Bassically

Bass-ically December 2015

The One The Only

Get an inside look at the LBJ Jaguar Marching Band. Page 6-9

Drum Core International

All about performing as a member of a drum core.

Page 18-21

Alterna-Pop Siblings

The story of the local band, Charlie Belle and their rise to success. Page 30-33

Photo by Tobias Broeker

Two Steps Off the Hash

Learn the details of marching drill. Page 12-15

The LBJ Band and You

All about the stress and hardwork of students in marching band. Page 24-27

Table of Contents Page 4: Contributers Page

The Contributers Page gives you a background of the authors of the magazine. It tells you a little more about the authors, gives you a description of their background, and tells you how they relate to music.

Page 5: Letter From the Editor

The Letter From the Editor is an introduction to the magazine. Reading it will give you a better idea of what the magazine is about, and is a fun way to start the magazine.

Pages 6-9: The One, The Only

by Peter Dubois The One, The Only is a feature story about the LBJ Jaguar Band. It is about the student experiences in the band and what it is like to be a part of such a cool program.

Pages 10-11: Parts of the Band

by Peter Dubois Parts of the Band is an ASF that tells you specific information about each instrument in the band. After reading this you will know more about each section of the band and how it all fits together.

Pages 12-15: 2 Steps off the Hash

by Gwyneth Boyden 2 Steps off the Hash is a feature story about what drill is and how it relates with band. After reading this you will learn what drill is, why it is used in marching band, and how it adds an effect to the music and the overall performance.

Pages 18-21: Drum Corps International

by Jason Brady Drum Corps International is a freature story about what it is like to be in a Drum Corps. It is a profile feature story, and after reading it you can decide for yourself if you want to join a Drum Corps.

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Pages 16-17: How To: Read a Set Card

by Gwyneth Boyden How To: Read a Set Card is a fun way of teaching you how to find a set in marching band. It gives you background on what a set card is and then gives you a chance to learn how to find a set on a field.

Pages 22-23: 7 Craziest Drum Accessories

Pages 24-27: The LBJ Band and You

by Jason Brady 7 Craziest Drum Accessories is an ASF about seven different weird but creative drum accessories that you can purchase for your drum. Keep in mind, all the accessories ARE real and can be purchased online.

by Tobias Broeker is a feature story about all the stress that marching band brings onto band kids. Although band might seem really hard to manage after reading this, it is actually very fun and definitely worth doing!

Pages 28-29: Amazon Music VS Apple Music

by Tobias Broeker Amazon Music VS Apple Music tells you the differences between Amazon and Apple music so you can decide for yourself which source you want to buy your music from, and which company you want to trust.

Pages 30-33: Alterna-Pop Siblings

by Travis Eaves Alterna-Pop Siblings is a feature story on the local band, Charlie Bell. It tells the story of the band and how it became famous. Maybe after you read this you can listen to their music!

Pages 34-35: Which Instrument Should You Play?

by Travis Eaves Which Instrument Should You Play? is a flow chart quiz that leads you to your perfect instrument. Relax, take a break, and have a little fun with this short quiz. And, if you already play an instrument, find out if your instrument is the right choice for you!

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Contributers Page

Jason Brady Plays trumpet in the LBJ band and has played drums for 5 years. He plays guitar and on some low degree, is a songwriter

Gwyneth Boyden Plays percussion in the LBJ band, played piano since she was 7 years old, and has been dancing competitivly for 12 years.

Peter Dubois Plays Tuba in the LBJ band, he was the tuba section leader in middle school and is now in the symphonic band at LBJ.

Travis Eaves Plays percussion in the LBJ band and has been playing drums for 5 years. He plays the snare drum on the drumline.

Toby Broeker Doesn’t play any instruments, and is mostly part of this group just to trash marching band. He is also a somewhat avid music listener.

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Letter From the Editor Bassically is a magazine that was created to inform readers about music programs at the Lyndon B. Johnson High School and Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA). All of the editors of this magazine are passionate about music, and put their passion into their stories. Whether you’re in band, orchestra, choir, or just love listening to music as a hobby, we hope this magazine is entertaining and fun to read.

Please respect the hard work put in by all five editors as you read.We hope that you gain a deeper understanding and a greater respect for the fine arts programs at this school after reading the magazine. Also, we hope that you understand this magazine isn’t perfect and there will be some flaws with it. Go Jags.

Sincerely, The Editor

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The One, The Only LBJ Jaguar Band Story By Peter Dubois

The LBJ Marching band in a set during their show, “Architectonic”.

The LBJ Jaguar Marching Band stands confidently underneath the stadium lights. The crowd grows quiet with anticipation. The band fills the stands with beautiful, brass sounds of Beethoven. Suddenly, a key note ignites the whole band to gracefully move as one. A whole. A family.

“It’s really a culmination of all this effort and passion for music and for each other that this organization has,” says Lynnsey Martin, a drum major in the band.

Students who choose to do marching band must rehearse for two hours a day after school as well as practice their music at home. According to Martin, it takes true dedication to work for three months during marching season. She says that marching band is one of the most unique and exciting extracurricular activities offered throughout high school, but while it’s fun to participate in with friends, it requires a lot of time and energy. Students stay after school to rehearse almost every day. On days where there are football games, students won’t get back home until after ten at night, and sometimes there will be school the next day.

“I think it’s really hard for people outside of band to understand what we do,” says LASA senior Emery Reed.

