WEBVTT
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Mike, there's a new term.
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It's not new, but I don't think it was I don't think I heard it until the last five to ten years.
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Okay.
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Bang Ban Tober.
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Ban Tober.
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That's because it didn't exist until a few years ago.
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And I think that correct me if you want to, but I think what we're talking about is uh, you know, now October is not just regional marching contest, region marching contest or area marching contest.
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It's a whole month or season.
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Some of them starting now in September.
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Yeah, some have already gone to BOA Las Cruces and BOA Valley.
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It's festival season.
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I guess last Saturday.
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So it's that I also think it's human nature at this point.
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You kind of have to, you know, I think directors are like, well, just the fact that we're going to these festivals or something, ought to get everybody motivated, but it doesn't always.
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Right.
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Sometimes it's our job as an educator and teacher to say, uh, my kids don't seem motivated.
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Yes.
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So I'm asking you, what do we do?
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Yeah, we uh we switched to choir.
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Yeah.
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I don't think that's what we do.
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No, that's not what we do.
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That's not at all what we do.
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But yeah, it is a something that's happened over the last, I guess, maybe 12, 13, 14 years, because we didn't have Ban Tober before.
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You know, we would go to one invitational, then we'd do our little contest, and then a few bands pre-UIL.
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Yeah.
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Pre-UIL, then a few bands would sneak out into region marching from to area marching, and then we'd only take like back in the day, we take two bands from region to state instead of you know having 35 bands, so you only had 10 bands in your class at state.
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So it wasn't quite the uh beatdown that it is now.
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Now, on the good side, is there's a lot of bands that are better bands.
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We have a lot more better bands.
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So there's a good side to it.
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So I don't mean to say that like we I wish we had it like the old days.
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Yeah, not necessarily.
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Some days I do, but other days it's like, man, these bands are good.
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But yeah, I'm gonna argue up front.
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There are some advantages to repetitions and going to different venues and doing your show in different places repeatedly so you get used to the fact that okay, it's gonna sound different, it's gonna and it doesn't freak you out as bad.
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And even down to the science and psychology of getting on a bus and traveling, and how do our kids get prepared at different stadiums?
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How do they change what they do to fit this particular changing area?
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Does it make sense?
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It does.
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How do they get used to, you know, because region has no prelims finals, right?
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But area does for most classifications.
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So, you know, the kids, you gotta you kind of need to take them somewhere.
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But what started out is a couple of extra contests, now some bands this Saturday are on their second contest.
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And then we're recording this the 25th of September, you know.
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So because getting ready for you guys' midseason slump coming up, because we know it happens every year.
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Um, right, but yeah, so the it's a process in which now what used to be a couple of contests and then a couple more for UIL has started in the middle of September and doesn't end till the 10th of November sometimes.
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So it's gone from a four-week process to an eight-week process.
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And that's not saying it's bad, it's just saying it is what it is.
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Okay.
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And so now you faced it.
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You got the midseason rut, the slump, and especially if it's a younger teacher, they've been taught how to teach music, they've been taught secondary methods, they know how to play their instrument.
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But they took one class called adolescent psychology.
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Child three hours, and that was Thursday morning at eight o'clock, and you slept through every Tuesday, and the teacher didn't really give a crap.
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So they went ahead and passed you, and you went ahead and went and practiced your clarinet, and you're fantastic, and your mama still loves you.
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Okay, but you have no earthly idea what to do with all these emotional hormone-driven teenagers that are now exhausted, their parents are exhausted, your staff is exhausted, and if you really want to face it, so are you.
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Right.
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It's not just physical exhaustion, it's mental exhaustion.
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Yes, because there's a certain amount of exhaustion that cannot be solved by sleep.
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Right.
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And that's that's the that's the rut we're talking about.
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And those kids now that I always I went through this with a band here in town because he said our rehearsal last night was terrible.
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And I said, It's the third week, isn't it?
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They said, Yeah, it's the third week.
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Every year on the third week, it's the same.
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Just say it, just do it.
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Because the third week of our season, we never rehearsed our show music on the Monday night of the third week.
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We did stand tunes and had popsicles.
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Hey, okay.
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Because we knew nothing was going to get accomplished on our music because they were they already, their classes have been solidified, the syllabuses were done, the newness is worn off.
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They're now starting to figure out they might be ineligible.
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Life's getting hard.
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They've just woken up 21 days in a row.
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It's uh six o'clock in the morning, and now you're expecting them to push on forward and get movement four on the field.
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You'd better be careful.
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You can dig your spurs into the horse, but it doesn't mean the horse is going to respond correctly.
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A lot of times, what happens when a horse is exhausted and you dig your heels, your spurs into that horse?
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It throws you.
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Right.
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And that's what the band will do.
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They will throw you and they know it's wrong.
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They do, they're good kids.
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The next morning they'll even come back and apologize.
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The smart ones.
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They'll go, We're so sorry, Mrs.
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So-and-so.
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We just know the rehearsal.
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We're just so tired.
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Okay, so let's let's go through this here.
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Midseason slump.
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Students are tired physically, emotionally.
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They're stressed about grades, they're bored with the constant sameness of each rehearsal.
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What are the things we can do to make it through that period of painful time?
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Okay.
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Number one, have students participate more in the learning process.
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You are not a fire hydrant.
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The information is not the water, and they are not the street.
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We are not just pushing water into the street.
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Our go-to move is to do more fundamentals with marching and music.
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So we line them up and we rehash some of the same method of teaching as some are banned.
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And we, if you're lucky enough to have a staff, become the only source of information and do all the analyzing.
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Solution, we give all the solutions, and the students simply receive information and nod their head yes and say, yes or no, sir.
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The following are methods to shake up this process.
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Run a portion of the drill or music.
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Have the students pair up real quick and discuss what went right and what didn't go right and how to fix it.
