So, one of our staff (who happens to be very respected in the world of WGI, no names....) told us tonight that we are the "least disciplined drumline that he has ever worked with". And, these words stung. Especially because even though we're paying him to work for us, he hasn't gotten things done when they should be. We literally started learning our show a month ago, and our first show is tomorrow. This wouldn't be a problem if he would get our music to us on time, which by the way, he has had a habit this season of giving it to us two days before he plans on setting drill to it.

I just think his statement was kind of fabulous and uncalled-for. Sure, the guys get pretty stupid sometimes. But, maybe everyone would be a little more motivated if things didn't feel so rushed and hopeless. We literally got our music to the 3rd movement tuesday night, learned drill last night, and put music with it tonight. I don't think the day before a competition is the time to just be putting things together. But he can't seem to get his act together. He only comes twice a week, and he's usually late. This doesn't seem like very good discipline on his part to me :[

Oh, Dont worry, your not the only one with a bad instructor

Our "drumtech" this year, He didnt even play percussion, he marched tuba, and he was a strait jackass, what 20+ year old goes on dates with highschool seniors, and attempts to get in fights with drumline kids, over stupid things like harness's

He too also liked to pull the "well you guys dont know what your doing card" The best advice i can say if your looking for it, is basically work around him, thats how we handled it

Goodluck working it out though, hope you can manage with him

Talk to your BD about it. As a student, you can't really make an executive decision about rehersals and staff, but if your band director is cool, he will understand and he can talk to your instructor.

I know how you feel, he sounds a lot like our tech. Our tech is always late and always telling us how we don't work hard enough and that we aren't disciplined. He's never even marched before, his specialties are concert marimba and electronics. He did electronics and mics for SCV's pit at one point I think. He's amazing at marimba and he's a great pit tech, but when it comes to battery work, he doesn't know what he's talking about. It gets frustrating at times, especially since I can't go to our bd because he's even worse. He knows almost nothing about music, but that's a completely different story. Ok, I'm done, sorry for hijacking the thread but I just came from practice and had to get that off my chest. But anyway, you really aren't the only person with a bad tech, so go to your bd. Hopefully he's more competent than mine and he can do something about it. If that doesn't work, just do the best you can to try to work around it and get the job done.

I'm not looking to get rid of him. Honestly, he makes our line work. He sets our drill, he works in all of the visuals and effects (which is a big task-we have a magic show!), among other things. He's probably one of the most brilliant men in the business.

I just really don't appreciate him telling us that we've got commitment issues, when HE'S the one who hasn't given us his all this year. I just think he needs to step up his game before he's going to criticize the way we run things.

Maybe you are being entirely too sensitive about it? Maybe you guys are lacking in areas that he believes you can achieve great things in. Maybe he is right? Maybe you are the least disciplined line he has ever worked with. When he said that, did it make you want to do better? Or did you all immediately think he was wrong and wanted to go tell the band director about it? To me, if an instructor said that, I would be VERY motivated to become one of his best lines. If he is late with delivering music, then just make the best of it. Have everyone practice sight reading so that when they get a sheet of music they need to perform, then cant hack through it a lot easier. If he is late to rehearsal, then be rehearsing before he gets there. Warming up and repping through music should be easy, and you all should be able to do it on your own. So when he gets there, he doesn't need to get people to stop screwing around and such. He can go to doing whatever got him to become a great mind in WGI.

He obviously is good at what he does if he is a head instructor in the first place. I would conform to him as much as possible. Because if he is as successful as you make him out to be, then he must know what he's doing. I would just not give him a reason to call you undisciplined.

Ok well. . .

I kinda have to agree with Dragon on this one. . Just because from person experience I have had a few members tell me that I don't know what I am doing, etc. . . And I had told them that, they were very immature and needed to grow up a little. . I told them that I teach the exact same way at my other lines if not harder. They just gave plenty of excuses. I ended up quiting at that high school, due to multiple problems that were happening. They got another instructor. And I happened to work with one of my students at a resturant. And sure enough, towards the end of the marching season the student came up to me, and said "Will you come back next year? We hate our new instructor, and you really do know what you're talking about. We're sorry. . ."

So thats the short story of it all. . . .But I think you need to look at it from a few different ways. .

1. Be lucky you have an instructor. (one who you make out to seem like he does know what hes talking about)

2. Maybe he is right, maybe you are the least disciplined line he has taught. (Do you guys always wait for instructions or do you start things on your own)

3. Try to look at things from a positive approach. People have different ways of getting information across to you. And some ways might be "getting your music the day before you put in with drill"


So yah thats all i can think about for the most part right now. If i have anything else to add to that I will reply later.


But take it from someone who didn't really have an instructor in high school till his senior year pretty much. You should be happy with what you have, because I am jealous of all people who have Instructors at your High School. (especially ones that you say, do know what they are talking about) Take what you have and run with it. . . Because what you have some people might not have.

I'm going to disagree on many of these aspects. A person who takes pride in what they do would get their work done on time and notify someone if they were going to be late to rehearsal. I always have the numbers of staff and my section leaders on my cell phone and I always advise them if I'm going to be late. Now, if practice starts at 230 daily and I cannot get there until 245, I make it clear to be warmed up by the time I get there. However, if he's just showing up late because thats what he does, then there's no excuse for that.

Same goes for the music. If I tell a group or individual that they will have music on 7/11, they will have music on 7/11 - no questions asked. That is part of my commitment to them and I honor it. One particular instance, I had computer troubles and half of a piece was missing - the computer didn't save properly. I received this call at a DMB concert and when I got home at 2am, I started writing and it was in his email by the time he woke up.

Why do that? Pride in what I'm doing. If you don't have pride and drive... don't instruct.

Cadet, i understand everything you said and agree. I was just covering the other side of the argument.