Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

[achrist70]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

Wouldn't wanna take up that premium seating.

Also, last year when the team had its first playoff game over Thanksgiving break (the one they lost at home) there was no band. Players commented on how strange it was not having the band there. Of course I'm not saying we win or lose games, but if I recall, UNI is 10-2 in the dome the past two years with the band, and 0-1 in the dome without it.

There has never been a marching band for the thanksgiving weekend games, and it has always bothered me, I actually really enjoy the marching band and their performances and the opening, but it needs to understand when to play during the game and when not to.

By the way I think the Lehigh game is the only loss UNI has ever had with the Marching Band not there, just saying.

[TommyT]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

First off, to many of you who are posting on Panther Nation for the first time on this thread, welcome.

Secondly, it appears that some of the long term posters are using the pep band as an extension of their feelings about attendence of UNI basketball games. Many of us on here have lamented for years that UNI's resurgence has not garnered the kind of support that most other teams would. For whatever reason, UNI basketball fans do not come out until it is blatantly obvious that the team will go to the NCAA's.

Now to the subject at hand, while some may not choose to understand the time commitment that being a music major requires, they do have a point on some of the "fickleness" (if I can make up that word) that the pep band has as to which games they show up for. For example, I would be willing to wager that the band will show up for a game that is shown on ESPN versus one that will not. This is understandable of course since everyone knows the band gets shown on the broadcast. What most are looking for as fans is a kind of consistentcy.

In the end, we are all fans of UNI and this in-fighting is a little counterproductive. We should all get together and agree that we'd like to see more band and more fan at the games.

[jspichoirguy]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

First off, to many of you who are posting on Panther Nation for the first time on this thread, welcome.

Secondly, it appears that some of the long term posters are using the pep band as an extension of their feelings about attendence of UNI basketball games. Many of us on here have lamented for years that UNI's resurgence has not garnered the kind of support that most other teams would. For whatever reason, UNI basketball fans do not come out until it is blatantly obvious that the team will go to the NCAA's.

Now to the subject at hand, while some may not choose to understand the time commitment that being a music major requires, they do have a point on some of the "fickleness" (if I can make up that word) that the pep band has as to which games they show up for. For example, I would be willing to wager that the band will show up for a game that is shown on ESPN versus one that will not. This is understandable of course since everyone knows the band gets shown on the broadcast. What most are looking for as fans is a kind of consistentcy.

In the end, we are all fans of UNI and this in-fighting is a little counterproductive. We should all get together and agree that we'd like to see more band and more fan at the games.

Exactly Right. Go CATS!

[cram0209]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

yet for some reason if the team goes on a run and flies to a far off land for the NCAA tournament the band will be demanding that they need to travel along...

Seriously, PN has been hi-jacked by bandies? Go blow your horn else where. The band does nothing but bring down football games, take up premium seating, and ***** because they are too busy studying (playing Modern warfare on xbox) to get 20 of them to come out to the basketball game.

Too much work my ass, if the high school in my back yard can put together 30 kids to come play at EVERY boys and girls basketball game, I would hope that the UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA could too...

I am a high school band director, and I can ASSURE you that I do not play at EVERY HS boys and girls game. That would be ridiculous. Iowa HS Music Ass'n rules state that HS bands are to only a maximum of 10 pep bands a year. Otherwise, the educational focus of your program shifts away from concert band, which is where your fundamentals are learned. Pep band is a release for my kids, a chance to play fun music and get a little crazy.

As for the band taking up "premium seating," they tried moving the band to the D/E section (in the middle of the student section, which is where most college marching bands are. Ever been to a game at Kinnick?), and the student section complained about that. There's plenty of seating in the Dome for people to find a good spot.

Last, we don't "demand" to go to tournament games. We are asked by athletics. They want a band at the tournaments. That's why they provide scholarship money to a select few, so that we can have a music representation to support our teams. NCAA rules state that we can only have a band of 30 at the tournaments.

If you have an issue with the band, its membership, placement in the stands, whatever - Talk to Troy Dannen. The money for the band to perform at these events comes from Athletics. Don't e-mail. Go talk to him. E-mail (or PN for that matter) is the most passive aggressive way to get things accomplished anymore. You have a problem? Take the bull by the horns (or the panther by the tail) and go talk to him yourself and offer suggestions on how it can be better. Otherwise, you are simply complaining about something you really aren't willing to do anything about. Passive aggressiveness at its finest.