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Photo by LBJ Band Boosters

According to Reed, in order for others to understand the difficulty of marching band, they would need to come out to a rehearsal and watch the band practice their repetitions. She says that it can take weeks just to learn the show movements, followed by more weeks of practicing to make it look better.

The rigorous practice hours of marching band start weeks before school begins. New marchers must be trained on how to march, and returning marchers practice their fundamental skills. Then, everyone starts to learn their sets, which is where each member stands to form pictures. After everyone learns their marching, the music gets added in. A season consists of hundreds of hours of repetition and struggle just to perfect an eight minute show.

“It’s a big sacrifice, but it works out in the end,” says Reed. “You put so much in, and get so much out.”

According to Zach Stence, “Honestly, everyone should be practicing every day [outside of band], but with being at LASA, there isn’t a whole lot of time to practice and do homework.”

It may be hard, but according to Emery, the payoff is worth it. Finishing a season of marching band is an achievement in itself, but there are many upsides to being in marching band, despite the long hours. A

great final show leads to the feeling that all the hard work spent over hundreds of hours has paid off. Seniors get a sense of pride and accomplishment for their possible last marching show of their life, and freshman marchers get to celebrate with the friends they have bonded with over their first months in high school.

“Band gave me the opportunity to connect with people who I never would have talked to before, and, connect through something we were all passionate about, and that we really cared to make ourselves better for,” says Lynnsey Martin.

According to Martin, marching band allows students to bond with each other over a long period of time participating in a shared interest.

She believes that the band is a family, and the friendships formed through band are the best friends anyone will have throughout high school.

“Band creates an environment where you’re around these people all the time, and you begin to make friends with them because of the

“Band is the medium through which I’m able to connect with most of my friends.”

- Lynnsey Martin experiences that you go through together.

But with all the time to hang out with pals, rehearsal is top priority, and no one is allowed to quit.

The band directors make sure that rehearsal runs smoothly, and no one is slacking off on the field. According to Stence, it’s a matter of pushing yourself past what’s comfortable.

“Everything we learn and everything we rehearse requires an intense level of focus and a [high] standard that you have to hold yourself to in order to get better.”

The high standard is what everyone is held to at LBJ. There are no exceptions or excuses to not giving your all at rehearsal. According to Brian Mayer, lead band director at LBJ, if it wasn’t as good or better than the best rep, it was bad.

Mayer has been with LBJ for over a decade now.

In 2006, his senior year of high school, Mayer was a drum major for LBJ. Six years later, Mayer was an assistant band director for LBJ, and now, Mayer is starting his first year as head band director. He

Brain Mayer, director of bands at LBJ

Photo by LBJBand.org

says he teaches with the philosophy that everyone is responsible for giving their all to the band organization, and he’s not afraid to push students to work harder than they’re used to. Band members say they agree with his philosophy that everything is necessary in order to compete at the highest level.

“If you don’t push yourself to give 100 percent, you won’t make a good show for the end of the year, and there’s no chance that the band will make state.” says Stence.

Seniors and freshman are expected to perform at the same level come marching competitions late in the marching season. From day one of summer band until the end of season, marching fundamentals and show music are worked on so they are impeccable at competitions from each marcher.

“Band has just taught me how to work with people and [treat people] how people want to be treated, like the Don Haynes effect, where everyone needs to feel important,” says Reed.

According to Reed, members of band will gain

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The LBJ Band forming their school letters before a halftime performance.

Photo by LBJBand.org different life skills that they may not have had in elementary or middle school, but everyone gains something different. Reed says that she has gained a better ability to work hard and to get along with people, since she was shy coming into high school. Other students have gained other skills through band as well.

“Definitely one of the most important aspects that I’ll take with me from band is the ability to work hard, and pushing myself even when it’s difficult to focus on something, like we’ve been at rehearsal for the past three hours, it’s 100 degrees, we’re on the pavement and the Sun is blaring, I’m able to keep my focus and think about what we’re doing in the long run,” says Lynnsey Martin.

Focus and time management are difficult skills to have down in high school, but band challenges students to think about what they really need to work on to be successful in school.

According to Martin, doing schoolwork comes first. Not doing homework could lead to failing a class, and then the student will not be eligible to march, and all their hours of work won’t pay off like they could by participating in the show. She says that band pushes her to focus on work for school before play. Other students, however, gain social skills from band.

“I think the ability to work with people is a really big thing you get from band because people come from all over the town and that’s what’s really cool about LASA and you have people from the neighborhood with LBJ and you get to meet people that are so different from you,” says Reed.

Students choose to be a part of band for many reasons. Many students choose to do it because of their love for music. Others choose to do it because of the friends they make. Being at LBJ or LASA, they can make friends from all over Austin. For others, it’s a personal reason, like the case of Zach Stence.

“The main reason that I chose to do band was that it gave me an opportunity to express myself, and an opportunity to grow as a person that you can’t match anywhere else,” says Stence.

Band is a second family to everyone. Even the directors have reasons to love band more than just hearing pretty sounds and watching an exciting show. For Brian Mayer, he teaches for the students.

I don’t teach band for music. I know that might be surprising to some, but I teach it because the medium that we are given here, in marching band, is the best way to teach [students] about life.”

The hard work put in by band students goes a long way towards giving them success through school and life.

