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[RE: Re: Baritones!]

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In reply to Allan Hawley.......

Comments noted.......

Every band is different.  Our band especially.  In our area, we have a 
situation where we probably have the best 90% of players in their 
current seats within the area.  Everyone, (bar a couple) who joins our 
band has proved themselves to be worthy of their seat.  As our area 
has a dearth of good players, not many are progressing through to the 
required standard of championship playing for whatever reasons, 
everyone knows in our band who are good players and those where 
there are rooms for improvement.  

Therefore, when something goes awry in a contest/concert, yes there 
are a few 'slagging off' moments, but these are not meant derisory, 
they are a little 'ribbing', but more so is to the fact that everyone in the 
band knows everyones' capabilities and knows that these 
misdemeanours should not have happened.  It gives certain band 
members a preverbial 'kick up the ass'. 

This is especially apt for myself.  Nick Childs is our professional music 
adviser.  This man is not daft.  He knows also who the good players 
are in our band.  When I get something wrong or make a mistake.  If 
you have ever been conducted by Nick, you will know he doesn't beat 
around the bush.  He tells you how it is.  Eg:  " That's  rubbish, 
did I tell you to play that way??!!  Well don't  well do it then!!!"  
(In a Welsh accent).  When he says this to me, I know that he knows 
that I can do it, so I think ' right you welsh ******, I'll show you'.  It is 
very effective for me.

I agree with what you have said.  A lot of bands, couldn't work that 
way, but I know a lot of top bands in UK do.  Motivation is a personal 
thing, each to their own, but in our band it appears that we have quite 
a few players that will and do perform better by the way we 'rib' each 
other.   

Dave McKay - Ever Ready Eb Bass Extraordinaire





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Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 22:40:35 +1000
From: Allan Hawley <ajays@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Baritones!
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dmckay bassman wrote:

> -  I keep it for ammunition for when they start taking
> the 'mick'.

I can understand the motivation for doing something like this, however, to me, if I was in a band where I felt like I had to
try and defend every wrong note I played I would give that band the old short shift.
I want to be encouraged in my playing, not derided and feel threatened by the attitudes of other players. If a band causes
such negative feelings, then I think they have lost the plot big time.

I believe this also comes into the 'motivating a band' category. The MD can only do so much, if the band is full of snide
remarks and one upmanship, then no matter what the person out the front does, it will be of little use. Unless it is of course
to confront the perpetrators and pull them into line.

Half the battle in motivating a band is the moral of the band to begin with. If you have a band with members willing to
support each other and socialise together I believe that a basis for a winning combination is right there. Thankfully, this
seems to be one of the strengths of the band I am in. It's not perfect by any means but practice is like being amongst a group
of friends, and not having to look over your shoulder all the time to check if anyone has added a few more knives.

Of course there is nothing wrong with a little bit of friendly rib digging every now and again. But I think we also need to
know when it is becoming detrimental.


Allan Hawley


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