I was a teenage band geek (were you?)!

[ToBeEvergreen]

Hey all. My old high school's band is going through "band camp" right now, the week and two days of practicing their field show for their competitive marching season. Since I've been at college, I've come back to visit them every now and then. Band was the best experience of high school for me.

What about you? Were you in band, or have you experience with an instrument?

[Karen]

I was an all-around geek, frankly. But yes, every kid in my family played at least one instrument (besides piano, Ma taught piano). I started out on clarinet, then played E-flat clarinet in middle school because they asked for a volunteer, then in high school played saxophone, and ended up mostly playing baritone saxophone in band.

[happylabs]

Raising my hand high! Band geek!!!

It has been quite a few years though for me.

I played clarinet. For band camp we went to Bucknell University which is about an hour from where I lived at the time. We stayed in the dorms for a week, ate in the cafeteria and marched our little legs off. Best, hands down, absolute best times of my life!

The bus trips to games and competitions were a lot of fun too. We had a great band director. Before every game, competition, etc., we sang the song "My Way".

[cassiesmom]

My high school didn't have a football team (still doesn't), but we had a concert band and a small pep band for basketball games, and I was in both.

In college I was 100% band geek through and through. In band I met my roommate for the last 3 years of college and she's still my best friend almost 25 years later. I played flute and she played clarinet so we were usually in the same section of the field. I was in marching band all 4 years and in concert band the last 2 1/2.

For rehearsals, the percussion equipment was transported from the music building to the practice field by van. If we lived on that end of campus and we timed it right, we could hitch a ride to the practice field (a long walk) with the percussion section leader while he was moving the drums and gear. He would blow through every stop sign on campus on the way to the practice field, saying, "The ones with the white borders are optional."

Oh yeah, I was a complete and total band geek. You know, all these years later the people I still get Christmas cards from, pictures of their kids, graduation announcements and now Facebook friends... not the nursing majors, but my friends from band.

[mrspunkysmom]

Oh, yeah. Played piano, flute, and saxophone in the bands in high school and college. I helped with band boosters after I graduated. It's been years and I've sold the saxophone and accordion. Still got the piano, flute, and two guitars.

Not much time for these as teaching math takes up time, but I kept my hands in by playing for various churches over the years.

I don't live at home or in my home state anymore so I haven't seen any of the band folks in years. I do see my old band director from time to time. He even came to the visitation when Mom died.

Our football was terrible before I was there and then afterward. There was a few years the team did well. Mostly people came to watch our band.

My brothers were also in the band in their time, one on trumpet and the other on trombone and tuba or a full bass. The bassist actually played in a local symphony years ago when he was just starting out.

[neko1]

total band geek!!!

Color guard captain I miss it so much!!!

[Karen]

total band geek!!!

Color guard captain I miss it so much!!!

Oh, I always thought that looked like so much fun! I wasn't gonna quit my instrument to do color guard, but would sometimes twirl the flags around just for fun between practices!

We also had a terrible football team, most years, and so I grew to seriously dislike the sport, watching our team lose, lose, and lose so badly we band members considered taking the field in their defense! I figured if I turned the baritone sax sideways I could at least take out a couple of opposing linebackers ...

[momcat]

My band experience in high school was a bit different. I played 6 string electric and 12 string acoustic guitar in a rock band in the mid 1960's. It was a fun time and after all these years I still miss it. Things pretty much fell apart after graduation. Since I survived 4 years in a Catholic high school for girls I also played the 12 string acoustic guitar at folk mass.

[Asiel]

We all played some instrument in our family. I played violin, piano and accordion, took singing lessons but I could never quit giggling long enough to get a real song out so I gave it up. But I also played on a great baseball and volleyball team. And I did that under the watchful eye of Catholic nuns...how I survived is a miracle.

[wombat2u2004]

I play guitar....had a go at banjo and mandolin to.
Wife plays violin and cello (she's a Conservatorium of Music girl)
Daughter plays piano.

[ToBeEvergreen]

Karen- my football team was also horrible. We were told that people were coming to the football practices to see the BAND, not root on the team. Haha!

We've got a whole Pet Talk Ensemble here . Very pleased to see that, music is a great part of life. I was percussion, battery leader, played marching bass and snare. And other percussion instruments during concert band season. My brother has been picking up guitar.