LBJ has a band program that balances work and play perfectly, to ensure that everyone grows together and enjoys their time with the band. Being in the band at LBJ allows for students to connect with others all over Austin, which is difficult to match at other high schools in Austin. The band directors and members are here to push each other to become better marchers, better musicians, and most importantly, better people. ♪ 8

Mellophone and Trumpet players in the LBJ band marching during the 2014 show. Photo by LBJBand.org

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Trumpet:

Parts of Clarinet:

The trumpet is the highest of the brass instruments, and The clarinet, like the flute, is a high-soundplays melodic lines as well as the high notes of brass ing woodwind instrument that plays melody and even solos in the show music. chords.

Mellophone: The smooth alto sound of the mellophone makes it perfect for playing most of the brass melody parts

Baritone:

The baritone plays lower melody parts and bass parts, but has a smooth brass sound and can play multiple parts.

Sousaphone:

The sousaphone is the lowest of the brass insturments, adding depth to the sound and forming whole-sounding chords.

Flute:

The flute is the highest instrument. It plays melody parts and is often a solo instrument.

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Saxophone: The three different types of saxophones can play a wide range of notes and parts in the show music.

Snare Drum:

The snare drum plays cool rhythmic parts underneath the melodies of wind instruments.

Tenor Drum:

The tenor, or quad, drum, can play up to six different sounds, starring in percussion features.

Bass Drum:

The bass drum adds a rhythmic pulse to the sounds, helping the band stay in tempo.

the Band Color Guard

Color guard is a non-musical section in the marching band that creates visual effect with flags, rifles, swords, and other props in the show. Some color guard members may have special costumes and movement routines to add the effect of a story to certain shows.

Drum Majors Drum majors are necessary to the successs of any marching band. They help keep rehearsals moving responsibly, teach new marchers how they are supposed to look when marching, and do field conducting during the show. Drum majors must be the most responsible people in the band, because of their responsibilites to making sure the band is prepared to march at football games and during competitions.

Without them, rehearsing and performing would be incredibly difficult, if not impossible.

Photos by google images

Sources https://fortmillhsband.com/ensembles/color-guardwinter-guard/ http://musiced.about.com/od/musicinstruments/a/bandinstruments.htm http://www.onlinedrummajor.com/infopages/dm_tryout. html

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2 Steps off the Hash

There are many different kinds of pictures in the world. There are profile pictures, head shots, full body shots, pictures of scenery such as oceans and sunsets, there’s polaroid pictures, and of course there are selfies. Many of us have heard of all these different types of pictures. But there’s one picture most nobody has heard of: Drill.

Watching marching bands in action is very fun, and the drill is the best part! It is so fun to watch the formations relate to the overall theme of the show with marching bands. In the Dripping Springs High School Band show, they have a cocoon set that relates to their theme which is butterflies. Seeing them perform made me feel like I was a part of the whole experience. The music, props and drill really pulled me into the performance.

What is Drill?

Drill is the term used for the visual, moving pictures marching bands create while performing. It’s used to add a visual interpretation of the music and in a way, make the music come to life. Within the drill, there are mini pictures, called sets. Each marcher has a specific spot in each set that when put together with the other marchers forms one large picture.

“Drill is pictures that the marching band makes on the field,” says Brian Mayer, Director of the Lyndon B. Johnson Marching Band in Austin, Texas.

“We give them what’s called a set sheet, and basically for every set or every picture in the show they get a coordinate that’ll tell them how far they are from different points on the field, like different yard lines or different hashes that’ll tell them where they need to stand within that picture.”

What is a Set Card?

A set card is a small white sheet that has coordinates written on them for each set. The band director will say something along the lines of, “Go find set 27,” and they will have to use the coordinates to find their spot. A coordinate will say something such as, “On the 40 yard line 3 steps in front of the front sideline hash.” Based on that, students are able to 12

By Gwyneth Boyden

find their spot using the yard lines and hashes, and the director can adjust them how he wants to. Then students will usually mark their spot with a piece of chalk, and go back and practice transitions to that set multiple times.

“They’ll be anywhere from sixty to eighty different pictures that we make,” says Mayer.

Making the Transition:

Students must learn to transition from one set to the next, hit their spot without looking down at the ground, and be able to take equal size steps in time with the beat. It is always better for students to take equal size steps than to hit their spot perfectly.

Any good band student knows: Always adjust the first step.

The directors are also looking for high energy level transitions and step offs. A step off is the first step that a marcher makes when moving to their next spot. Step offs should have high energy and all be in time. When students are changing directions, their first step should also have very high energy and be pointing directly to their next spot.

“To help a student, I might think of different points of view they need to take, like covering down, finding the diagonal, staying in the curve, all things that for an inexperienced marcher tend to take more time than a one with more experience,” says Ponder East, another director of the LBJ Marching Band and director of the jazz ensemble at LBJ in Austin, Texas.

The words that he uses refer to techniques that marchers use to hit their spots and still form a picture with the people around them. Directors helping students with transitions must take into account everything around the student and different techniques the students must use to their advantage.

“Repetition, repetition, repetition. As long as the students are focusing on taking equal size steps and taking a straight pathway to get to the dot with the style of drill we use, perfect repetition is the key to performing it well,” says Jason Boyden, the band director of Mona Shores High School in Norton Shores, Michigan.

When students are struggling, the main thing directors have to think is patience. The student will

Dripping Springs High School Band Performance 2014

by Wallace Marching Festival

usually get it in the end. They might also have drum majors (students who are key leaders in charge of the band) take students out during lunch to practice their sets.