[clenz]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

Odd....my high school pep band played every boys and girls basketball game during my time in high school....as did every one of the bands in the conference.

Did the change the rules since 2006?

[Panther AC]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

I am a high school band director, and I can ASSURE you that I do not play at EVERY HS boys and girls game. That would be ridiculous. Iowa HS Music Ass'n rules state that HS bands are to only a maximum of 10 pep bands a year. Otherwise, the educational focus of your program shifts away from concert band, which is where your fundamentals are learned. Pep band is a release for my kids, a chance to play fun music and get a little crazy.

As for the band taking up "premium seating," they tried moving the band to the D/E section (in the middle of the student section, which is where most college marching bands are. Ever been to a game at Kinnick?), and the student section complained about that. There's plenty of seating in the Dome for people to find a good spot.

Last, we don't "demand" to go to tournament games. We are asked by athletics. They want a band at the tournaments. That's why they provide scholarship money to a select few, so that we can have a music representation to support our teams. NCAA rules state that we can only have a band of 30 at the tournaments.

If you have an issue with the band, its membership, placement in the stands, whatever - Talk to Troy Dannen. The money for the band to perform at these events comes from Athletics. Don't e-mail. Go talk to him. E-mail (or PN for that matter) is the most passive aggressive way to get things accomplished anymore. You have a problem? Take the bull by the horns (or the panther by the tail) and go talk to him yourself and offer suggestions on how it can be better. Otherwise, you are simply complaining about something you really aren't willing to do anything about. Passive aggressiveness at its finest.

First off, this is NOT HIGH SCHOOL. This is NCAA Division I athletics and we look small time without consistent pep band activity. Secondly I did talk to Troy and other athletic department officials about the Waterloo East High band that substituted for the UNI band during Christmas break. Though they tried, it would really be better with canned music so you could at least recognize the school song when it was played. They did not improve the atmosphere for the game and made us look even more amateurish.

[PepBandMember]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

To the pep band members posting here: yes, passion runs high on Panther Nation concerning your presence at games. It clearly adds to the atmosphere when we hear the school song live, along with other music you provide. That's why fans want a pep band at each game, both first semester and second. Most of us would probably be OK with not having a pep band during the semester break or at least the two weeks of Christmas and New Years. But the atmosphere is clearly much better when you are in attendance. We appreciate what you do and want more of it!

It would seem that a good compromise would be to have a pep band of 25-30members at each game rather than 50+. That way most band members would only be required to be at half the games and the atmosphere would be improved with a pep band playing. I know you have pointed out that it wouldn't sound the same with a smaller number but I've attended games in other Valley conference venues, along with games in Iowa City, Ames and other Division I universities with that size pep band and they sound great.

A pep band of 25-30 would work, but it would very likely sound thin and overall just bad. There are two parts to most instruments (alto sax, mellophone) and three parts for some (trumpets, clarinets). Of course you'd need at least one person on each part, so I'll break it down.

Trumpets - 3
Clarinets - 3
Flutes - 2
Piccolo - 1
Alto Sax - 2
Tenor Sax - 1
Tuba - 2
Mellophone - 2
Baritone - 2
Trombone - 2
Drum Set - 1

That gives 23 already, but wait! 3 trumpets would easily outplay the entire woodwind section of saxes, flutes, and clarinets. For them to be heard, we must at least double their size. That gives 6 clarinets, 4 flutes, 2 piccolo's, 4 alto saxes, and 2 tenor saxes. That gives 30. But hold on again, we've only topped the trumpets, now we have to compete against the drum set as well. Multiply the woodwind sections by 1.5 to do that. So we have 9 clarinets, 6 flutes, 3 piccolo's, 6 alto saxes, and 3 tenor saxes. Now we have 39 people in the band. Hang on one more time. The low section (tubas, mellophones, trombones, baritones) need to beef up their sound because we can't hear them over all the woodwinds, trumpets, or drum set. Double them up to get 4 tubas, 4 mellophones, 4 baritones, and 4 trombones. We're up to 55 now, very close to the size the two pep bands are, but without this instrumentation.

Odd....my high school pep band played every boys and girls basketball game during my time in high school....as did every one of the bands in the conference.

Did the change the rules since 2006?

State rules only allow 10 games, so they probably broke those rules. These rules I know were in effect when I was in high school, as I was in the pep band all 4 years. (2007-2010)

[clenz]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

State rules only allow 10 games, so they probably broke those rules. These rules I know were in effect when I was in high school, as I was in the pep band all 4 years. (2007-2010)

Let's say these rules exist....how does the high school rule matter to UNI's Division 1 pep band?

