What instruments do the great college marching bands play?

[TillE]

When I see the BDBITL or That School Up North or any other 300 strong major university band field shiny, all the same horns it makes me wonder. Do they spend $Thousands or Chinese $Hundreds per? I took a look at the OSU website and there's only a somewhat ambiguous mention of students providing their own.

[Burgerbob]

Conns, Kings, Yamahas usually. I don't know any bands that use chinese anything.

[calcbone]

I can tell you one—UGA spent years raising enough money to buy their silver Yamahas, and they did not buy them all at once.

[SwissTbone]

BDBITL? UGA?
I thought my English had become pretty good.
Care to enlighten the non Marching band savy?

[Burgerbob]

BDBITL? UGA?
I thought my English had become pretty good.
Care to enlighten the non Marching band savy?

Best Damn Band In The Land- Ohio State University marching band

University of Georgia

[Mamaposaune]

Going back about 10 years, I had a student who attended U. Of Michigan, and said they were all "issued" straight silver-plated Bach 42's.

[bigbandbone]

When I worked at UMI in Eastlake OH I can remember building a run of 50 Conn 20K Sousa for OSU and Michigan for a Rose Bowl Parade! Lots of overtime that year!

[SlideCrook]

We had silver straight King 4B’s for the first trombones, and Silver Conn 52HLs for the second and third trombones. And you will wear white gloves. Longevity is a concern, as well as repairability. The local techs will repair the Kings and Conns and the Yamaha saxes without fuss. They get grumbly repeatedly repairing the cupronickel solder joints that can’t withstand a hornsnap. They can get plenty of use out of the Conn/King/Yamaha arsenal. I don’t think they would get anywhere close of a service life out of Mendinis and Selmans.

[spencercarran]

My college marching band (University of Miami) had silver King sousas. I think in my junior year they bought a set of silver Yamaha 354s for the trombone section (previously had been BYOBone). Don't remember what the other marching brass were.

I think institutional buyers in general need an "established" brand with serious warranties. They're not going to go for the value Chinese horns.

[TillE]

Glad and grateful to see so many replies.

I got curious watching a few games and thinking about, in particular, 25 or so Sousaphones at $10,000+ a copy if domestic. Not to mention the 200 or so other horns. Easily a $Million Dollars plus worth on the field but little more than a round-off on the overall football program budget.

[Burgerbob]

Glad and grateful to see so many replies.

I got curious watching a few games and thinking about, in particular, 25 or so Sousaphones at $10,000+ a copy if domestic. Not to mention the 200 or so other horns. Easily a $Million Dollars plus worth on the field but little more than a round-off on the overall football program budget.

They're never paying that full $10k price you see on the retailers, that's a big part of it.

[elmsandr]

Michigan State uses Yamaha trombones (and most other brass). They are on their second set of them since the mid '90s. Used to be 354s, now they are the whatever slightly larger horn with the reversed tuning slide and a couple of 830s.

Michigan also did Yamaha for a long time, they also had some Kings, IIRC at one time. They have changed as they have updated them. I do not believe I ever saw them with Bachs as noted above, but I only really watch them for one game a year, and I have not particularly cared what the 3rd best band in Washtenaw County was choosing for equipment...

Ohio State was King/Conn for a LONG time, haven't looked for a while.

Purdue recently marched with all their own horns.

Wisconsin had a set of Getzens for a while, think they also had Kings at an earlier time when I saw them in person.

Short answer, the big bands are usually funded out of the athletic departments. Even then, they often solicit donations for new instruments. Those donations are tax deductible, so they are not a terrible place for people to give money. At MSU, we often put a small plaque/label on horns that were provided with somebody's donation. They also do not generally get a Band's worth of horns at a time. They will get trombones one year, mellos another, baritones later, etc... MSU did not have trumpets or saxes as part of the band inventory until the last couple of years, prior you were just expected to have a silver plated trumpet. Now, they have horns for the whole band that match by section.

Cheers,
Andy

[bassclef]

Ohio State was King/Conn for a LONG time, haven't looked for a while.

Silver Conn 8Hs and 110Hs. 20K sousaphones and some bell front baritone for which I can't recall the model. Mellophones are Conns as well.

I think some of their trumpets are Yamahas, if I remember correctly from the Instagram stories from those rows posted earlier this year. It might have been the Eb cornets.

All of the instruments are university owned, as are the iPads they issue everyone as well.

[JasonDonnelly]

My college marching band (University of Miami) had silver King sousas. I think in my junior year they bought a set of silver Yamaha 354s for the trombone section (previously had been BYOBone). Don't remember what the other marching brass were.

If you're at all curious, UMiami has been using all Jupiter horns for the last 5 or 6 years. I'm unsure if those horns are Chinese or Taiwanese made, though.

[BassboneJ25]

The Pride of Oklahoma uses Yamaha trombones, mellos, baritones, and Sousas. They rotate which section gets new instruments about every 2 years. The pride has a deal where Yamaha will sell the used horns to high schools.

[Posaunus]

k
If you're at all curious, UMiami has been using all Jupiter horns for the last 5 or 6 years. I'm unsure if those horns are Chinese or Taiwanese made, though.