“We have some staff on the field to assist individuals if they are struggling. We typically don’t have issues with students being unable to make sets, because our drill is carefully written and does not have them doing things are not impossible, like taking gigantic steps. That being said, there are still some students who struggle with the learning curve or who are not as physically coordinated as others.

With them, we just try to be patient and push them to work at their personal best until it clicks for them,” says Boyden.

With the director’s and other leaders’ help,

students are usually able to make their set. It is easier to get help when you are closer with your director and drum majors. It is rare that a student can’t make their set, since the drill is written carefully. But there may be times when a group of students are having trouble, and in that case a director may change the drill to make it work for them.

So now you understand what drill and sets are, and how they are taught to students. But how does drill get into the director’s hands? Where does it come from? Who does it come from? ♪

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How Drill is Written:

Drill is created by a drill writer that a band director hires to write their drill. They give instructions to the drill writer, and the drill writer uses those instructions to create each set of the show. The drill writer usually uses online software to create the sets and transitions and then sends the band director the drill they have created.

“We actually have a whole design team that does that. We have the guy who - we call him our program coordinator - actually designs and sketches out rough ideas of what he wants the pictures to look like and how the transitions should work and gives that to the drill writer before he starts writing any of the drill, and the drill writer just follows those instructions,” says Mayer.

Different band directors may communicate or give instructions to their drill writers differently.

“I typically send my drill writer the scores, the notated show music, which I have bracketed with all of the musical phrases that will correspond visually to the number of counts will be between sets. I also add any instructions about what I would like the drill to look like. For example, for our James Bond show this year, we have all of them dotted into a “007” during the first big musical moment,” says Boyden.

Regardless of how the instructions are given, every director wants to be able to have good commu14

nication with their drill writer. That way, if they have a problem with the drill, they can send it back and get it changed.

“When I have a problem with the drill I get I tend to let the drill writer specifically know what the issue is whether it’s the form that doesn’t look write or whether the step size to get to that spot is too big so that we can make an adjustment,” says Mayer.

“I find a new drill writer,” says Boyden

But since drill writers are trained with the software they use, there usually aren’t many problems with the drill band directors receive. It is hard for directors to go back and adjust drill so it’s important the drill is right the first time. Since drill writers are trained with the designing software they use, that is usually the case.

Most band directors don’t help out in the process of writing drill. They don’t know how the software works or have enough time to learn it. That’s why they hire someone else to do it for them.

“I do not help out with writing the drill because it takes a much higher level of education and time than I have. The computer program that they use to write drill is not very user friendly. It takes a lot of time to figure out,” says Mayer.

While band directors don’t help out much in writing drill, they are the key role to a good performance. They pick the music, can create choreography and visuals, and spend all of their time rehearsing

LBJ Marching Band Set from Stained Glass by LBJ with the band to make the show look and sound majical

“Other than providing the music with the phrases marked, not really,” says Boyden. “I do add visual elements, such as having the band play to the front or back sidelines, instrument movement or other choreography.”

The Satisfaction:

The whole process of writing the drill, having students learn their sets, and putting the whole show together is always an amazing journey for the students and band directors. It’s usually a process and performance they will remember their whole life.

“It’s great. It’s always an interesting journey because it’s one thing to just see the pictures on the paper and it’s a whole different thing to see them on the field and then see it with the music and see how it transitions from one set to the next,” says Mayer.

Band directors love doing their job and seeing their marchers loving what they do too. Marchers also love seeing videos of themselves performing and seeing how every set fits together and brings the music to life. Like the band directors, they have also put in a lot of hard work and dedication.

It is always fun to go to competitions and hear the judges and other band directors say great things about the show. It is also very rewarding when

the band advances at competitions, and it definitely boosts some confidence in the marchers and directors about their show.

“Helping with the marching band is a very rewarding job. There’s lots of work on both the music and marching. The time spent with the kids is fun and the progress that is made as a group and by individual students is a reward all by itself. When the band performs near to its highest potential, that is the biggest intrinsic reward. When the band is in competition with other bands, it’s also satisfying to earn a spot in finals, or advance to the next level of competition,” says East.

All band directors are usually very pleased with their product especially if they look at how much time was put into creating the show and how the final product compares to when they first began teaching the freshman the fundamentals of marching. It’s a very lengthy process, but it definitely pays off in the end, and Jason Boyden agrees. ♪

“It is truly a joyful experience to see something that you have spent so many hours imagining come to life. It is equally joyful to see the students enjoy the challenge of learning the show and performing it with excellence.”

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How To: Read a Set Card

By Gwyneth Boyden

These pages will teach you how to find one set in a marching band show using the correct terms and testing your ability to find your dot. ing band members use to learn their marching sets for drill.

Drill:

Drill is the set of visual pictures that a marching band Set Card Terminology: makes in their marching band show. It is a visual • The front sideline is the | | on the far right representation of the music. It is the formations the band goes through while their playing their music in • The front sideline hash is the | | in the middle right a performance such as a half time show.