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Give them a little bit of time.
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Will they all talk about the show?
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Probably not.
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Probably not.
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Most will.
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But probably not all of them.
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Some will be on, yeah, that new cherry limeage, really good when you add some root beer to it at Sonic.
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You know, let's let's get one of those after rehearsal, you know.
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So, hey, so-and-so's really cute in the guard.
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Do you think she'd go with me to homecoming?
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You know, all these other all these extra conversations are gonna happen.
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And they will, okay.
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The students now become a source of solution.
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They're now actively engaged in the process.
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I like the the parrot method versus raise your hand method in front of the band because the raise your hand method just kind of accentuates the the students who are not in a slump.
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Right.
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The ones who are in a slump, they're just gonna sit there and just be a lump on the log, okay?
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Um, it's socially more safe for the students.
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They're not speaking in front of the entire band, they're speaking to one other person.
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And plus, all the students have an opportunity, I'll say it that way, have an opportunity to contribute.
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You can have them take out their phones and take turns uh with permission, taking video of each other's foot technique and posture, and then show it to each other.
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If it's just one kid videotaping another kid in rehearsal, make sure you clear this with your admin because this can get real tricky.
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But if they'll let you do it as a teaching function, just like we do in theater arts, just like we do in other classes, just like we do in athletics, um, it's worth a thousand words.
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Okay.
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Um, you can just show it to them.
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Uh have the ensemble sing or hum or buzz portions of the music instead of play their horns with dynamics.
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You can even be so entirely insane to go buy a bunch of gazoos.
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I'm going to different things.
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That's a great one.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Just everyone picks up gazoo, and we're just going to do our whole show on gazoos, all movement ones, all on gazos.
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And even a kid who hasn't memorized their part, they know how their part sounds generally.
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So they will actually participate in the rehearsal, you know, with dynamics.
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Okay.
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Um, you can switch up a rehearsal at this time of year in October, track the show in block to eight to five marching on the track.
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You know, just have them play through it.
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You don't have to have it be a beat down, like a death march of whatever.
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You know what I mean?
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You just have them do part of the show and just then they can pair up and critique each other.
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Okay.
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Right.
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Um, another idea, have portions of the band play and other portions of the band analyze.
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Uh, some schools do it by class.
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It works pretty well, but only if you do it with the seniors first.
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Because they need to see how it's done the best.
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But there's usually a disproportionate number of kids between freshmen and seniors.
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So it's really kind of weird having your let's say you have 16 seniors, they all do part one by themselves.
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Might have one trombone, four clarinets, no French horns.
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Then you have the freshman play, and it'll be sloppy, but it'll be more of them.
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So I'm more of a proponent of uh, you know, assign them in the past in Summer Band, we'd always assign them a number, one, two, or three on our breathing plan.
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So they're ones, they're twos, or threes, and that's within either section.
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So I just say just have the ones play, have the twos play, have the threes play.
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Ones and twos analyze the threes.
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Threes and twos analyze the ones.
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And that way it's a real quick way.
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By class, um, even in today's uh societal norms, boy and girls not great.
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Um, you know, uh, do it by who's Democrat, who's Republican.
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Yeah, let's get let's get a real discussion going.
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You know, uh, you know, so things we used to do as kids that seemed almost normal aren't as normal anymore.
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So do it just assign numbers for whatever purpose, you know, are what bus they're on.
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Sure.
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If you have four buses, bus four play, bus three play, bus two play.
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Um, that'll help out tremendously.
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Maybe maybe they don't do this anymore, but we used to call them squads.
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We had squad leaders and we had squads that and it wasn't necessarily all homogenous instruments, but I don't think there's any problem with saying, all right, let's have squad competition today.
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Everybody's gonna, everybody else on the sideline, let's have squad, blah, blah, blah, or multiple squads, and we're all going to see how awesome you are, and they'll go out and play it.
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It doesn't matter if they've got melody or go in or not.
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Yeah.
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Go out, march your show, play your show.
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And at the end, typically everybody, and if there's something bad, I guess you got to be careful how you address that.
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But you know, typically, I think kids give fairly accurate critique, not always constructive.
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But maybe some sometimes a little blunt, but they do pretty accurate critique.
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But as far as engaging them and you getting out of the way, they realize it's a peer, um, it's peer critique as opposed to yeah, the old guy on the in the deer blind yelling at me again.
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Oh yeah.
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Yeah.
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It's kind of like the fluoresc fluorescent lights in the in the hallway.
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We buzz, we turn, we tune them out.
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You know, yeah.
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If you're real quiet and listen for them, you'll hear them.
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But if you're not listening for them, you won't hear them because your brain tunes them out.
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And just like we tuned out our parents, just like our kids tuned out us, they uh the band kids will tune you out.
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So it's that that's I make my a lot of my living being a uh a clinician simply because it's just a different voice.
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I'm saying you might say the same thing as the directory, but it's the same gospel.
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Right.
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I'm the evangelist of the everyday Sunday preacher.
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More people come forward to meet Jesus on with the evangelists there.
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It's the same gospel, it's the same Bible, you know.
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So the band's the same way, you know.
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This they're tired of their Sunday preacher, you know, they they got someone fresh in the pulpit.
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So uh that they'll give them a listen to, okay.
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Um change your music rehearsal from an arc to a circle so they can all see each other, get in the middle, do the old Matt Harloff uh Carolina crown thing.
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Uh change the order of players, get them in a circle, and then say, okay, everybody get next to someone else that's not in your section.
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Yes, you might have tuba, flute, uh, front ensemble marimba, guard student who's just knocking the crap out of everybody with her flag.
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You know what I mean?
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You know, so just get them in a different order so that that way they can that way they can hear themselves better and they're not leaning on other people.
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Or they might hear something they never heard before.
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Yeah.
