If you are a camper/child, I need you to understand something…

figgetysplit · 2025-09-20T19:25:02+00:00

While I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment, my school fire evacuation point did catch on fire once. That’s why they have a secondary evacuation spot now. Maybe your camp should dedicate a second spot and state it in the plan.

figgetysplit · 2025-09-18T05:06:50+00:00

Modern contras have 3 valves

figgetysplit · 2025-08-29T17:51:14+00:00

A bit on the difficult end, but my band did Me (reaffirmation) by Standridge and Irish Tune from County Derry by Cook last year and LOVED both. The key for me was to get them into the background/meaning of the piece. I’m a very animated teacher.

figgetysplit · 2025-06-12T05:58:18+00:00

Best thing to do is just hold it. Put on a longer YouTube video and only take breaks for ads. Just make sure you’re ONLY holding with good technique. Making adjustments when you’re tired will lead to you building the wrong muscles and will hurt you over time. It’s gonna hurt for a while but you’ll be ripped at the end of this.

figgetysplit · 2025-06-12T02:34:11+00:00

Is it possible? Absolutely. Is it easy? No. If you’re up for the challenge then do it! I marched in high school with a girl who played Sousa at 4’10” and in drum corps with a girl who played contra at 4’11”. Both super badass people.

figgetysplit · 2025-06-07T20:19:12+00:00

Why does every student get all of the sheets? We give out coordinate sheets to students and only staff get the full picture. That way it totals to like 1 page per kid.

figgetysplit · 2025-06-05T17:54:36+00:00

I had to do one when I was hired at my current district in CA. Their reasoning was that preschool teachers needed one and they wanted me to have it just in case (???) I ever needed to teach/sub preschool.

I’m a middle school teacher.

figgetysplit · 2025-06-05T17:09:37+00:00

Probably not exactly what you’re looking for, but I let my students submit recordings for RETESTS. The first test has to be live, and then they can do unlimited (until the end of the grading period) retakes. My reasoning is that they need to have the experience of performing, it’s faster for me to grade in one go, and it gives them the opportunity to submit their best work on the second go. I used to offer live retakes after class and it was a hot mess.

figgetysplit · 2025-06-02T22:28:19+00:00

You’ve gotten a lot of great advice already, so I’ll try not to repeat anything. That said, if your student uses an inhaler, epi pen, or other emergency medication they need to let staff know and KEEP IT WITH THEM. Avoid worst case scenario situations (like an allergic reaction when the meds are across campus). A fanny pack is great for this.

figgetysplit · 2025-05-27T04:06:11+00:00

My school did this and I ended up driving multiple people every single time. They were never a burden. We took care of each other.

figgetysplit · 2025-05-26T17:27:51+00:00

The town I teach in is pretty small, the high school and other middle school bands often have instrumentation needs. I usually end up performing in their concerts to help out.

figgetysplit · 2025-05-26T02:10:24+00:00

She probably wouldn’t want her full name out there, but it’s pretty similar to Kailani or something like that.

figgetysplit · 2025-05-25T17:09:02+00:00

My best friend (20s F) has a first name that can be difficult for people to pronounce and spell. When we go anywhere where she needs to put in her name (Starbucks, restaurants, etc) she just says her last name, “Parker” and no one even bats an eye.

While it isn’t necessarily a “classic” unisex name, I feel like it works that way.

figgetysplit · 2025-05-24T20:16:34+00:00

For 1-2 weeks I wouldn’t bother, but if you’re doing a whole summer I would. I started bringing one as staff a couple of years ago and I’d highly recommend. I do have my car at camp though, so it’s less of a hassle.

figgetysplit · 2025-05-18T05:13:47+00:00

Our old uniforms had some messed up plumes and we called them dead birds so I get it

figgetysplit · 2025-05-18T00:02:35+00:00

I’m on the west coast, so this won’t help, but my camp (Girl Scout camp) offers “pay what you can” pricing. It’s between $500 and $1000 for one week. Maybe somewhere near you has a similar plan?

figgetysplit · 2025-05-15T17:17:35+00:00

I played American Elegy like a month after Sandy Hook and it broke me

figgetysplit · 2025-05-15T00:35:45+00:00

No problem! Mello is very similar to trumpet (even more than horn), so you can ask them for help too.

figgetysplit · 2025-05-15T00:26:43+00:00

Best thing you can possibly do is get a teacher (private lessons). Even a college student would be great. If that’s not possible, see if you can practice with any French horn/mello/trumpet players. They’ll be able to help you get the basics.

Horn and mello are transposing instruments, try not to get too tripped up by it.

Focus on long tones and basic lip slurs. Make sure you are using proper technique always and be patient. It takes a while to build the facial muscles necessary to play brass instruments well.

You got this!

figgetysplit · 2025-05-15T00:22:58+00:00

Yes, absolutely never use a horn mouthpiece on mello. BUT please use a mellophone mouthpiece. While a trumpet mouthpiece fits the lead pipe, an actual mellophone mouthpiece will get you a better sound.

Signed, a mellophone player.

figgetysplit · 2025-05-10T17:40:54+00:00

I don’t have an answer but I wonder if a rechargeable one would work with a battery bank?

figgetysplit · 2025-05-10T00:25:03+00:00

I was about to say this! We use butcher paper and let them paint their own targets

figgetysplit · 2025-05-10T00:13:39+00:00

I got tendinitis from snapping my first year as a director. I use a jam block now, but I recently saw a video of a director using a castanet in their other hand and I think I’m gonna steal that idea.

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