I thought that all Jupiter trombones were made in Taiwan. Not true? Only low-end student horns made in China?

[Bach5G]

Hard to imagine cooperation between Chinese (PRC) and Taiwanese companies.

[spencercarran]

My college marching band (University of Miami) had silver King sousas. I think in my junior year they bought a set of silver Yamaha 354s for the trombone section (previously had been BYOBone). Don't remember what the other marching brass were.

If you're at all curious, UMiami has been using all Jupiter horns for the last 5 or 6 years. I'm unsure if those horns are Chinese or Taiwanese made, though.

Surprising! The sousas we had in my day should've had easily more than a decade of life left in them (especially as carefully as the section maintained them), and the trombones were brand new.

Unrelatedly, welcome to the Midwest, big move from the tropical paradise. We'll see winter at some point, probably.

[CarlVicVogel]

Penn State Blue Band used Getzens for the trombones. That was several years ago...so they may have updated them.

CarlVicVogel

[robcat2075]

Hard to imagine cooperation between Chinese (PRC) and Taiwanese companies.

"Cross-strait" business, as they call it, is substantial, growing since the 1990s and only in the last few years has been somewhat dimmed by tensions.

https://www.economist.com/business/2020 ... ng-to-fray

Exact estimates vary, but as many as 1.2m Taiwanese, or 5% of Taiwan’s population, are reckoned to live in China—many of them business folk. Taiwan Inc has not let fraught political relations with China, which views the island as part of its territory, get in the way of business. Taiwanese companies have invested $190bn in Chinese operations over the past three decades. Foxconn, a giant Taiwanese contract manufacturer of electronics for Apple and other gadget-makers, employs 1m workers in China, more than any other private enterprise in the country.

I have no idea if this business trade involves music instrument makers also.

[Bach5G]

Thanks for that Mr. Holmen.Very interesting.

[Posaunus]

I have no idea if this business trade involves music instrument makers also.

I have learned from experience that - in general - the Chinese, whether in Taiwan or the PRC, are very practical folks. If it's less expensive to do business (especially manufacturing) on "the other side," and the quality is acceptable, they won't hesitate to cooperate (politics notwithstanding). And the customer may never know!

[robcat2075]

I'm reminded of an old communist joke... "A capitalist will sell you the rope to hang him with."

[JohnL]

I have learned from experience that - in general - the Chinese, whether in Taiwan or the PRC, are very practical folks. If it's less expensive to do business (especially manufacturing) on "the other side," and the quality is acceptable, they won't hesitate to cooperate (politics notwithstanding).

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the cross-strait business relationships have their roots in family ties. Blood is often thicker than politics.

[ATXBassBone]

I played an old Bach 50 double Thayer. The second valve paddle broke so there was a nickel soldered to the rod.

Hook em Horns!

[Tromboned]

Just to chime in, I was in TBDBITL. The trombones as previously mentioned are Conn 8H's and 110H's. When I was in we played King 4B's and Bach 36's. They actually have practice horns and game horns. The practice horns are from years past and the game horns are just a few years old. Students who play brass instruments in the athletic bands which cover basketball, volleyball, hockey are also issued silver horns from the university. They have instrument repair people on staff along with a strong relationship with a local repair shop. The marching band has budget lines in both the school of music and department of athletics along with an active alumni association so every few years the put money into one section of instruments or uniforms, etc. The goal is to have a uniform look along with keeping the expenses to a minimum for band members.

[Leanit]

News flash to me is that colleges buy horns for their bands. Holy smokes! The band (not the school) owned the silver King sousaphones and the percussion, but we all played what we brought at California.

[Burgerbob]

News flash to me is that colleges buy horns for their bands. Holy smokes! The band (not the school) owned the silver King sousaphones and the percussion, but we all played what we brought at California.

Berkeley? Most bands provide at least the majority of instruments, and some are more picky about having everyone use the same thing.

[Leanit]

News flash to me is that colleges buy horns for their bands. Holy smokes! The band (not the school) owned the silver King sousaphones and the percussion, but we all played what we brought at California.

Berkeley? Most bands provide at least the majority of instruments, and some are more picky about having everyone use the same thing.

Yes, UC.
This was ... a while ago. Much less money splashing around in those days. The band might have owned the mellophones too, because mellophones. Other than that, you played what you owned or you weren't in the band.

[Burgerbob]

Berkeley? Most bands provide at least the majority of instruments, and some are more picky about having everyone use the same thing.

Yes, UC.
This was ... a while ago. Much less money splashing around in those days. The band might have owned the mellophones too, because mellophones. Other than that, you played what you owned or you weren't in the band.

It may be the same now at Berkeley.

[Matt K]

Yeah when I was with the Pride of West Virginia™ the sousaphones, mellophones, and drums were provided and iirc every other instrument just played whatever. The only exception may have been the pBone/plastic ones unless they were yellow (or blue because that was "our" color if I remember). I guess I'm being a bit presumptuous to put it in the "great" category but it also was by no means bad as far as collegiate marching bands go.

