I absolutely loved bass last season! I wouldn't have traded it for anything. I would of done it again this year. At my school, all sections are competitive. It's no guarantee that a freshmen will even get a spot on the line (in fact, most don't), so if they do they are definitely on the right track. I don't understand why anyone wouldn't want to be on bass line. I was excited then and still get excited when our line hits those amazing runs, especially splitting those atoms between the top two drums. Mmm good! Real good! Absolutely love it!

I agree with the other guys, show them how completely awesome it is and can be, and they'll love it.

It sounds like the issue is the freshman hate bass because you make them hate it. From what I hear about the "better sections" and whatnot you dont value your bassline very much nor the people that are on it. A highschool drumline doesnt have to be all about the snares. At my highschool we will be marching two freshmen on snare (thats the entire line). A freshman and a 3 year vet on tenors. Then myself and another 4 year vet, along with 3 others (either freshmen or where in the pit last year) on the bassline. You may gasp and call us names for not going with the crowd on putting your best players on snare. However, why do that if thats not where our players belong? I dont mind if our snares aren't so hot but I feel great about the fact that myself and this other vet have brought in 2 freshman and a sophmore and have gotten our bass parts clean. And next year because we showed a genuine interest in helping them out, and showing them that they are a very intergral part of the drumline/marching band, they will return and we will once again have a good bassline. So dont have "In the Lot" vids do your work for you. Inspire your freshman yourself.

Well first of all i got top bass my freshman year and i was glad. And what do they expect? to play snare or tenors even if they're not good enough, just tell them it's a step to learn to march well and get used to the whole marching band situation and next year if they improve they can play snare or tenor or whatever they qualify for. Another thing is to add in a couple cool bass parts or runs to get them into it. THats what my drumline instructor did.

Before marching band actually started for me, i only wanted snare. I wouldve hated getting bass or tenors because i thought only the kids that couldnt play were on bass and i just didnt feel like carrying the weight of tenors. Now that the second week of band camp has started, I've come to realize that no section is necessarily " better " then another section. Its all just different. Bass seems like fun, but i love playing snare.

I'm having the same exact problem on my line, and now that I'm head drum major I have less time to deal with it. All of our 6 bass drummers from last season aspire to be snare drummers. What's worse is that the band director does treat it as a hierarchy whereas Cymbals are the lowest, then come basses, (sometimes single tenors in between) snares, and quads/quints/tri tenors. We have a LOT of people that want to be on the line, but a definite shortage of people who know what they're doing.

Since we're a show style showing them some DCI basslines do runs won't help much. Most of them can't read music. I want them to love their instruments, whether it is bass, cymbals, or snare.

And EastSnare, it's not about taking the first step on bass drum to move on to better things; it's to master bass drum and love the instrument for what it is without aspiring to rip up a snare drum.

What really gets my ticked it people who think bass drum is "easier". It can be by far the hardest line in the drumline. If you write just unisons and a couple 8'th note splits, sure bass drum is really easy. BUT, if you look at a really great bassline with hard parts you will understand. It is 4,5, or 6 people playing one part. So with snair, if you don't understand a part you ask the guy next to you, who in most cases is playing the exact same part. However, in bassdrumming you are the only one on the line playing that part. At my high school (Timber Creek) freshman rarely get put on the bassline. This is because of how challenging it is. I hate the steriotype that bassdrum=easy parts...No section is any "easier" than the other they all have their challenges. Lets take a look at them since I am here anyways

Tenors:
Obviously the multi drums is a challenge in itself. Playing around patterns and playing sweeps and rolls from drum to drum is just not easy, but you can do it if you take the time to slow it down and work it out.

Snair: One of the obvious reasons is because you are playing traditional grip. Totally different from anything you've ever tried to play. They also, most of the times have the "fastest and hardest licks"

Bass:
Well lets look at the bass drum itself...Its vertical not horizontal. Gravity is not working with you. Second, like the snare drum you have a total different grip. Also like i said earlier you are splitting one part so it can get difficult if the parts are written to challenge you.

Anyways thats my post. I know if you read your probly just gonna think im crazy, but thats just what I think. I probly dind't say it the best way but thats what it is.

Thanks for reading,
-brandon

Yeah, I'd say that these days freshies come up to High School with the idea that pit and bass drum are somehow insuperior to other drums... Not so at all, try and show them that playing bass drum is just as fun and important as playing Tenors or Snare... Teaching them some awesome cadences with groovin' bass lines helps.

this sucks. how everyone thinks bass drum is easy. umm, its not?

As said before, learning on Bass is one of the best starting points for any marching percussionist. Being the center of a beat, having the heartbeat of the band being on you, is a great experience. I think every drummer should do it. Most end up loving it.

The bass drum is not at all easy. Sure, invididual parts are easier and you don't need the endurance that you would need to play snare or tenors, but try putting your part with the rest of the bass line. Bass drummers have to work much longer on a part just so that they can get timing perfect. They ALWAYS have to be there. Bass isn't exactly a walk in the park.

It kind of funny, because I was the only person this year who actually originally tried out for bass. Everyone asked me why I wasn't trying out for snare, but personally, I really don't like the snare. I loved playing the splits.