What To Choose? Which To Play?

Question

This is my last year in school and band camp is comin up. I've been in the front ensemble since freshman year and I've gotten an opportunity to play bass this year. I don't know which to choose. If my percussion instructor was stayin with us, I'd be in pit again, but he's leavin to become a director elsewhere. Plus, we don't know who's gonna be the new assistant director and percussion instructor. I've been offered the part, but I don't know whether or not to jump at the chance. I love mallets, but I've always wanted to march on the field. If given the chance 2 or 3 years ago, I would of taken it, but now...*sigh* I'm stuck in the middle of 2 instruments I love to play.

Can anyone out there help me see eye to eye on this subject? I really need help. We have band camp in a month and our field show has just been revealed on our blog (Beatles a la Jazz). What to choose? Which to Play? Any advice on making the pick?

~Mallet Pro~ :-)

Answer 1

It comes down to which you feel will help you further your musical abilities... on the field or in the pit?

My step-brother is a percussionist and has always preferred to be on the field.

I play bassoon, and the way my high school was set up we actually marched with our bell sets. We didn't have a pit like a lot of bands do now days. I wouldn't trade the experience of marching on the field for anything.

Hope this helps! Good Luck in your final year!

Answer 2

Funny, this is something I'm trying to decide too... In our marching band, we don't have enough drummers for a marching drumline, so we mount the drums on racks and play on the front sideline- that way, one person can play two or three bass drums. Anyway, I really want to go on to play in college, and I'm stuck with the same sort of choice: practice mallets and get really good to play in the pit, or learn to march so I can play on the line. I love mallets, but I also would really love to be part of a marching drumline. I know what a hard choice it is, but in the end, it's a personal choice- I'm going to have to decide for myself, and so are you.

I realize that you do love both, so it seems like it comes down to this: It's your last year. Do you want to do the same thing you've been doing, stick with what you KNOW you love, and what you do best- or do you want to take a chance at something new, and maybe it will be something you wind up loving more than you ever thought you could.

There are pros and cons to each decision. The one piece of advice I'll give is, once you do make that choice, stick with it. Don't think about what would have happened, what might have happened if you went with the other choice. Don't spend one minute wondering about or regretting your decision. Once you decide, put 110% into whatever you choose and don't look back.

Let me know how things turn out =)