[cram0209]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

It doesn't. Someone earlier made the point that their pep band played at every basketball game. It was just to set the record straight.

[clenz]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

It doesn't. Someone earlier made the point that their pep band played at every basketball game. It was just to set the record straight.

I said that...because they did.

[Hail Our Panthers]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

Band students: I'd would be nice if you would come more because you do a phenomenal job at improving the atmosphere of the place. Especially lately when the crowds have really sucked, your effort in cheering/chanting is better than 90% of the fans, and that is the truth.

But save the "time commitment thing" and the "its the little time commitment straw that breaks the camel's back." We've all either been college students or are college students and know all about that. Some students are more busy than others, but its all basically the same. If attending games is something that you want to do, you'd find time for it.

If school spirit isn't and enjoying games isn't something you're in to, fine.

[JazzPanther]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

A pep band of 25-30 would work, but it would very likely sound thin and overall just bad. There are two parts to most instruments (alto sax, mellophone) and three parts for some (trumpets, clarinets). Of course you'd need at least one person on each part, so I'll break it down.

Trumpets - 3
Clarinets - 3
Flutes - 2
Piccolo - 1
Alto Sax - 2
Tenor Sax - 1
Tuba - 2
Mellophone - 2
Baritone - 2
Trombone - 2
Drum Set - 1

That gives 23 already, but wait! 3 trumpets would easily outplay the entire woodwind section of saxes, flutes, and clarinets. For them to be heard, we must at least double their size. That gives 6 clarinets, 4 flutes, 2 piccolo's, 4 alto saxes, and 2 tenor saxes. That gives 30. But hold on again, we've only topped the trumpets, now we have to compete against the drum set as well. Multiply the woodwind sections by 1.5 to do that. So we have 9 clarinets, 6 flutes, 3 piccolo's, 6 alto saxes, and 3 tenor saxes. Now we have 39 people in the band. Hang on one more time. The low section (tubas, mellophones, trombones, baritones) need to beef up their sound because we can't hear them over all the woodwinds, trumpets, or drum set. Double them up to get 4 tubas, 4 mellophones, 4 baritones, and 4 trombones. We're up to 55 now, very close to the size the two pep bands are, but without this instrumentation.

If a pep band of 30 students sounds bad, why is every school only allowed 30 pep band members at tournament games?

Because it doesn't sound bad. End of story. No "breaking down" necessary.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

If a pep band of 30 students sounds bad, why is every school only allowed 30 pep band members at tournament games?

Because it doesn't sound bad. End of story. No "breaking down" necessary.

Yep.

And the "rule" about high school pep bands is not a rule at all, merely a recommendation, and the number of games is 16 not 10, and does not include post-season games.

If this is the fault of the Athletic Department for not pushing for a pep band throughout the season, then shame on them.

If it is a case of pep band members claiming too much time constraint, then we need to find an alternative or simply go without. They definitely have time in early December, usually with only a couple days of class back from Thanksgiving break and the week or so before finals, to be able to show up for the Iowa or Iowa State game, so I am not really buying the time issue.

If it's a money thing, then the first thing that should be cut is money and lodging for the MVC tournament. The NCAA tourney is reimbursed at least partly by the NCAA, so that is not an issue.

Point is, the pep band is a part of the atmosphere of a game day. I think they should be there for every game and the AD needs to figure a way to make sure that one is there. It is hard to build an atmosphere if all we hear is "we're too busy for all but part of the season"-seems to be the excuse for most of the student body and Cedar Valley as well. Hard to build a fan base and game experience if the overall presentation is put together only on an "as available" basis.

[clenz]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

Khan said everything I tried, but much more eloquently.

Thank you Khan.

[ProwlingPanther]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

Precisely. Last I checked, the band has nothing to do with the success of Panther's Men's Basketball. And if I am not mistaken, that is the entire point of this forum.

Wouldn't wanna take up that premium seating.

Also, last year when the team had its first playoff game over Thanksgiving break (the one they lost at home) there was no band. Players commented on how strange it was not having the band there. Of course I'm not saying we win or lose games, but if I recall, UNI is 10-2 in the dome the past two years with the band, and 0-1 in the dome without it.

Sooooooo which one is it? You can't claim to have nothing to do with the success of our basketball team and then one post later claim to be a reason for our football teams success at the dome. Either the Pep Band makes a difference or they don't. You can't have it both ways.