, number-wise? Anyone have any idea?
RailBaronYarr
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The WI band is very comparable to ours in size - 320 members is what they list on the wiki page, ours has been 305-310 the last few years (including flags...). However, that includes people that never see the field, the alternates that dress in black pants and red sweaters and stand on the sideline at attention during pregame/halftime shows. Their field block is 224, which is halftime and pregame, meaning our halftime band is quite larger than theirs.
They list 72 bones (compared to the ~32 in the MN band) and 123 trumpets (~70 in ours each year). Keep in mind that a large portion of the alternates are the trumpets and bones (going only off numbers, 2/3 of their band are these 2 instruments), meaning their field block doesn't have a whole lot more middle brass than ours - maybe 10 extra bones, and 15-20 extra trumpets, which I know does add quite a bit of sound. They list very similar numbers of tubas, alto saxes, mellophones, and baritones (euphoniums) as our band sports. They lack the flutes (none), clarinets (14 vs our 28-30), tenor saxes (none), and flags (we have about 18?) that our band has.
They list 72 bones (compared to the ~32 in the MN band) and 123 trumpets (~70 in ours each year). Keep in mind that a large portion of the alternates are the trumpets and bones (going only off numbers, 2/3 of their band are these 2 instruments), meaning their field block doesn't have a whole lot more middle brass than ours - maybe 10 extra bones, and 15-20 extra trumpets, which I know does add quite a bit of sound. They list very similar numbers of tubas, alto saxes, mellophones, and baritones (euphoniums) as our band sports. They lack the flutes (none), clarinets (14 vs our 28-30), tenor saxes (none), and flags (we have about 18?) that our band has.
parkinglotgopher
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I know some people will fry me for this, but I'm of the ilk that we need a smaller woodwind section and a larger brass section for our band, at least during games. I understand the sound is probably more well-rounded with a nice balance of various sections, but during the game, percussion and brass make the noise and give off the aggressive sound I personally look to get from the band when I'm at a game.
RailBaronYarr
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While I agree the trombone and trumpet sections are low (lower than they used to be), I think everyone will be pleasantly surprised at the sound the band makes in the new stadium. Being outside makes a HUGE difference. And while some say that they were at Tempe/Nashville/etc and were still unimpressed, as Aero said, the band typically is missing people due to random issues, making the band smaller.
Recruiting brass has apparently been very difficult in the last 10 years, no idea why. I'd like to see trumpets consistently up around 90 and trombones around 40-50, cutting back on the flutes, altos, and clarinets down from 30 (or so per section) to 15. But it's not like the directors can just snap their fingers and make it so. Players have to be willing to come to the U and play a particular instrument, which is already enough of a challenge. The band then also has to have that many instruments on hand for sections that large - also not an easy or cheap task.
Recruiting brass has apparently been very difficult in the last 10 years, no idea why. I'd like to see trumpets consistently up around 90 and trombones around 40-50, cutting back on the flutes, altos, and clarinets down from 30 (or so per section) to 15. But it's not like the directors can just snap their fingers and make it so. Players have to be willing to come to the U and play a particular instrument, which is already enough of a challenge. The band then also has to have that many instruments on hand for sections that large - also not an easy or cheap task.