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And I brought that up, but make sure your guard and front ensemble is involved in these processes we're talking about, because a lot of times we forget about them.
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You know, it's like, well, the guard, go work on your stuff.
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They're in a rut, too.
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Front ensemble, you know, they they look like the the guy in Lord of the Rings, Golem coming out of the band hall because they haven't seen the light of sun, you know, because they've been inside the band hall working on stuff forever.
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And they we finally know our drill and they come squeezing out of the band hall, sliming out of the band hall with their equipment.
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And it's like, oh yeah, I remember you guys.
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Y'all are used to be percussionists, now you're front ensemble, you know.
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And my name's Mike Lenny.
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I happen to be your band director.
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We haven't seen each other in six weeks, you know.
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So get them involved in this, however you're doing it.
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Uh, discuss real cool box five things, how to be more expressive visually and musically, have kids express it, kids who are involved in dance.
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Um, how we example, how we wear our uniform, how we use our posture, use a wider range of dynamics, fit our dynamics in with the rest of the ensemble, have the trumpet players talk about the hand of shame and the hand of honor.
00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:11.279
Okay, talk about how we want this section of music to feel.
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Think about that.
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How seldom do we talk about that, Derek?
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How do we want this part of our show to feel?
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It's always that release was wrong.
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You hung over, you didn't double double tongue fast enough.
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Okay, our balance is not correct.
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We came in late.
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How about how does this section of the show make you feel as a person?
00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:36.000
So we're talking more effect as opposed to technique.
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Yeah, even though they're not really ready for that yet.
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Sure.
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Let them delve into it.
00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:45.759
But it it is a mental eraser from the mundane.
00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:46.879
Oh, god, yeah.
00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:51.519
Talking about like when you go to one of those fancy dinners and they bring that sorbet out to cleanse your palate.
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Right.
00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.320
Like, why are they bringing us ice cream?
00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:57.279
Stupid redneck Michael Henny.
00:14:57.600 --> 00:14:58.879
Why are they bringing us ice cream?
00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:03.679
It's to cleanse your palate, sir, from the hors d'oeuvres to the oh, I think I need more ice cream.
00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:04.799
That's better than the hors d'oeuvres.
00:15:05.039 --> 00:15:08.080
Can we say have a the next course is more sorbet?
00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:09.919
Yeah, that's a escargot.
00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:11.600
More sorbet, please.
00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:14.080
Or orange sherbet is what I call it.
00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:16.159
I don't care to say sorbet.
00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:16.960
What is sorbet?
00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:18.000
Oh, orange sherbet.
00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:20.399
It comes in a push-up thing like a toilet paper tube.
00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:21.519
Yeah, I remember those.
00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:21.919
Yeah.
00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:22.480
Okay.
00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:24.080
So get them into those deals.
00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:29.120
And to kind of to work on some other stuff in it, director intensity.
00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:41.440
You will unwillingly feed off the energy of your band, and you will become into a slump because it's easier to just go along with them, you know, than it is.
00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:50.720
But realize as a director, even though you don't feel like it, you're gonna have to give a hundred percent energy hoping to maybe get 70% back.
00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:51.360
Right.
00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:55.840
But if you fall to their 60%, then they will fall to 40%.
00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:57.679
And it's hard.
00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:00.240
It's the old fake it till you make it kind of thing.
00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:00.720
Okay.
00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:05.120
And some things we always neglect until all of a sudden we get into a slump.
00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:09.519
Look real carefully at the transitions between sections of the show.
00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:16.080
Because we tend to rehearse, let's do part one, let's do part three, let's do part four, okay?
00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:18.080
Let's do the pep the drill team feature.
00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:18.960
We do it like that.
00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:26.480
It's not like, how are we gonna go from the drill team feature to the first set of the show instead of figuring it out Monday morning or Friday morning?
00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:27.759
Work on all those trends.
00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:33.200
Say we're just gonna spend a whole two-hour rehearsal, and all we're gonna work on is all our transitions.
00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:41.600
We're gonna work on how the guards are gonna get their equipment, how the front ensemble, and while they're doing that, the front ensemble can practice NASCAR pet crew.
00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:50.879
You know, they can pull all their stuff to the side, they can time it, bring it all in, set it up, hook it up, pull it all the way back out, do that about four or five times in a rehearsal.
00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:54.080
They'll be smooth as silk by the time you get to a contest.
00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:54.559
Okay.
00:16:54.879 --> 00:17:04.400
Those things will change up a normal rehearsal, you know, where it's not like, okay, fundamental block, playing block, articulation, arrival at that is wrong.
00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:05.519
Do it again.
00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:07.599
You know, you we all fall into that.
00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:16.880
Myself, I do think that even the most energetic personalities in the world fall into the oh yeah, we're just doing the same thing we did yesterday.
00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:18.160
So let's get started.
00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:18.559
Yeah.
00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:22.400
So I as a performer, I don't really even have to listen, you know.
00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:34.480
And as a director, it's like it's easier just to go on autopilot, you know, just put it on autopilot, and uh, and all of a sudden you're talking and then you kind of look out and you realize, I'm not even listening to myself.
00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:36.640
Care you to say, I don't even know what I just said.
00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:38.000
I don't even know what I just said.
00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:47.680
And all they're all looking around, looking at sky and looking at the ground, and they're they're like, we've heard all this before, so just be careful with that.
00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:54.400
And with that, you know, uh with that midseason slump, uh I'll this is kind of the finishing part.
00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:57.119
Have realistic goals of where they need to be at.
00:17:57.359 --> 00:18:03.920
Not goals that you would love to be at, but realistic goals, especially if you have seventh or eighth graders in your marching band.
00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:06.240
You actually do want them to stay in band.
00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:07.759
You really do.
00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:19.599
You know, don't work as the fundamental beatings will continue until excellence is achieved, you know, because if you just keep beating on them the whole time, they've got better things to do with their life.
