Any other brass banders on MN?

[footballfan1963]

I’m quite new to the brass band world, I play 3rd cornet in a third section band. Taking part in my first area contest in Stevenage in March (London and Southern Counties).

Anyone else?

I play euphonium! Just left a championship band for something with slightly less pressure in run up too the areas but missing it!!

Yes exactly @RowenaCoxwell Im so glad I have my regular lessons and am progressing up the grades. Band playing is so different from playing solo. Those off beats! So difficult. I’m ok if the tempo isn’t too fast, otherwise not a chance!

Yes, I’ve played trombone since I was a child (now in my 50s). I’ve played with a number of bands, not just brass bands, as I’ve moved around the country - it’s so good for finding find a social life and people who are interested in the same thing. I’ve mostly played with Championship / first section bands, but these days I’m mainly a dep. im not currently signed with a brass band as I’m not that keen on contesting anymore. I mainly do big band.

I did Bandemonium last year - great fun!

I’ve done the London and Southern Counties contest a number of times. Good luck!

I doubt anyone is interested but I play the electric harmonica, guitar and head tamberine at the same time. I'm self taught and don't sound great but it was part of a 'new life direction at 50'/coming out of my shell and putting myself out there. I'm able to hook the harmonica and guitar up to a 12v battery which I carry in a push trolley behind me so I play on the street. Last year I busked in Bath (city) and took £25 before being moved on. I'm building my confidence up again and hoping to return for a repeat performance this Easter.

Was your competition this weekend, @bendmeoverbackwards ? I hope it went well for you.

It was today! Not our best performance but we finished 9th out of 17 which is respectable. I was surprised how nervous I was especially playing in an unfamiliar environment. Anyway it was a lot of fun!

I'm in a concert band but i live in the same village as The Black Dyke Band!

Congratulations @bendmeoverbackwards music is a great hobby and having something like this to aim for sharpens the mind!

Sorry for taking so long to reply. Top A still a reach for me. Hit it some days at band, more so at home. Practicing scales to try to improve it. I’ll get there. Keep trying to remind myself I’ve only been playing 18 months.

Good luck - sounds like you’re doing great!

Well done you all! That's an amazing experience

I'm hoping to join our local training band! So far I have a trumpet, John Miller's Trumpet Basics, and a grade 8 in violin and piano (they have been no help) and am working my way up to playing an octave. I can't do it for love nor money though. Why the hell won't the right note come out??!!😂

If anyone here is a euphonium, Eb horn or Eb/Bb bass or cornet (front row preferably) looking for a really really lovely friendly non- competitive (but top end of 3rd section standard) band Richmond Brass Band would love to hear from you!

www.richmondbrassband.com

please!

ETA feel free to pm me if you want more info

It's all about the embouchure. That said, I was not very good with the small mouthpieces. I'm happier where I am!

I’m NOT a brass bander (played oboe to age 18 and then like another poster I had to hand it back) but live in Oldham and go to the Saddleworth Whit competitions every year. If anyone here is heading there in June drop a post on here and we’ll give you a cheer on the night :-)

Pitching is so hard! I’m still struggling with it. Get yourself a fingering chart and try and play all the notes with the same fingering. You have to adjust your embouchure and blow faster for higher notes.

Hi, just wondering if anyone is taking part in Bandemonium this weekend? Followed by Wessex Summer school the following week! I’m doing both!

Hello lovely brass banders! I play 2nd horn in a training band. I love it, even though it is the hardest thing I do in my life. I love the camaraderie of being in the band. Also love to watch the Whit Friday at Saddleworth. It is the best evening out.

Used to be solo horn but haven't played for about 10 years. Sometimes I think it would be nice to play again but I'm just not sure I'm up for the commitment.

I love greenfield for watching, must admit I miss the crazy dashes and pint in every village (and maybe one on the coach!)

Hello lovely brass people. I am allowed to join in with Community band (used to be training band) tonight as there is no beginner group in the hols. Quite nervous!

I started in November with a euphonium - all new to me. Passed my grade 3, face-to-face exam two weeks ago - with merit despite the terror. Am thinking I might need some lessons to go any further - does that seem sensible? What do people do after grade 3 in terms of getting better and learning more.

I play flugel horn in an ensemble / small brass band. Not in the uk and we are a more concert band/wind band tradition and we would welcome and woodwinders who turned up, we just only have brass and percussion right now. Age range is 16 to 80, and skill level varies but somehow we make it work. We don't have a conductor, and we sometimes need to be a little creative with the parts to make it work with the players we have. But all in all it is fun and we do some decent performances

DD is a percussionist in our local training band and community band.

I have never played brass (I’m all about woodwind) but am inspired to pick up a cornet when I retire, or maybe DS goes to uni, or some other point in my life when I get a bit a free time. Or maybe a flugel.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroadsYou won’t regret it - lots of fun. Flugel is a fabulous instrument and often a very desirable seat in a brass band - and has a lot of solos - so maybe it would be good to start on cornet and work up to flugel )if you’re starting from scratch).

And also, there is a brass band version of ‘Life on Mars’!

Love my flugel ♥️ such a lovely sound.

Have you heard the brass Prom from Sunday? It was the Black Dyke Band & they were fabulous!