There are many articles around about how wonderful marching band is, but none that talk about all the downsides. Don't get me wrong, I love marching band. I was in the pit (the front ensemble) for all four years of high school and I'm into my second year in Mercyhurst's marching/pep band, but it's not all as sunny and amazing as people say. When you're into your sixth nine-hour day in a row, your feet are killing you, and your hands are swelling up, you question why exactly you love this activity so much.
1. Instrument Problems
I play marimba, which is like a bigger xylophone (which is what I always say, because one of my biggest instrument problems is that no one knows what my instrument actually is). And I love it. It's just...there's problems with any instrument, no matter how much you enjoy it. For one, it's not easy or fun moving an instrument that is over six feet long and weighs as much as I do. By the time I'm up the hill from indoor rehearsal to the marching field I'm out of breath, covered in sweat, and my arms and legs are exhausted. Add to that trying to explain to a helper where exactly to steer their end and it's a mess. On top of having to move my marimba (which is by far the worst part of being in pit), my mallets give me blisters from playing so much (one day I had pretty much my entire hand wrapped in medical tape) and I play four mallets for part of our show. Four mallet work is my favorite, largely because that's when I get the "oh, that's so cool!" and "how in the world do you do that?" However, it also gives me blisters in uncomfortable places (i.e. between my middle and ring fingers and in the center on my palm) and makes my hands swell up. Not to mention trying to figure out parades. In high school I used the worst instrument ever, the bell lyre. I hated that thing (but being told to play cymbals was worse; I am a mallet player, thank you very much). Now in college I carry the banner during parades. Fun times.
2. Uniform problems
Those amazing wool band uniforms are hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Seriously, there's never a time when they're just right. And if you wear too many layers underneath you can't play anything. Additionally, my mallets get caught in my sleeves sometimes because uniforms aren't designed for percussionists. You have to get your hair under your hat and it feels like you're going to lose the entire hat when your plume moves.
3. Weather problems
Band camp is hot, the rest of the season is cold, and you can't march when it's raining (or, in the case of the day before ACCs 2011, when we're having a blizzard).
4. Section problems
"Pit's where they put people who aren't good enough for anything else." "Pit's not a real part of marching band." "Pit doesn't do any work." Okay, move my marimba then play my four mallet runs from the ballad of my senior year show and then we'll talk.
Overall, I really do love marching band. The pros outweigh the cons about ten to one. You make great friends, it's an amazing experience, you get to learn cool things...the list goes on. But when you're coming off a good fifty hours of band camp and you're completely exhausted and everything hurts all you can think about is how much you hate band, even though you actually love it.