00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:20.079
Okay.
00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:22.400
So uh have a realistic goal.
00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:29.359
Don't think that you're gonna have a I know bands that don't have their whole show on the field choreography-wise, until area marching.
00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:29.839
Right.
00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:37.200
They'll get through region without some of their show design actually implemented yet because they didn't have time, because they had realistic goals.
00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:41.839
If we shove all this on here, we're gonna have to reteach everything from square one.
00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:48.880
But if we just shove a little at a time and keep cyclically teaching, they will figure out where they're at in the show.
00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:56.799
And then we can put the last little bit in, this little move here, change things that you know what have you ever heard of called Plan Changes?
00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:11.599
You know, you have your show designed in a way that the band can do the whole show, but you've already planned with the drill designer three extra changes with the music writer, if you're lucky enough to have such people, that you're gonna change between region and area.
00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:12.799
Okay, let me say this.
00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:15.119
You know you're gonna change it because it's too simple.
00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:17.119
So you design a safe shoe.
00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:24.480
Yep, you design a few safe spots where you know I want something really cool there, but we can't learn all this by region marching.
00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:27.519
So we're gonna just gonna stand here and play and do a plie.
00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:35.599
But all of a sudden, at area marching, hey, by the way, at the end of the opener, we're gonna do two more drill sets in that last move.
00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:42.559
And we're gonna do three more choreographed moves, and then we're gonna add this two more whole notes with a release point with a cymbal roll.
00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:46.400
And you've already got a plan, so you're not having to make up crap on that word.
00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:49.279
I gotta say, self-censorship.
00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:53.039
Censored FCA is gonna come get me.
00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:57.119
But that way you have it already pre-planned, and that's how the drum corps do it.
00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:03.599
They have their whole show, what they're doing for DCI finals planned out, but they don't do it all at the beginning because they're saving things.
00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:07.920
So save a little something so the kids are like, we're doing something new.
00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:09.759
How cool! This is gonna be really cool.
00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:10.319
We're doing something.
00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:13.359
And I don't want to say this negatively, but it also leaves you with a fallback.
00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:18.079
If you can't get that extra thing done, you have the safe spot.
00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:25.200
Yeah, you have the safe spot, and uh and good, bad, or ugly, if the judges like it or don't like it, at least the kids feel confident when they're doing it.
00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:28.960
And I would rather say confidence than, oh, you almost did that.
00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:30.559
I could tell you weren't quite there.
00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:35.680
And if you can work through this stuff with your band psychologically, that'll give them a second wind.
00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:43.599
If they can get that second wind and get to that first like uh UIL big contest, then uh they'll they'll start to get excited again.
00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:46.079
They'll they'll catch that second wind and they'll get excited.
00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:48.720
But that's that's what we're doing, my friend.
00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:50.400
Well, I'm gonna say this.
00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:51.359
I'm stealing this.
00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:57.119
I have a friend at church that, and I thought it was genius when I heard her say it, but she talks about the magnificent mundane.
00:20:57.200 --> 00:20:59.599
Sometimes life is just the same thing over and over again.
00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:00.319
Yeah.
00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:06.480
And so, how do we make that as we've talked about the last 30 minutes or so?
00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:12.799
Not just consistent consistent, maybe not magnificent, but there is beauty in the process.
00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:14.960
There's beauty in repetition.
00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:18.880
We have to find it, we have to encourage it, and we have to celebrate it.
00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:24.000
So uh if you are finding yourself in the third week, Dolder's relax.
00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:25.599
It happens to all of us.
00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:26.960
It'll happen to all of us.
00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:33.440
Go back and listen to the things Mike talked about today and help your group push on through to the other side.
00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:35.440
Sorry, just came out of nowhere.
00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:37.680
So, all right, brother.
00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:38.480
Good stuff, man.
00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:39.119
Appreciate you.
00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:40.079
Good stuff.
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.280
Mike, there's a new term.
00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:07.200
It's not new, but I don't think it was I don't think I heard it until the last five to ten years.
00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:07.759
Okay.
00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:09.599
Bang Ban Tober.
00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:11.599
Ban Tober.
00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:14.560
That's because it didn't exist until a few years ago.
00:00:15.119 --> 00:00:26.399
And I think that correct me if you want to, but I think what we're talking about is uh, you know, now October is not just regional marching contest, region marching contest or area marching contest.
00:00:26.480 --> 00:00:28.719
It's a whole month or season.
00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:30.640
Some of them starting now in September.
00:00:30.879 --> 00:00:34.159
Yeah, some have already gone to BOA Las Cruces and BOA Valley.
00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:35.359
It's festival season.
00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:39.039
I guess last Saturday.
00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:43.679
So it's that I also think it's human nature at this point.
00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:51.840
You kind of have to, you know, I think directors are like, well, just the fact that we're going to these festivals or something, ought to get everybody motivated, but it doesn't always.
00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:52.399
Right.
00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:59.119
Sometimes it's our job as an educator and teacher to say, uh, my kids don't seem motivated.
00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:00.000
Yes.
00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:03.039
So I'm asking you, what do we do?
00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:05.519
Yeah, we uh we switched to choir.
00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:05.840
Yeah.
00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:08.400
I don't think that's what we do.
00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:09.599
No, that's not what we do.
00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:10.959
That's not at all what we do.
00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:19.200
But yeah, it is a something that's happened over the last, I guess, maybe 12, 13, 14 years, because we didn't have Ban Tober before.
00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:25.120
You know, we would go to one invitational, then we'd do our little contest, and then a few bands pre-UIL.
00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:25.359
Yeah.
00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:40.879
Pre-UIL, then a few bands would sneak out into region marching from to area marching, and then we'd only take like back in the day, we take two bands from region to state instead of you know having 35 bands, so you only had 10 bands in your class at state.