• The back sideline is the | | on the far left • The back sideline hash is the | | in the middle left Set: A set is one spot or picture that a marcher has to hit • Side one refers to the bottom half of the field in the show. It is one picture within the performance. • Side two refers to the top half of the field • There are 8 steps between every 5 yard lines • “Inside” means towards the 50 yard line Set Card: • “Outside” means away from the 50 yard line A set card is a small white sheet of paper that march-

Pick Your Favorite Color: Red - Side 2: 4 steps inside the 45 yard line: 4 steps in front of the back sideline hash Orange - Side 1: 1 step outside the 5 yard line: 3 steps behind the front sideline Yellow - Side 2: 4 steps inside the 5 yard line: 8 steps in front of the front sideline hash

Green - Side 2: 1 step outside the 15 yard line: 4 steps in front of the back sideline Blue - Side 1: 3 steps outside the 10 yard line: 8 steps behind the back sideline hash Purple - Side 2: on the 25 yard line: on the front sideline hash Pink - Side 1: 4 steps inside the 30 yard line: 6 steps behind the front sideline hash Brown - Side 1: 4 steps inside the 40 yard line: 5 steps in front of the back sideline Gray - Side 1: on the 20 yard line: 6 steps in front of the back sideline hash Black - Side 2: 4 steps outside the 50 yard line: 1 step behind the front sideline White - Side 2: 2 steps outside the 25 yard line: on the back sideline hash 16

Side 2 10

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10 Side 1

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T The sun bears down on your chest and back, sweat drips off your brow stinging your eyes. The director yells at you to keep marching and you begin playing complex notes and rhythms. It’s the 12th hour of practice for today and your arms are growing tired. Your feet are blistered and sore, and you realize that this is Drum Corps International.

“I would describe DCI as a professional marching band,” says Brian Mayer the Lyndon Baines Johnson High School band director from Austin. ”There are much higher physical demands than [High School] marching band.”

This “professional marching band” accepts teens 1521, at least those who can survive the intense audition process, and gives them a chance to march with the best players from their area. DCI practices and auditions are well known for their extreme difficulty, and the shows of some drum corps’, are known to be amazing.

DCI teams practice over the summer for up to 12 hours a day to prepare for the world’s most competitive league of marching, it goes without saying that these 12 hours are extremely difficult.

“Rehearsals were brutal,” says Star Wasson, a mellophone player from Austin

A percussionist for the Blue Devils DCI team plays the Snare Drum. Photo Credit Google images

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Drum Corps International A Look Inside Competetive Marching By: Jason Brady

“I would make sure that they[anyone looking to join DCI] are extremely committed to their high school marching band and learning as much as they can during rehearsals” Brian Mayer who participated in DCI last year. “The hardest rehearsals were probably our brass rehearsals, where we would stand in an arc for at least two hours in the sun, and it was usually over 100 degrees.”

The long and sometimes grueling rehearsal days occur 5 days a week over the majority

of summer, causing an astounding number of overall practice hours. These practice hours add up to make a show that can hopefully compete with the rest of the world, and with some of the talent going into each team this is no small feat.

“There are thousands of people trying out for a very limited number of spots pertaining to how many corps there are,” says LBJ percussion director from Austin Christopher Lizak,”

so it’s very, very hard to get into a corp.”

The audition process is what helps teams figure who is good enough to join their drum corps. While each corps has different audition standards these auditions are known to be very competitive. This audition process is rigorous, just to audition for some drum corps is up to $95 (Drum Corps International Website). This doesn’t even include some of the drum corps audition 21

Drum Corps International

Image By:Google Images

“I have a passion for music that I don’t have for anything else and I am willing to push myself past my comfort zone just for drum corps and the sake of performing.” says Wasson.

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camps which give you the opportunity to have a practice with professionals to work on the audition music, this can cost another $125 (Ascend Performing Arts Website).

“I would make sure that they[anyone looking to join DCI] are extremely committed to their high school marching band and learning as much as they can during rehearsals about not only their role in the show, but also how things are taught, how drill is cleaned, and other big picture things.” Says Mayer, ’ They should have a good understanding of how the entire product works together.

I would also suggest that they find someone who has either marched DCI or teaches at DCI to help prep them for auditions.”

“Get the music in advance as much as possible, practice as much as you can, and contact the staff to see if there is anything specific that they are looking for.” says Lizak If anyone is looking to improve their audition for any musical performance these tips are highly recommended by professionals, like Lizak and Mayer. These tips can be used as mentioned earlier, in any professional music audition.

I learned these tips, and applied them when auditioning for marching band, however marching band and Drum Corps international are quite different in many ways.

“DCI is a lot more intense than the LBJ Marching Band,” Says Mayer, “We rehearse 6-8 hours a week, they rehearse 8 hours+ a day. There are also much higher physical demands in DCI, like faster tempos and larger steps.”

This intense practice schedule is much harder than an average marching band’s. The overwhelming schedule, meticulous and expensive audition process, combined with the grueling practices, raises the question who would want to put themselves through this? What kind of person is it who gets into a Drum Corps?

“The people that get into DCI tend to be extremely talented and hardworking musicians,”Says Mayer, “ that absolutely love everything about marching band and want to be pushed to a performance level passed what they experienced in high school.”

There are many reasons why some people join DCI. Many for the resume, the bragging rights back at their home schools, and for the

acquiring of new skills. While all of these are perfectly valid reasons for joining a drum corps, Star seems to have a more personal feel towards marching and music.

“I have a passion for music that I don’t have for anything else and I am willing to push myself past my comfort zone just for drum corps and the sake of performing.” says Wasson.

Wasson seems to have had a great experience and says...

“I would [recommend DCI to another musician], it does take a certain kind of person to want to do drum corp but I think anybody who has the right drive can be successful.”

