GCR2ERF:
I’ll only consider the trombone if you can fit ‘notches’ to the slide, otherwise how on earth do you know where your positions are
Shut your eyes and pick your nose - how do you know where your nose is? Same thing really 
gardun:
GCR2ERF:
I’ll only consider the trombone if you can fit ‘notches’ to the slide, otherwise how on earth do you know where your positions areShut your eyes and pick your nose - how do you know where your nose is? Same thing really
Ah, but the trombone would involve using my ears, which (some would say) is not a bass players strong suit
The trouble I had moving from the likes of the baritone and euphonium to the trombone was because it was like having to start from scratch again learning how to play the thing as it’s a completely different pattern to what one was used to…In the end I told them to take the trombone and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine. I’d go back to playing tomorrow if I could, would probably remember everything I learnt.
Funny thing my teachers said I could’ve been really good if I practiced more, Always felt like a right ■■■ practicing so I just didn’t 
But I was somewhat talented, just got bored very quickly back then. Still do but takes a bit longer now 
Cheers
Jonny 
We had a brass band in my school. At the time I was under influence of one Polish rock band where it’s leader played transverse flute and I really wanted to learn to play it, so I went and tried to join the brass band. But I was told “flute is for girls” and they wanted to teach me to play clarinet instead. I wasn’t that interested and gave up (which I regret a bit today).
Some time later I was playing bass on rock band and due to lack of tube players, orchestra asked me if I can join them and cover for the tubes. I told them “surely, as soon as you provide me with mobile electricity source and trolley so I can play on the move when marching”. They admitted that they didn’t really thought it trough, and that was the end of my career in brass bands
jonnytruckfest:
I used to be in the school brass band in high school, played from infant school up going up in the ranks and still remember to a certain degree how to play apart from the trombone which was the one thing I wanted to learn most but to be fair I got confused to [zb] where to slide the slider thing
In all i’ve played:
Cornet
Trumpet
Baritone
Euphonium,
Trombone,
Tenor horn,Out of all of them I was the best at playing the baritone & euphonium although I don’t miss near breaking ones back carrying the [zb] thing! Shame it came to an end really but I enjoyed the experiences it brought
Cheers
Jonny
Funny you mentioned carrying the thing, I regularly used to bike home from school and would thread the handle of my instrument case through my handlebars on one side of my bike! On several occasions the little briefcase locks would flip open and the instrument would clatter out onto the road 
Our school instruments were very battered and often the valves on my instrument would get gummed up. The only bad thing about playing brass was the taste of metal and brasso in your mouth and the amount of spit generated. My teacher used to say “don’t worry about that, open the spit valve and just play for a bit”, I hate to think of all the spit on the music room floor!
Carrying a tuba to and from school is a ‘character building’ task! My teacher let me come in 10 mins late on my lesson day just to avoid running the gauntlet My first tuba was in a hard case with straps so it could be carried on your back like a rucksack… It left me looking like a junior binman
Next one was bigger, so a luggage trolley and bungee straps were needed. And as for catching the bus. 
Still, happy days!
I was brought up with brass bands in the Oldham area on trombone playing for what was then Lees and Glodwick, moved to North Wales and played for Deeside Silver, also played for Northop briefly as i noticed some one else’s earlier post did as well, did a couple of dep jobs for Point of Air then spent 13 years in the army as a musician, well, Trombone player
Played all over the world and been hammered in most countries i can think of, all in the name of music
Then packed it all in, would love to start again though at some point
…Thread Bump… Who’s doing the area contest over this next few weeks?
Our area (Midlands) is 8-9 March (I’ve booked Monday off as a precaution!). I know Yorkshire and West of England are this weekend… seems it was Yorkshire only last weekend(!)
Supposed to be in Llandudno with Crwbin but can’t make it!
How did I not spot this thread■■?
I have just returned to Toddington Town Band after a seven month absence due to Tramping. Instrument history is a bit varied so here we go.
Started on my Aunts Trumpet before moving on to my first Cornet at Woburn Sands Band in their D band. Moved to Toddington and spent a year on 3rd cornet before being dumped on Soprano! Scared the bejesus out of me but I do a very good Pie Jesu duet with the Flugel.
I asked to go back on to Bb and was put fourth man down on the front row where I stayed for many years, with occasional trips to Eb Bass, until I moved to France. When I came back I was given a Bb Bass to play. A re-organization after the Eb player asked to move to Euphonium put me back on Eb and then I went tramping. First rehearsal back was Saturday, (annual playing day) and I was put onto 2nd Cornet.
We are not a contesting band, thank god, but do the occasional concert and/or fete. It was very nearly the early end to my career though, because nutting a forged iron bandstand 17 hours before your HGV theory test tends to give you a bit of concussion.
Area update - my band came second to last (12th)… bugger!
I thought we’d played more a 5 - 9 placing (I did hear a couple placed above us), but that’s contesting!
A few bottom lips out, but within 30 minutes on the way home we were all pretty much over it - that may have something to do with being in Wetherspoons for 2 hours prior to the results though
Anyone else got or 
to report?