what to do?

[SammyJo]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time on the forum and wanted to ask for help. We have a tenor who isn't doing very well and is pretty far behind. There's been plenty of work and practice to help him improve, but he just doesn't seem to get it. He's pretty young (teenager) and kinda has a weird 'oh well' kind of attitude. He's told us before that he doesn't practice at home, and it shows.

We also have another one who is just learning. She's only had a handful of practices but is doing really well and would have the music off pretty soon. She's really eager to be in our band and has a really good attitude. The problem is that she's never been in a band and so has no experience. The other tenor has been in bands before and competed.

Right now our drum sergeant says the one doing well won't be in our band because she's never competed, and thinks she needs experience in our grade 4 band, and because the not so good has comepted before he'll be in the grade 3. He may not play at our next competition though because he doesn't know the music yet.

I kinda feel like we should push to get the new person in since they're doing well and can play the music and has the right attitude. I'm not sure how to bring this up to our ds though. What would you guys do? Play the better player with no experience, or the worse player with experience?

[tenordrummer.com]

Sounds like it is a difficult situation and the call is down to the lead drummer. The question is - how do you become experienced without the opportunity to gain experience???

In the situation you describe, the benefits of skill, ability and application would appear to far outweigh that of experience.

Is experience a valid reason to keep an individual in the corps if that is his/her one and only attribute and they don't have the will power to learn the music and practice?

I know what my answer would be, but then again, I'm not your leading drummer.

[ScotDrumr]

I always find it best to bring up any potentially controversial subjects in private. Voice your concerns only as your opinion and let the final decision be the lead's. Whatever that final decision is - let it be the final decision.

Ron

[Monique Ros]

I guess I would give my personal opinions to the lead drummer after taking him aside. Try to reason with him and give him all the pros and cons of both candidates.

And as for the good but unexperienced tenor... when she doesn't get a chance, she will not gain any experience.

Monique

[Tj Johnston]

Wether the band plays merely for competition or to inspire education in highland music, my answer would be the same... the player with the desire and skill - plays. Many people would disagree, saying you will hurt the other's feelings or they may choose to drop out. So what... If loosing one experienced, non-chalant, ho-hum attitude player, gets me one eager and talented unexperienced one... i'll choose the later everytime.

We can always give them experience. You can not give someone desire.. they must already have it.

Drum Sgt. SALPD

[Petdrummer]

Playing experience should give you an edge. In this case, it sounds like it gives an edge in play preference, but not in play quality. A dull edge indeed. Experience has taught me that the team does better when everyone has the same fire. And, the best indication of how someone will do in a competition, their first or four-hundredth, is how they do at practice.

Why don’t you suggest that the new person play in line at a few practices just to see what she can do? Right beside the slacker if possible. If she doesn’t make it, you are no worse off than before. If she does, you have someone to play in the next competition. Maybe the slacker gets the fire back under his feet. Then you have two tenors to bring to the line.


Galen Lewick

[Drums4now]

I think we would level with the "slacker" as well.
Tell him as far as the band is concerned, he is dead even with the comp-novice and does that mean anything to him? He'll either get inspired or he'll know why he's been bumped down. :shrug:

[AndrewMac]

Drum Sergeant talks to both of them, individually and together, so that they both know what's at stake, and there's no, "But D/S told me . . . " later on.

D/S informs them that novice competes at Grade 4 for now as planned, with potential to move up (either later in this season or next, depending on a number of things). D/S also informs them that the experienced tenor drummer competes at Grade 3 for now, but the position MUST be earned. In other words, "Get your chops up and keep them there, or you will be moved down to the Grade 4 position." This will keep him motivated for a little while, and will give D/S the opportunity to evaluate the novice drummer's poise in competition, and progress. That's win/win/win all around, and gives the lackadaisical youth the opportunity to step up, or hamstring himself without any prodding from anyone else.

[Pete Walen]

Nah - D/S tells the bass drummer it is his fault for not inspiring and leading the tenors more... (duck and cover, roll to the right)