DCI can be difficult but when someone loves music enough to endure through the 12 hour practice days in the heat of summer, can come away with a new set of skills, and a whole new set of experiences. Learning and loving music can prove to be a very admirable skill, especially when attained at such a high cost as Drum Corps International. Drum Corps International is often times a stepping stone for young musicians who want to become better at music and boost their career as a musician, as well as learning some valuable life lessons as to how to push through the pain for the prize. Even though DCI is full of sweat, grime, and determination it is still an amazing experience and produces an uncountable number of benefits for anyone who applies themselves and takes advantage of this program.

Wasson says, “ but at the end of the day when we did our full run I felt a sense of achievement” ♪

Brain Mayer, the LBJ band director, poses for a photo. Photo Credit LBJ band

Cristopher Lizak the percussion director at LBJ, poses for a photo. Credit, Photo Credit LBJ band

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7 Craziest Drum Accesories

7Moongel Workout Pad This practice pad is squishy, allowing the stick to sink into it. This makes fast and precise practicing more difficult and beneficial.

Photo by google images

FireStyx

6

These sticks light up and flash whenever you hit something with them.

Photo by google images

5 Bass Drum Lift

This device lifts your kick drum off the ground so that it makes a more resonant tone, but looks somewhat ridiculous.

Photo by google images

Bass Wood Beater

4

A block of wood you can attach to your bass drum beater for a more articulated kick drum 22

Photo by google images

3 Vic Firth Titan Sticks

These sticks are very durable and are all weighted the exact same, but costs $50

Photo by google images

Tambourine Drum

2

These tambourine cymbals clasp onto your drumstick so that with every hit, there is a tambourine sound.

Photo by google images

1Vader Cup Holder This average cup holder, attaches onto your drum set and allows you to drink while you are playing.

Photo by google images 23

LBJ Marching Band and You

By Tobias Broeker

Photos courtesy of google images

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Photo by google images

H

ours and hours of John Hearn’s life are spent on band every week. Because of band he has to put off his other responsibilities, such as homework, chores, and school. Marching band has put a hold on his social life; he has practically no time to hang out with friends or goof off. The baffling thing? John Hearn and many others are planning on taking band for the rest of high school and maybe into college.

Almost everyday, after school, these students head out to the parking lot and practice marching band drills and routines until 6:30 p.m., before getting picked up or riding the late bus home. They do this every day other than Tuesday, while also having to perform at a football game on Friday.

When asked about the amount of free time marching band students have, says Brady,, “My amount of free time overall [is lacking]. I have a lot less time with marching band, but I really like marching so it’s pretty much free time.”

Photo by LBJ band

“With marching band there is a lot of things I cannot do. Like I can’t go to ACL because there is a marching band thing during the weekend. It definitely limits my schedule,” says Hearn, another LASA student.

Photo by LBJ band

“There are extra rehearsals, performances, and music to learn for being part of marching band, so we do require a solid amount of work from [our] students,” says Christopher Lizak, the LASA /LBJ percussion director, before continuing to say, “A typical week is six hours of rehearsal plus a football game.” Six hours does not sound like a lot but considering the amount of time taken up by school and other responsibilities.

Time constraints from marching band not only limit the amount of free time but they also limit the ability for band students to hang out with friends, make plans, do other extracurricular activities, go to events, or even get adequate time to finish homework.

“It’s a miracle if any of the band students have any free time at all,” says Jason Brady, a LASA band student.

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Photo byf LBJ band Marching band also has devastating effects on a student’s ability to join and participate in clubs and other after school activities; with many students having to make a choice between having a friday or sacrificing it and join a club. After school clubs and activities also have to conform to marching band’s schedule. Any club that does not operate on tuesdays, marching band’s offday, are forced to deal with poor attendance.

“Marching band... it kinda destroys the rest of your life. But it’s in a good way because of all the fun that comes with it. but I mean I don’t really have time to do anything so I have to plan accordingly for the rest of the week and what I do on weekends,” says Hearn.

Because of the time constants of marching band, LASA band students emerge with a large amount of new skills and friends, Lizak says, “Band teaches you time management skills, a lifelong love for music, and [gives you] a group of friends that you can have for years to come.”

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The tight schedule of band comes with added stress to a high school career. At LASA this is especially prevalent. Because of the abnormally large amount of homework at LASA, some students find it hard to make enough time to finish it. “[Marching] band definitely adds stress to LASA, because LASA is already hard and because you’re also not getting two hours four days a week to do your homework because it’s taken up by marching band,” says Brady.

Luckily for marching band students help is easy to find when they are struggling, Lizak says this on the subject,”If a student comes to me and asks me for help dealing with stress, I offer them every strategy I know to make things easier, and give them examples of how I dealt with stress, since I was once in their shoes.”

With all of the added stress and diminished freetime that marching band offers, you have to wonder, why people still take it. Many students offer varied responses when asked why they take marching band, and some, like Hearn, would even go as far as to recommend Marching band to others. This is what he says, “ I would definitely recommend it because of all the places you get to go and people you get to meet and all the fun that gets put on [by the band].”

Some students joined marching band because of the large community of friends that comes with it.

Hearn says that he likes marching band because “you get to be in this huge friend group” later saying, “I really really like marching band a lot because of the comadere and the interaction we get to have between the band [members].”

However other students such as Brady join band for their love of music, “to play music with other people... playing music is just a great feeling”, says Brady.

