Ok, I've been wondering this for years and just thought of it again for some reason. Just curious, why does the FB marching band have a drum major like they do at Wisconsin or Ohio State? Love the OSU tradition of spelling Ohio and dotting the I. Curious why ISU doesn't have a drum major leading its band?
ISUVFMB Question
- Thread starter URBCLONE
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Ok, not a band guy, but I'm talking about the guy with the huge hat who leads the band on the field at half - Wisky band leader gets pretty crazy. I thought the leader of the ISU band was the guy on the ladder on the sideline?
Urbclone, you are (for some reason) thinking of the person that the Big Ten schools call a "drum major". What that conference's bands do is completely different from everybody else. The drum major in the Big Ten is basically just another featured twirler, using a mace; they don't direct the band. A faculty member is the actual conductor of the ensemble, both on the field and in the stands. Many Big 10 programs also have graduate students in music education or conducting serve as assistant conductors. Undergrads are basically never in a conducting position.
The Big 12 (and, for the most part, everyone else) have student drum majors who actually conduct the shows on the field and in the stands. They typically are undergrads (or also grad students, in a few places) and have a significant amount of responsibility in leading the ensemble. Iowa State has three undergraduate drum majors every year.
Additionally, Ohio State's stupid "dotting the i" tradition is done by a sousaphone, not by their "drum major".
The Big 12 (and, for the most part, everyone else) have student drum majors who actually conduct the shows on the field and in the stands. They typically are undergrads (or also grad students, in a few places) and have a significant amount of responsibility in leading the ensemble. Iowa State has three undergraduate drum majors every year.
Additionally, Ohio State's stupid "dotting the i" tradition is done by a sousaphone, not by their "drum major".
Thanks for the info! I knew there had to be something behind this. Last fall I noticed that the Big Ten schools did that and that the Big Twelve schools didn't. Have always kind of wondered about that. Thanks again.
Well said, except for the Ohio State thing. I personally like it and their band, there is a reason why they call themselves "the best damn band in the land."
I always laugh at the Iowa guy whenever they bring their band. That guy is either very "flambuoyant" in real life or doesn't really care what people think of him. I just don't think that kind of thing is done outside of Iowa City or San Francisco.
Plus the fact that the Big 10 is VERY traditional. Lots of stupid high-stepping, drums at funny angles etc. The OSU Band doesn't march any woodwinds. Just Brass. The Big 12 and ISU in particular do a pre-game traditional show with the spelling out of ISU and cyclones accompanied by the high-step, but their half time shows are actual shows that change every week. Basically, the Big 10 bands suck.
Texas's band destroyed OSU in their Bowl game this year. Lot better sound and instrumentation, and DRUMLINE!
Texas's band destroyed OSU in their Bowl game this year. Lot better sound and instrumentation, and DRUMLINE!
Every Big 12 band is better than Ohio State's band (Kansas might be bad enough some years to be down at OSU's level), but Texas was a particularly unfortunate comparison for them. The Texas band isn't the best in the Big 12, but they're good. Their drumline, however, is a force to be reckoned with. They are CRAZY good. The Buckeyes look like 9th-grade hackers in comparison.
You guys college educated? Hope ISU isn't responsible for your "tolerance."
Lots of people would. They do a 6 to 5 step about as well as anyone, but it's the only step size they take which makes the charts they do much easier to learn and clean up. It looks cool, but not too difficult in my opinion.
QFT. Congrats, they can march on rails really well. Now let's ask them to do concentric circles!
Oh wait- they can't. :wink:
CIRCLES? What's a circle? We can march in a straight line at the same step size with line leaders that aren't actually playing instruments and only have to march!
The A&M Band, while good at what they do, is incredibly boring to people who enjoy real marching bands. There's a reason that style phased out.
Does A&M have an actual marching band? I thought they had that corps-style group that did rectangles. Don't get me wrong - they are excellent at making rectangles, but I wouldn't call them a "marching band" except in some previous era military way.
Much in the way that Civil War Re-enactors are not modern combat-ready forces, A&M's "band" is not a "marching band".
