Do percussionists ever get bored?

[Nuke]

Ive only recently sort of had a go at percussion cause Emley dont need a trombone player of such a low standard as me. Playing timps and glock and stuff bored me out of my tiny little mind. Do all percussion players get bored when they have to wait seventy odd bars to play a triangle?

 

[Trigger]

Yes they do. I'm a cornet player, but I have had a go at percussion for a couple of contests and it is a bit of a pain when test pieces such as the areas don't have much percussion in, because it is difficult to keep them interested while the other parts are being rehearsed. But at the end of the day, if someone chooses to go on percussion, they have to accept the fact that there will be some occasions when there isn't much to do.

I have known percussionists in the past that have had it really good. Endless pieces of music with excellent percussion parts and pleanty to play and all the gear and he still moaned and threw his sticks out the case when it came to rehearsing slower music without all the 'banging and clanking'. :roll: It's about having respect for the other parts in the band that need rehearsing.

Having said that, I do understand that it can be really difficult when there is next to nothing to play and when that happens, it is understandable that it gets a bit boring.

 

[jo]

yes, but fortunatley most of the stuff we do at carlton main has lots of percussion in it, and trying to cover 4 parts simultaneously when the lads dont turn up keeps me too busy to get bored! the trick is to get someone to cue you a couple of bars before you come in and then you can just let your mind wander during the other 68 bars!

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

I've got bored before on several occassions... part of the reason I took up brass was cos of my occassional boredom in my first band, so I'd slip onto backrow cornet or Eb Bass as and when...

Recently theres only been a few pieces that dont have much percussion in them, but I do like to sit back and appreciate the music thats being made around me, so I very rarely get bored now... depends on the piece.

;-)

 

[Dan]

No not really.

My current band keeps the percussionists entertained 99.8% of the time and like Naomi says, if you have nothing to do in a piece sit back and appreciate the music

 

[six pints]

or do what i did for the brief period i was a timp player and have tic tacs and game boys!

 

[akwarose]

being a cornet player i wouldnt know, but everytime i sneak a look at percussion they look pretty busy....or are they pretending?

 

[drummergurl]

sometimes in pieces that have ver ylittle percussion in i do get bored, but atm the conductor i have always takes a shine to percussion so now nearly all the pieces we play have ten tonne of percussion in

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

or do what i did for the brief period i was a timp player and have tic tacs and game boys!

That reminds me of when I went to see Birmingham Symphony Orchestra back in 1998... The timp player, a female, was filing her nails in all the rests she had... Maaaan she looked bored! :lol:

 

[Nuke]

see this is what i mean. Unless your a great kit player (which i aint) your waitin for ages.

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

Not nessessarily... remember orchestras are different to brass bands anyway and most percussion and woodwind and brass dont have much to do!

When I depped for Emley on Saturday I did a lot of tuned stuff and there was timps throughout half, most, of the stuff... was fun.
Depends on the music obviously, but it's not *that* bad

;-)

 

[The Cornet King]

When I depped for Emley on Saturday I did a lot of tuned stuff and there was timps throughout half, most, of the stuff... was fun.

aha! So thats who was making the racket at the back of the church! :wink:

:wink:

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

:lol:
;-)

 

[Nuke]

Wasnt that the basses makin the racket cause i thought the percussion sounded pretty darn good.

 

[The Cornet King]

Wasnt that the basses makin the racket cause i thought the percussion sounded pretty darn good.

aye maybe your right! :lol:
Aye the perc was excellent...well worth it was...well worth it! and Naomi was pretty good too :lol:

Blatant plug for emley being the most sociable and best band ever to go to the pub with! Keep it going chaps and chapesses...see you in summer! :guiness

 

[bassinthebathroom]

They certainly do in the bands for the Grand Shield contest. That's the one thing in the piece that is Liszt's fault and not Bram Gay's :?

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

:lol:- u can say that again mate!
Got a lotta timne off band though- the only reason I'm going tonight is cos it's my bday and we're off for a curry after rehearsal so not all bad after-all, :lol:

;-)

 

[neiltwist]

it's not just percussion, Bass trombones have a bad part a lot of the time, but that's because too many of us just can't blend!

It does get dispiriting when your part just copies the basses so that you have a part.

And what I find interesting is that Journey into freedom is seen as an easier peiece than tristan, but my part is significantly harder! (in my opinion anyway)

 

[2nd man down]

Wasnt that the basses makin the racket cause i thought the percussion sounded pretty darn good.

aye maybe your right! :lol:
Aye the perc was excellent...well worth it was...well worth it! and Naomi was pretty good too :lol:

Blatant plug for emley being the most sociable and best band ever to go to the pub with! Keep it going chaps and chapesses...see you in summer! :guiness

I'll drink to that CK :guiness You're welcome whenever

p.s. I didn't vote on this poll, not a percussionist. Well...only in the car.

 

[TIMBONE]

boredom?

The word "bored" is not in my vocabulary. "Boredom" is a state of mind. Having said that, the word "tedious" is definately in my vocabulary. When I was playing professionaly, my favourite conducter (orchestral) was Roger Boulivant. He always rehearsed the bits that I was involved in first, so that I could go early.