Photo by LBJ band

Another reason many students take band is because of the large amount of opportunities and experiences that come with band. “You have all these opportunities open up to you, you get to go to places like... we’re going to San Francisco this year”, says Hearn.

With such a large range of reasons for joining the marching band many students try it out, and stick with it for the rest of their high school career. “[I recomend band for] anyone who has a passion for music and presenting it to the general public!”, says Hearn.

Many students believe the community, opportunities, time management skills, and fun that comes with band, far outweigh the added stress and lack of free time. When asked whether they would be taking band again in the feature both Hearn and Brady replied in the affirmative, Hearn even going as far as to say that he was planning on “doing marching band for the rest of high school.”

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Price The price of Amazon Music clocks in at around $99 dollars a year or $8.25 a month. Not only included in this price is Amazon music but a full subscription to Amazon Prime and access to Amazon’s video streaming service, Amazon Instant Video. With your subscription to Prime you are allowed to use Amazon Music on up to 10 devices with no additional charge.

Sound Amazon Music allows users to listen to differentiating sound quality’s in their music. The highest of which is 256 kbps

Selection

Phot by GooIgle Images

Amazon music has launched with over 1 million songs and the intent to add more songs as more time went on. Many users have critiqued Amazon over its lack of a some of the better known artists.

U.I Amazon has gone for a more clunky and dark and has not emphasized user experience or the look of the app in it’s development cycle. Many users have found it hard to learn and sluggish.

Conclusion

Amazon offers users a good product for a better price. Users who want the extra features coming with this product, users who want to save money, and families who do not want to pay extra are all recommended to purchase Amazon Music.

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Price Apple music clocks in at around $9.99 dollars a month or $119.88 dollars a year. Included in this price is one activation of Apple music on one device. Those users looking for additional deceive usses may pay an additional $5 dollars a month and an additional $60 a month for Apple’s family plan which includes 3 additional devices.

Sound Apple music allows users to stream or download music at a bit-rate of 256 kbps.

Phot by GooIgle Images

Selection Apple music has launched with over 30 million songs, blowing Amazon out of the water. Not only does Apple offer a larger selection of music but it also offers access to brand new singles and exclusive albums.

Phot by GooIgle Images

U.I Apple music offers an extremely well thought out, sleek, and easy to use design with a large emphasis on user experience. It is obvious that apple has spent a lot of time and development on their U.I.

Conclusion Amazon offers users a good product for a better price. Users who want the extra features coming with this product, users who want to save money, and families who do not want to pay extra are all recommended to purchase Amazon Music.

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Photo by Barclay Ice & Coal

Alterna-Pop Siblings

By Travis Eaves

By Travis Eaves

J

endayi and Gyasi Bonds sit in their bedroom and videotape themselves playing a cover of Stephin Merritt’s “Strange Powers” under the name Rank+File, in 2011. Little do they know what it will lead to. The video gets popular on youtube and is featured in Popcandy of USA Today. Their career takes off from there. Four years, and two bassists later, the brother and sister duo are well established in the Austin music community and are well on their way to lifelong careers in music Frequent of the ACL stage, Austin Chronicle’s “It Girl,” songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist, Jendayi has just released a new EP, I Don’t Want To Be Alone, with her drum-playing brother, Gyasi. Together, they are Charlie Belle, called, “the coolest (and 30

was like, ‘Why not?’”

Gyasi and Jendayi started playing music while they were still living in Philadelphia and took youngcourses at the Paul Green School est) band y o u of Rock. Similar to Rock Camp need to know,” by Nylon Maga- USA at Austin School of Music zine and, “musicians you’ll tell or Girls Rock Camp, it is a proyour friends about in 2015,” by gram to help young musicians NPR, with a style that Jendayi learn to play an instrument and calls, “alternative pop.” All of this work with other musicians their age. Part of their program at Paul Green’s was playing shows, so they got lots “[Gyasi] played drums and I played of experience performing guitar, it was like, ‘Why not?’” early in their lives. When -Jendayi Bonds they moved to Austin, it was easy to get into the scene. Jendayi worked with before either of them has gradu- Girls Rock Camp for a few years ated from high school. after moving to Austin, and got to “Basically, everyone [we know Austin’s teen music comknew] was in a band,” said Jen- munity. They have worked with dayi, when asked how she and her bassists in the past, but they were brother started the band, “[Gyasi] a two piece band for their recent played drums and I played guitar, it album, I Don’t Want to Be Alone.

red it Ph oto by Wi ll B ran ch

Ar tC

Photo by Barclay Ice & Coal

Photo by Barclay Ice & Coal

The brother and sister band played benefits and fundraisers to get themselves out there and, more recently, Charlie Belle has been writing and recording its own music.

“The first album was easy just because we didn’t know it was going to become an album, so it was just writing songs and we just put them together, but the second album, the one that we just came out with,” says Jendayi, “That one was harder because I knew that I had to write for an album.”

Charl i e Belle’s first album, Get to Know was released in January of 2015 and was, as Jendayi says, easier to write and produce than their second album. It was a simpler, more organic process putting it together, like, more of a compilation. The second album was labored and carefully crafted, sort of like a story, something made to be listened to as a single piece.

I Don’t Want To Be Alone

It’s hard work with eight or ten hours of recording in each day and a substantial number of potential songs thrown out in the process.