[elmsandr]

Yeah when I was with the Pride of West Virginia™ the sousaphones, mellophones, and drums were provided and iirc every other instrument just played whatever. The only exception may have been the pBone/plastic ones unless they were yellow (or blue because that was "our" color if I remember). I guess I'm being a bit presumptuous to put it in the "great" category but it also was by no means bad as far as collegiate marching bands go.

You're not supposed to take a shot at yourself before we can make the joke! You could always say that they are a grate band...

Cheers,
Andy

[OneTon]

News flash to me is that colleges buy horns for their bands. Holy smokes! The band (not the school) owned the silver King sousaphones and the percussion, but we all played what we brought at California.

The University of Tulsa may or may not qualify as “great.” They put over 100 players on the field in Fruhauf uniforms and hats with a new show for every game. The only instruments provided were percussion and Sousaphone. There may have been some TU owned mellophones floating around. Most of the French horn players were playing their own French horns. In most cases it was not their Conn 8D’s. TU was generous about providing full academic scholarships for playing in the marching band. Without the scholarships, putting 100 performers on the field would have been a struggle. I paid $50.00 for a silver plated Holton Super Collegiate that was a decent instrument, even with Pond’s Cold Cream and the water sprayer that I carried in the uniform pants pocket.

[Posaunus]

Let's just say that the band I played in decades ago (blow whatever you brung to campus) was, nevertheless, incomparable!

[robcat2075]

Without the scholarships, putting 100 performers on the field would have been a struggle.

I recall University of North Texas did it by requiring that all freshman music majors register for marching band.

Scholarships probably wouldn't have enticed many since the tuition back then was only $4 per credit anyway.

[OneTon]

Without the scholarships, putting 100 performers on the field would have been a struggle.

I recall University of North Texas did it by requiring that all freshman music majors register for marching band.

Scholarships probably wouldn't have enticed many since the tuition back then was only $4 per credit anyway.

The enrollment today for TU is 3270. The enrollment for UNT is 42370. Requiring TU freshmen music majors to enroll in marching band might have netted 35 performers. The number of string players and vocalists playing percussion or carrying flags would approach half of that. The decision to fund scholarships in lieu of instruments was a commitment to academics and an investment in people. I appreciated the help.

[robcat2075]

I'm not ridiculing your good fortune, nor did I suggest your school should have acted differently.

I'm recalling how another school dealt with the problem and explained why they did it that way.

This whole thread is about how different schools manage marching band problems.

[harrisonreed]

The cost is $43000 for a year of school? ? ?

That is a very steep price to pay to learn that lesson.

[OneTon]

The cost is $43000 for a year of school? ? ?

That is a very steep price to pay to learn that lesson.

42370 students. $42370.00 would be more like a semester of Harvard. Their student tuition is heavily subsidized with scholarships.

TU looked at their smaller enrollment and turned it into a win win for students and the football program. No worries about that.

[harrisonreed]

The cost is $43000 for a year of school? ? ?

That is a very steep price to pay to learn that lesson.

42370 students. $42370.00 would be more like a semester of Harvard. Their student tuition is heavily subsidized with scholarships.

TU looked at their smaller enrollment and turned it into a win win for students and the football program. No worries about that.

Actually the number isn't far off. They are quoting the total cost at around $26-38,000 per year! My bad, I misread that.

[Bach5G]

Marching hasn’t been particularly useful to me in adult life.

[JasonDonnelly]

Going beyond a scholarship situation, the Frost Band of the Hour currently pays all instrumentalists a $1500 stipend for the football season, and another $1000 if you stick around for spring pep band. Probably less than minimum wage if you calculate the hours spent, but to maintain a 150+ member band in a school with about 11,000 undergrads you've got to do something.

I was not a member of the band during my time there, as was the case for most performance majors. I believe education majors were required to participate for a year or two.

[rickfaulknernyc]

Long time back, but when I played in the Indiana University Marching 100 (mid-80's) I was issued a 50's or 60's-vintage Conn 8H. Played beautifully, but it broke my heart how battered it and its brethren were getting.

[rickfaulknernyc]

Without the scholarships, putting 100 performers on the field would have been a struggle.

I recall University of North Texas did it by requiring that all freshman music majors register for marching band.

Scholarships probably wouldn't have enticed many since the tuition back then was only $4 per credit anyway.

Same at my time at Indiana, except it was both freshmen and sophomores - I call it my two years of enforced marching band servitude . At least the IU band was a fairly musical one.

[Finetales]

Same at my time at Indiana, except it was both freshmen and sophomores - I call it my two years of enforced marching band servitude . At least the IU band was a fairly musical one.

Currently, only Music Education majors are required to do marching band at IU, I believe still for two years. Performance majors don't have to.

[rickfaulknernyc]

Same at my time at Indiana, except it was both freshmen and sophomores - I call it my two years of enforced marching band servitude . At least the IU band was a fairly musical one.

Currently, only Music Education majors are required to do marching band at IU, I believe still for two years. Performance majors don't have to.

Same back in the 80's. I think there'd be a revolt if they tried to mandate it for performance majors.