Time Change Challenges for the Hobbyist

[Gandalfe]

Some of my favorite tunes have time changes that just kick the average community band player's butt. It surprises me how hard the changes are for the average player, but then most of them don't take lessons anymore and some never practice except when the director's talking.

I really hammer those in the sax section who don't take lessons and are late bloomers. I was talking to a tenor player who thought he could coast and only got in because his wife is a stellar French horn player.

Fortunately our directors (Concert, Jazz band, Big Band) don't cut these bands any slack, mixing challenging numbers with the easy to play. So the experience is more like a school band than a community band. And we do encourage sectionals.

 

[Enviroguy]

I am not sure of your situation, but you have to remember that all those folks in your community band are volunteers. If you have people fighting to get into your band, then being highly competitive and pushing the players is ok. But in my neck of the woods, you are lucky to find enough folks to make the band work.

For me, I have to first respect my players for just showing up regularly. After that I can start teaching them. Plus, fun music is always much more pleasing to the crowd than hard music can ever be.