Get to Know

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“I wrote, honestly, fourteen songs...and I played builds off of it. She says she sometimes has a mothem and I sent them to my producer and he listened ment of inspiration.

“It usually starts out small, like I’ll hum someto all fourteen,” said Jendayi, “He was like, ‘Um, thing, then, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s it!’” says Jendayi. maybe we’ll keep five of them.’”

The drums are different. As an acTo record a song, you have to do companiment instrument, the six or seven takes all together drum parts are written to fit in the studio, and listen to the melody, not the other each and find the best one. way around, so they are Charlie Belle did someadded in after a song thing called “tracking” is written for guitar where the band plays and vocals, and may together, but the inchange on the fly. It struments are isolated doesn’t really matter as in the process. Then, long as the groove fits you can listen to each the song and keeps the isolated track for your intime. A good groove, in strument and pick out your time with the other musicians mistakes. It takes multiple or that has good “pocket,” makes ten-hour days to record an album, Photo by Will Branch a good drummer. and there’s a steep learning curve. Zoe “I don’t even know how I choose rhythms Czarnecki, former bassist of Charlie Belle explains for songs! I’ve been doing it so long, it’s so natural that the work is and I don’t know long and frustrathow to describe ing, but worth it. “[My producer] listened to all fourteen [songs]. it.” says Gyasi “It’s just so terHe was like, ‘Um, maybe we’ll keep five of them.’”

Bonds, drummer rible to sit there and vocalist of -Jendayi Bonds and find everyCharlie Belle. thing you did Drum fills wrong. [However,] are very similar.

I’m really glad I got to do it, it was suFills are what a drummer plays durper, super cool. When listening ing transitions in a song to tie to other songs, later, you’re two musical ideas together kind of thinking through, and/or add an extra layer ‘How did they record of color. Sometimes this?’”says Czarnecki.

Gyasi will write a fill The process of before hand and play writing a song is a lot it precisely during a easier than recording show; other times, it and there’s no rush he will improvise to get in and out of a one on the spot. With studio. A song could his experience behind be written in minutes, the kit, he knows exor years. Songs can be actly when and how to written in a number of ways. play a tasteful fill. How and They can start with a chord prowhen a fill is played is what dePhoto by Will Branch gression or even a lyric. Jendayi has fines a drummer. written all of Charlie Belle’s songs, the guitar and Recently, Charlie Belle was signed to Fanatic vocal parts at least, and she says she usually starts Records, but before getting signed, Jendayi had to with the hook, something catchy and melodic, and book all of their gigs.

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“I’d call people up: I was probably like twelve or thirteen and like, ‘Hi I’m Jendayi, I’m in his band, please book us,’ and I think the bookings that we did get were because I sounded like a baby and they were like,

the acceptances she did get.

Now that Charlie Belle is signed to a label, Jendayi doesn’t have to worry about booking very much, she can focus on playing and writing.

“...I think the bookings that we did get were because I sounded like a baby, and they were like, ‘Awww, ok.’”

-Jendayi Bonds

‘Awww, ok.’” says Jendayi.

Jendayi says the key to booking your own gigs is persistence. Jendayi got lots of declines, she heard “No” a lot.

She had to be ok with that and be happy with

Jendayi Bonds

It was really hard to be taken seriously just a couple years ago,” says Jendayi, “But now it seems like people are seeing Charlie Belle as a serious thing and not just like, ‘Oh, it’s a kid band, that’s really cute.’”

Photo by Will Branch

Gyasi Bonds

Charlie Belle is coming out of the realm of “kid bands” and into the realm of “real bands,” it’s a serious group.

Now, instead of calling around or sending emails, the venues are coming to Jendayi, and she doesn’t have to play for free anymore. Charlie Belle is getting a positive response from the public. .

With being signed by Fanatic, Jendayi has a lot less to worry about. She has more time to write music and play music.

Before, she had to juggle music, school, work, and booking gigs. Now she doesn’t have to worry about booking and has more time for everything else in her schedule. Jendayi is still busy as it is, but we will see a lot of

Photo by Willl Branch

new music coming from her in the next year.

Jendayi and Gyasi agree that the future of Charlie Belle is very promising. Both musicians are very talented and clearly, music is what they want to do.

They will likely stay well known musicians for the rest of their lives.

“I literally just can’t see myself doing anything else,” says Jendayi, “I definitely need to do music. Even if it’s not like performing in a band, I hope that I can be a songwriter for other musicians someday, so if that means I write for Charlie Belle, but I also write for other people, I would love to do that.

It’s what I’ve found that makes me feel like I’m a whole person.” ♪ 33

Start

Do you see yourself as a frontman?

Are you willling to take music seriously and practice?

Yes

No

Do you want to play classical or modern styles of music?

Modern

No

Classical

Do you enjoy being the center of attention/have something to prove?

Photo from commons.wikimedia.org

You Should Play Slide Whistle

No

Yes Photo from commons.wikimedia.org

You Should Play a Brass Instrument

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What instrument should you play?

Yes Yes

Photo from freeestockphotos.biz

Photo from pixabay.com

You Should Play Bass Guitar

You Should Play Guitar

Yes Photo from pixabay.com

You Should Play Drums Are you agressive and/or anxious?

No

No Photo from commons.wikimedia.org

You Should Play a Percussion Instrument Do you want to be treated as part of the band?

Yes Photo from pixabay.com

You Should Play a Woodwind Instrument

35