Constructive preseason band practise

My thoughts on what constructive preseason band ( not just pipers/drummers but band ) practices should be like. ( open for discussion and other ideas )

Firstly some bands I've been in have held practise nights as two separate units ie:- drummers in one room 'n pipers around the table.

When I was PM of the Robert Armstrong Memorial I broke with this traditional method of closed season band nights, yes the initial period of learning new material was need and therefore the separation of pipers 'n drummers was called for.
However, too many bands IMO stay that way for too long, soon as the tunes were learnt I'd the drummers around the table with the pipers playing the new tunes, or, as much as was then possible.
This way, again IMO early signs of any discord between the pipe settings and drum scores could be picked up on sooner and rectified.
Secondly it got the band playing long before they hit the floor wi the pipes. The overall thing I tried to achieve was a tighter pipe 'n drum corps. This paid off, the band was at a far more advanced stage early on in the preseason than if we'd just come together as some bands do as one unit closer to the contest season.

This method I believe has the knock on effect of greater confidence once the full band hits the floor ready for action rather than just coming together once the PM thinks it's time to bring the drummers outa hibernation from their wee back room.

This year we ( Drumlough ) were near bust.........no drummers or LD, we since have taken on board a new LD Roy Ferguson who's enthusiasm is second to none, fresh ideas, something I think we lacked last term.
This method of band practise nights I hope to be putting forward into this years preseason practices.

The jump from 3B into 3A was quite a successful move for us gaining top awards in the All Ireland and Ulster championships, but in order to achieve the 3B results I think we need to up the anti seriously, so along with the extra practise night and the above, collective band around the table. Hopefully this will help us rise that little extra and get some 1st prize placings in 2009.

Comments / suggestions for or against, or, indeed any other tricks or types of consolidating practise nights would be welcome.

Ooops, BTW, one on one will be introduced also.
Iain.~~~~~~~LET 'ER RIP.

Ok Ian.
How bands work at present is for them but I DO know what works from experience.

The PM would normally decide on the tunes and relay this information to the LD.
The PM would have a tape made (usually himself playing on practice chanter) and pass this to LD.
Pipers and drummers would learn tunes , in seperate rooms, to an acceptable standard.

With me so far???

Drummers and pipers get together on pads and practice chanters and find out what works and what doesn't.
Eventually pads become drums and practice chanters become the full pipes.

I would expect that G1 bands already have a good idea of next years tunes and would be working to have them
up and running by January next year.

Any band of whatever grade who does not have the tunes off by January / February has a hard task ahead of them (Spirit of Scotland exempt!!)

stormy wrote:Ok Ian.
How bands work at present is for them but I DO know what works from experience.

The PM would normally decide on the tunes and relay this information to the LD.
The PM would have a tape made (usually himself playing on practice chanter) and pass this to LD.
Pipers and drummers would learn tunes , in seperate rooms, to an acceptable standard.

With me so far???

Drummers and pipers get together on pads and practice chanters and find out what works and what doesn't.
Eventually pads become drums and practice chanters become the full pipes.

I would expect that G1 bands already have a good idea of next years tunes and would be working to have them
up and running by January next year.

Any band of whatever grade who does not have the tunes off by January / February has a hard task ahead of them (Spirit of Scotland exempt!!)

This is the way I would expect it to be done, with a bit of work between the PM and the LD, checking what does work, I find sometimes, that what works in my head doesnt transfer to the pipes the way I would like

Nothing too far away from what I've suggested John.
My main point is the time wasted by both corps, time spent apart in seperate rooms once the tunes are learnt.

There can be an hour set aside for both pipers 'n drummers to refresh from the last band night, then, the whole lot comes 'round the table as a band.
The time spent like this would be IMO of a greater help than waiting for the band to get on the floor.

@Gordy, get yer point m8, hence my idea of bringing everyone around the table during winter practise.

Gordy88 wrote:


This is the way I would expect it to be done, with a bit of work between the PM and the LD, checking what does work, I find sometimes, that what works in my head doesnt transfer to the pipes the way I would like

That goes without sayin' m8, but how many times have seen it happen?........chopped 'n changed. Maybe I'm not getting my point across as to what I'm saying here.

There will always be untidy bits in both piping and drumming at this stage. My reasoning is to bring both parties in at a time earlier than would be the norm, this way the trials 'n errors can be caught at an earlier stage hence less time wastage once the full instruments are brought out and the serious stuff starts da kick
in.

print wat am thinkin' ya bassa.