00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:44.239
So it wasn't quite the uh beatdown that it is now.
00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:47.840
Now, on the good side, is there's a lot of bands that are better bands.
00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:49.359
We have a lot more better bands.
00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:50.719
So there's a good side to it.
00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:54.000
So I don't mean to say that like we I wish we had it like the old days.
00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:55.200
Yeah, not necessarily.
00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:58.159
Some days I do, but other days it's like, man, these bands are good.
00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:00.560
But yeah, I'm gonna argue up front.
00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:13.520
There are some advantages to repetitions and going to different venues and doing your show in different places repeatedly so you get used to the fact that okay, it's gonna sound different, it's gonna and it doesn't freak you out as bad.
00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:20.800
And even down to the science and psychology of getting on a bus and traveling, and how do our kids get prepared at different stadiums?
00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:25.599
How do they change what they do to fit this particular changing area?
00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:26.560
Does it make sense?
00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:27.520
It does.
00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:32.000
How do they get used to, you know, because region has no prelims finals, right?
00:02:32.319 --> 00:02:34.879
But area does for most classifications.
00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:38.240
So, you know, the kids, you gotta you kind of need to take them somewhere.
00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:44.319
But what started out is a couple of extra contests, now some bands this Saturday are on their second contest.
00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:48.800
And then we're recording this the 25th of September, you know.
00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:53.919
So because getting ready for you guys' midseason slump coming up, because we know it happens every year.
00:02:54.080 --> 00:03:07.360
Um, right, but yeah, so the it's a process in which now what used to be a couple of contests and then a couple more for UIL has started in the middle of September and doesn't end till the 10th of November sometimes.
00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:10.560
So it's gone from a four-week process to an eight-week process.
00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:14.240
And that's not saying it's bad, it's just saying it is what it is.
00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:14.800
Okay.
00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:16.479
And so now you faced it.
00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:26.000
You got the midseason rut, the slump, and especially if it's a younger teacher, they've been taught how to teach music, they've been taught secondary methods, they know how to play their instrument.
00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:29.599
But they took one class called adolescent psychology.
00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:39.919
Child three hours, and that was Thursday morning at eight o'clock, and you slept through every Tuesday, and the teacher didn't really give a crap.
00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:46.240
So they went ahead and passed you, and you went ahead and went and practiced your clarinet, and you're fantastic, and your mama still loves you.
00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:59.439
Okay, but you have no earthly idea what to do with all these emotional hormone-driven teenagers that are now exhausted, their parents are exhausted, your staff is exhausted, and if you really want to face it, so are you.
00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:00.240
Right.
00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:03.520
It's not just physical exhaustion, it's mental exhaustion.
00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:08.240
Yes, because there's a certain amount of exhaustion that cannot be solved by sleep.
00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:08.960
Right.
00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:12.159
And that's that's the that's the rut we're talking about.
00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:19.680
And those kids now that I always I went through this with a band here in town because he said our rehearsal last night was terrible.
00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:22.480
And I said, It's the third week, isn't it?
00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:24.720
They said, Yeah, it's the third week.
00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:28.319
Every year on the third week, it's the same.
00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:31.600
Just say it, just do it.
00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:36.879
Because the third week of our season, we never rehearsed our show music on the Monday night of the third week.
00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:39.199
We did stand tunes and had popsicles.
00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:40.639
Hey, okay.
00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:50.480
Because we knew nothing was going to get accomplished on our music because they were they already, their classes have been solidified, the syllabuses were done, the newness is worn off.
00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:53.680
They're now starting to figure out they might be ineligible.
00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:56.959
Life's getting hard.
00:04:57.120 --> 00:04:59.439
They've just woken up 21 days in a row.
00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:06.560
It's uh six o'clock in the morning, and now you're expecting them to push on forward and get movement four on the field.
00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:08.160
You'd better be careful.
00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:12.480
You can dig your spurs into the horse, but it doesn't mean the horse is going to respond correctly.
00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:17.920
A lot of times, what happens when a horse is exhausted and you dig your heels, your spurs into that horse?
00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:19.199
It throws you.
00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:19.920
Right.
00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:21.759
And that's what the band will do.
00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:24.399
They will throw you and they know it's wrong.
00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:25.839
They do, they're good kids.
00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:28.160
The next morning they'll even come back and apologize.
00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:29.040
The smart ones.
00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:30.720
They'll go, We're so sorry, Mrs.
00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:31.279
So-and-so.
00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:32.720
We just know the rehearsal.
00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:34.160
We're just so tired.
00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:36.560
Okay, so let's let's go through this here.
00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:37.759
Midseason slump.
00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:40.480
Students are tired physically, emotionally.
00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:46.000
They're stressed about grades, they're bored with the constant sameness of each rehearsal.
00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:51.360
What are the things we can do to make it through that period of painful time?
00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:51.920
Okay.
00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:57.839
Number one, have students participate more in the learning process.
00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:00.639
You are not a fire hydrant.
00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:04.480
The information is not the water, and they are not the street.
00:06:04.959 --> 00:06:07.519
We are not just pushing water into the street.
00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:11.680
Our go-to move is to do more fundamentals with marching and music.
00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:17.040
So we line them up and we rehash some of the same method of teaching as some are banned.
00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:23.360
And we, if you're lucky enough to have a staff, become the only source of information and do all the analyzing.
00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:29.759
Solution, we give all the solutions, and the students simply receive information and nod their head yes and say, yes or no, sir.
00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:32.480
The following are methods to shake up this process.
00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:34.879
Run a portion of the drill or music.
00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:40.639
Have the students pair up real quick and discuss what went right and what didn't go right and how to fix it.
00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:42.480
Give them a little bit of time.
00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:44.639
Will they all talk about the show?
00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:46.319
Probably not.
00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:47.519
Probably not.
00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:48.720
Most will.
