MDB Feedback.

[Really Big Bama Fan]

It was pretty good! Still think the band was much better when Katherine Scott was the director, though....

Remember when Col. Butler had the band make the score in formation at half-time?

 

[RT3413]

I don't think more 'fireworks' are necessarily needed, just more intersting movement on the field by the band and maybe a little more flare from the flag girls and such. (when Scott was there, they always had HUGE flags that added a great visual aspect to the shows)

What happend to circle drills? Shrinking and interlinking squares? Movement just seemed to be very minimal and that's when people stop watching. (not to mention the lines looked more like S-shapes, but I'm sure that will improve).

Those drills are fairly tough to learn and take a lot of work to perfect, so are typically saved for the later shows. The first show, especially the first performance, is usually accompanied with a scaled-down drill. Also, the first show is always the roughest and is pretty heavily scrutinized on video by the section leaders for improvement.

 

[crimsonbleeder]

Either the increase in tubas, the new design of the stadium, or both, resulted in better bass note transfer high up in the stadium. .

...or the bass guitar and Yamaha Motif 8 keyboard...

 

[One4Bama]

How many are in the MDB this year? Looked much bigger on ppv. (what little you could see).

 

[rgw]

How many are in the MDB this year? Looked much bigger on ppv. (what little you could see).

tree-fity

 

[jeffs4thetide]

I wish they would funk things up a bit. To me, most of the time, we(as fans) seem to get down a bit after halftime. By the time you sit thru the five minutes of honoring the person of the University's chose, then sitting thru the lull band music, it takes a little while for me to get back in my football mode.

 

[jeffs4thetide]

Sorry, one more thing I was curious about and maybe I missed it, did the band make their grand entrance along the east side lower walkway and crank up Yeah Alabama as they have in the past? I never saw it, they just seemed to appear on the sideline.

 

[lowend]

They haven't done that since 2003.

 

[CrimsonReid]

I am a MDB alumnus 92-95. I thought you guys had a little more volume this year. Balance was fine overall and intonation (except for the sousa's) seemed to be good. Drill was a little scaled down...per the earlier explanation of the scaled down drill... we didn't scale anything down for the first show when I was there, but things change. The volume in the strands and on the field has got to increase... they piped in Yea, Alabama while the MDB was on the field for God's sake! I know this wasn't the bands decision but come on... Before anybody gets on me for bashing our MDB members.... I know that there are many of these guys and gals blowing their guts out but there are also some folks sitting on their butts holding horns. A 350 person ensemble whould be able to make our ears ring in BDS. The only acceptable volume is during Basketcase (love it or hate it) becasue it's fun to play. Section leaders need to break off a few pairs of shoes in some butts and get their folks playing every note of every tune. Again, most of the current MDB members who post on here are not the guys I'm talking about. They are on here for goodness sake and they're in the MDB because they are passionate about his University. On a musical note, I know some will say that volume is overrated and so on. To them I say that this is not the case in a 92k seat stadium. A wall of sound is about the only way you'll get anyone's attention. Ms. Scott had us play some of the cheesiest music ever written and we all at times made fun of the arrangments but by God you heard them. That is the key to any college program playing in the venues we play. If they don't hear you then how will they know if you're any good or not. I'm not talking about sheer volume all the time with no musicality but when you push let them hear it... in the stands... let them hear it... even on cheer sux (I mean six). All the best to the MDB and the folks out there sweating and busting their hump because they love 'Bama. Hold your peers accountable and everything will take care of itself.

 

[RT3413]

Drill was a little scaled down...per the earlier explanation of the scaled down drill... we didn't scale anything down for the first show when I was there, but things change.

Not to pick at details, but I specifically remember halting during our first show in 1992, playing the Pink Panther theme, then doing a scatter drill into the next formation..... then adding movement for the 2nd game.