00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:50.240
But probably not all of them.
00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:54.959
Some will be on, yeah, that new cherry limeage, really good when you add some root beer to it at Sonic.
00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:57.120
You know, let's let's get one of those after rehearsal, you know.
00:06:57.279 --> 00:06:59.519
So, hey, so-and-so's really cute in the guard.
00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:01.199
Do you think she'd go with me to homecoming?
00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:05.279
You know, all these other all these extra conversations are gonna happen.
00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:07.199
And they will, okay.
00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:09.519
The students now become a source of solution.
00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:11.600
They're now actively engaged in the process.
00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:22.959
I like the the parrot method versus raise your hand method in front of the band because the raise your hand method just kind of accentuates the the students who are not in a slump.
00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:23.360
Right.
00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:27.759
The ones who are in a slump, they're just gonna sit there and just be a lump on the log, okay?
00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:31.040
Um, it's socially more safe for the students.
00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:35.839
They're not speaking in front of the entire band, they're speaking to one other person.
00:07:36.079 --> 00:07:42.560
And plus, all the students have an opportunity, I'll say it that way, have an opportunity to contribute.
00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:51.759
You can have them take out their phones and take turns uh with permission, taking video of each other's foot technique and posture, and then show it to each other.
00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:59.600
If it's just one kid videotaping another kid in rehearsal, make sure you clear this with your admin because this can get real tricky.
00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:08.240
But if they'll let you do it as a teaching function, just like we do in theater arts, just like we do in other classes, just like we do in athletics, um, it's worth a thousand words.
00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:08.639
Okay.
00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:10.879
Um, you can just show it to them.
00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:18.000
Uh have the ensemble sing or hum or buzz portions of the music instead of play their horns with dynamics.
00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:22.480
You can even be so entirely insane to go buy a bunch of gazoos.
00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:26.000
I'm going to different things.
00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:26.720
That's a great one.
00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:27.120
Yeah.
00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:27.600
Yeah.
00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:33.440
Just everyone picks up gazoo, and we're just going to do our whole show on gazoos, all movement ones, all on gazos.
00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:38.159
And even a kid who hasn't memorized their part, they know how their part sounds generally.
00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:43.200
So they will actually participate in the rehearsal, you know, with dynamics.
00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:43.759
Okay.
00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:53.039
Um, you can switch up a rehearsal at this time of year in October, track the show in block to eight to five marching on the track.
00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:55.360
You know, just have them play through it.
00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:59.440
You don't have to have it be a beat down, like a death march of whatever.
00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:00.320
You know what I mean?
00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:05.279
You just have them do part of the show and just then they can pair up and critique each other.
00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:05.840
Okay.
00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:06.399
Right.
00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:11.279
Um, another idea, have portions of the band play and other portions of the band analyze.
00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:14.240
Uh, some schools do it by class.
00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:18.639
It works pretty well, but only if you do it with the seniors first.
00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:20.799
Because they need to see how it's done the best.
00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:25.120
But there's usually a disproportionate number of kids between freshmen and seniors.
00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:32.320
So it's really kind of weird having your let's say you have 16 seniors, they all do part one by themselves.
00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:36.080
Might have one trombone, four clarinets, no French horns.
00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:39.679
Then you have the freshman play, and it'll be sloppy, but it'll be more of them.
00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:50.240
So I'm more of a proponent of uh, you know, assign them in the past in Summer Band, we'd always assign them a number, one, two, or three on our breathing plan.
00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:53.840
So they're ones, they're twos, or threes, and that's within either section.
00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:58.480
So I just say just have the ones play, have the twos play, have the threes play.
00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:00.639
Ones and twos analyze the threes.
00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:02.879
Threes and twos analyze the ones.
00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:04.720
And that way it's a real quick way.
00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:12.799
By class, um, even in today's uh societal norms, boy and girls not great.
00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:17.120
Um, you know, uh, do it by who's Democrat, who's Republican.
00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:19.919
Yeah, let's get let's get a real discussion going.
00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:26.960
You know, uh, you know, so things we used to do as kids that seemed almost normal aren't as normal anymore.
00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:32.879
So do it just assign numbers for whatever purpose, you know, are what bus they're on.
00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:33.600
Sure.
00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:38.320
If you have four buses, bus four play, bus three play, bus two play.
00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:40.000
Um, that'll help out tremendously.
00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:42.879
Maybe maybe they don't do this anymore, but we used to call them squads.
00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:52.159
We had squad leaders and we had squads that and it wasn't necessarily all homogenous instruments, but I don't think there's any problem with saying, all right, let's have squad competition today.
00:10:52.480 --> 00:11:01.600
Everybody's gonna, everybody else on the sideline, let's have squad, blah, blah, blah, or multiple squads, and we're all going to see how awesome you are, and they'll go out and play it.
00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:04.240
It doesn't matter if they've got melody or go in or not.
00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:04.639
Yeah.
00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:06.559
Go out, march your show, play your show.
00:11:06.720 --> 00:11:12.879
And at the end, typically everybody, and if there's something bad, I guess you got to be careful how you address that.
00:11:13.039 --> 00:11:19.120
But you know, typically, I think kids give fairly accurate critique, not always constructive.
00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:23.279
But maybe some sometimes a little blunt, but they do pretty accurate critique.
00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:36.159
But as far as engaging them and you getting out of the way, they realize it's a peer, um, it's peer critique as opposed to yeah, the old guy on the in the deer blind yelling at me again.
00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:36.879
Oh yeah.
00:11:37.039 --> 00:11:37.360
Yeah.
00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:41.200
It's kind of like the fluoresc fluorescent lights in the in the hallway.
00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:43.200
We buzz, we turn, we tune them out.
00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:44.559
You know, yeah.
00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:47.519
If you're real quiet and listen for them, you'll hear them.
00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:51.120
But if you're not listening for them, you won't hear them because your brain tunes them out.
00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:57.919
And just like we tuned out our parents, just like our kids tuned out us, they uh the band kids will tune you out.
00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:05.919
So it's that that's I make my a lot of my living being a uh a clinician simply because it's just a different voice.
00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:11.200
I'm saying you might say the same thing as the directory, but it's the same gospel.
00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:11.840
Right.
00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:14.639
I'm the evangelist of the everyday Sunday preacher.
00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:18.000
More people come forward to meet Jesus on with the evangelists there.
00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:20.639
It's the same gospel, it's the same Bible, you know.
00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:22.399
So the band's the same way, you know.
00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:26.720
This they're tired of their Sunday preacher, you know, they they got someone fresh in the pulpit.
00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:29.200
So uh that they'll give them a listen to, okay.
00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:38.080
Um change your music rehearsal from an arc to a circle so they can all see each other, get in the middle, do the old Matt Harloff uh Carolina crown thing.
00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:44.799
Uh change the order of players, get them in a circle, and then say, okay, everybody get next to someone else that's not in your section.
00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:52.720
Yes, you might have tuba, flute, uh, front ensemble marimba, guard student who's just knocking the crap out of everybody with her flag.
00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:53.519
You know what I mean?
00:12:53.679 --> 00:13:00.320
You know, so just get them in a different order so that that way they can that way they can hear themselves better and they're not leaning on other people.
00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:02.399
Or they might hear something they never heard before.
00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:02.879
Yeah.
00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:10.799
And I brought that up, but make sure your guard and front ensemble is involved in these processes we're talking about, because a lot of times we forget about them.
00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:14.159
You know, it's like, well, the guard, go work on your stuff.
00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:15.600
They're in a rut, too.
00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:25.840
Front ensemble, you know, they they look like the the guy in Lord of the Rings, Golem coming out of the band hall because they haven't seen the light of sun, you know, because they've been inside the band hall working on stuff forever.
00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:31.759
And they we finally know our drill and they come squeezing out of the band hall, sliming out of the band hall with their equipment.
00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:33.919
And it's like, oh yeah, I remember you guys.
00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:37.360
Y'all are used to be percussionists, now you're front ensemble, you know.
00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:38.960
And my name's Mike Lenny.
00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:40.080
I happen to be your band director.
00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:42.559
We haven't seen each other in six weeks, you know.
00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:45.200
So get them involved in this, however you're doing it.
00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:54.080
Uh, discuss real cool box five things, how to be more expressive visually and musically, have kids express it, kids who are involved in dance.
00:13:54.240 --> 00:14:07.279
Um, how we example, how we wear our uniform, how we use our posture, use a wider range of dynamics, fit our dynamics in with the rest of the ensemble, have the trumpet players talk about the hand of shame and the hand of honor.
00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:11.279
Okay, talk about how we want this section of music to feel.
00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:12.720
Think about that.
00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:15.279
How seldom do we talk about that, Derek?
00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:18.240
How do we want this part of our show to feel?
00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:20.960
It's always that release was wrong.
00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:24.799
You hung over, you didn't double double tongue fast enough.
00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:27.120
Okay, our balance is not correct.
00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:28.960
We came in late.
00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:33.120
How about how does this section of the show make you feel as a person?
00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:36.000
So we're talking more effect as opposed to technique.
00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:38.720
Yeah, even though they're not really ready for that yet.
00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:39.519
Sure.
00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:42.639
Let them delve into it.
00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:45.759
But it it is a mental eraser from the mundane.
00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:46.879
Oh, god, yeah.
00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:51.519
Talking about like when you go to one of those fancy dinners and they bring that sorbet out to cleanse your palate.
00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:52.000
Right.
00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.320
Like, why are they bringing us ice cream?
00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:57.279
Stupid redneck Michael Henny.
00:14:57.600 --> 00:14:58.879
Why are they bringing us ice cream?
00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:03.679
It's to cleanse your palate, sir, from the hors d'oeuvres to the oh, I think I need more ice cream.
00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:04.799
That's better than the hors d'oeuvres.
00:15:05.039 --> 00:15:08.080
Can we say have a the next course is more sorbet?
00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:09.919
Yeah, that's a escargot.
00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:11.600
More sorbet, please.
00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:14.080
Or orange sherbet is what I call it.
00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:16.159
I don't care to say sorbet.
00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:16.960
What is sorbet?
00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:18.000
Oh, orange sherbet.
00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:20.399
It comes in a push-up thing like a toilet paper tube.
00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:21.519
Yeah, I remember those.
00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:21.919
Yeah.
00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:22.480
Okay.
00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:24.080
So get them into those deals.
00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:29.120
And to kind of to work on some other stuff in it, director intensity.
00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:41.440
You will unwillingly feed off the energy of your band, and you will become into a slump because it's easier to just go along with them, you know, than it is.
00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:50.720
But realize as a director, even though you don't feel like it, you're gonna have to give a hundred percent energy hoping to maybe get 70% back.
00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:51.360
Right.
00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:55.840
But if you fall to their 60%, then they will fall to 40%.
00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:57.679
And it's hard.
00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:00.240
It's the old fake it till you make it kind of thing.
00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:00.720
Okay.
00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:05.120
And some things we always neglect until all of a sudden we get into a slump.
00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:09.519
Look real carefully at the transitions between sections of the show.
00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:16.080
Because we tend to rehearse, let's do part one, let's do part three, let's do part four, okay?
00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:18.080
Let's do the pep the drill team feature.
00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:18.960
We do it like that.
00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:26.480
It's not like, how are we gonna go from the drill team feature to the first set of the show instead of figuring it out Monday morning or Friday morning?
00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:27.759
Work on all those trends.
00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:33.200
Say we're just gonna spend a whole two-hour rehearsal, and all we're gonna work on is all our transitions.
00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:41.600
We're gonna work on how the guards are gonna get their equipment, how the front ensemble, and while they're doing that, the front ensemble can practice NASCAR pet crew.
00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:50.879
You know, they can pull all their stuff to the side, they can time it, bring it all in, set it up, hook it up, pull it all the way back out, do that about four or five times in a rehearsal.
00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:54.080
They'll be smooth as silk by the time you get to a contest.
00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:54.559
Okay.
00:16:54.879 --> 00:17:04.400
Those things will change up a normal rehearsal, you know, where it's not like, okay, fundamental block, playing block, articulation, arrival at that is wrong.
00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:05.519
Do it again.
00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:07.599
You know, you we all fall into that.
00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:16.880
Myself, I do think that even the most energetic personalities in the world fall into the oh yeah, we're just doing the same thing we did yesterday.
00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:18.160
So let's get started.
00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:18.559
Yeah.
00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:22.400
So I as a performer, I don't really even have to listen, you know.
00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:34.480
And as a director, it's like it's easier just to go on autopilot, you know, just put it on autopilot, and uh, and all of a sudden you're talking and then you kind of look out and you realize, I'm not even listening to myself.
00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:36.640
Care you to say, I don't even know what I just said.
00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:38.000
I don't even know what I just said.
00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:47.680
And all they're all looking around, looking at sky and looking at the ground, and they're they're like, we've heard all this before, so just be careful with that.
00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:54.400
And with that, you know, uh with that midseason slump, uh I'll this is kind of the finishing part.
00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:57.119
Have realistic goals of where they need to be at.
00:17:57.359 --> 00:18:03.920
Not goals that you would love to be at, but realistic goals, especially if you have seventh or eighth graders in your marching band.
00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:06.240
You actually do want them to stay in band.
00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:07.759
You really do.
00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:19.599
You know, don't work as the fundamental beatings will continue until excellence is achieved, you know, because if you just keep beating on them the whole time, they've got better things to do with their life.
00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:20.079
Okay.
00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:22.400
So uh have a realistic goal.
00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:29.359
Don't think that you're gonna have a I know bands that don't have their whole show on the field choreography-wise, until area marching.
00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:29.839
Right.
00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:37.200
They'll get through region without some of their show design actually implemented yet because they didn't have time, because they had realistic goals.
00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:41.839
If we shove all this on here, we're gonna have to reteach everything from square one.
00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:48.880
But if we just shove a little at a time and keep cyclically teaching, they will figure out where they're at in the show.
00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:56.799
And then we can put the last little bit in, this little move here, change things that you know what have you ever heard of called Plan Changes?
00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:11.599
You know, you have your show designed in a way that the band can do the whole show, but you've already planned with the drill designer three extra changes with the music writer, if you're lucky enough to have such people, that you're gonna change between region and area.
00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:12.799
Okay, let me say this.
00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:15.119
You know you're gonna change it because it's too simple.
00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:17.119
So you design a safe shoe.
00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:24.480
Yep, you design a few safe spots where you know I want something really cool there, but we can't learn all this by region marching.
00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:27.519
So we're gonna just gonna stand here and play and do a plie.
00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:35.599
But all of a sudden, at area marching, hey, by the way, at the end of the opener, we're gonna do two more drill sets in that last move.
00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:42.559
And we're gonna do three more choreographed moves, and then we're gonna add this two more whole notes with a release point with a cymbal roll.
00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:46.400
And you've already got a plan, so you're not having to make up crap on that word.
00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:49.279
I gotta say, self-censorship.
00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:53.039
Censored FCA is gonna come get me.
00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:57.119
But that way you have it already pre-planned, and that's how the drum corps do it.
00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:03.599
They have their whole show, what they're doing for DCI finals planned out, but they don't do it all at the beginning because they're saving things.
00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:07.920
So save a little something so the kids are like, we're doing something new.
00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:09.759
How cool! This is gonna be really cool.
00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:10.319
We're doing something.
00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:13.359
And I don't want to say this negatively, but it also leaves you with a fallback.
00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:18.079
If you can't get that extra thing done, you have the safe spot.
00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:25.200
Yeah, you have the safe spot, and uh and good, bad, or ugly, if the judges like it or don't like it, at least the kids feel confident when they're doing it.
00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:28.960
And I would rather say confidence than, oh, you almost did that.
00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:30.559
I could tell you weren't quite there.
00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:35.680
And if you can work through this stuff with your band psychologically, that'll give them a second wind.
00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:43.599
If they can get that second wind and get to that first like uh UIL big contest, then uh they'll they'll start to get excited again.
00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:46.079
They'll they'll catch that second wind and they'll get excited.
00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:48.720
But that's that's what we're doing, my friend.
00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:50.400
Well, I'm gonna say this.
00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:51.359
I'm stealing this.
00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:57.119
I have a friend at church that, and I thought it was genius when I heard her say it, but she talks about the magnificent mundane.
00:20:57.200 --> 00:20:59.599
Sometimes life is just the same thing over and over again.
00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:00.319
Yeah.
00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:06.480
And so, how do we make that as we've talked about the last 30 minutes or so?
00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:12.799
Not just consistent consistent, maybe not magnificent, but there is beauty in the process.
00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:14.960
There's beauty in repetition.
00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:18.880
We have to find it, we have to encourage it, and we have to celebrate it.
00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:24.000
So uh if you are finding yourself in the third week, Dolder's relax.
00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:25.599
It happens to all of us.
00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:26.960
It'll happen to all of us.
00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:33.440
Go back and listen to the things Mike talked about today and help your group push on through to the other side.
00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:35.440
Sorry, just came out of nowhere.
00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:37.680
So, all right, brother.
00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:38.480
Good stuff, man.
00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:39.119
Appreciate you.
00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:40.079
Good stuff.
