I am currently a Sophomore in high school. Right now the section leader is a senior, so he won't be here for marching next year. There is only one junior. He isn't too bad at just reading music, but he can't really keep a beat, and every time he starts the band he screws up. I play quints now, and there are some decent people on snare. Nest year, our director will probably have him start the band unless I switch to snare. The problem is, i love playing quints, and I don't want to switch. What should I do?

Well you have to worry about your problem right now. Think about the fact that you might want to be starting the band off or not. How important is that spot for you? Think about those things and then get back to us.

they way i see it (this may be harsh), i dont know how ur band program works; when people sign up for our percussion section, they may try out on specific instruments, but they are still in the section. like i said, i dont know how ur program works. personally i would jump at the chane to play another instrument in the section. even though snare is my baby, i would rather be a percussionist than a snare drummer. this is also a test. ur gonna hold a leadership spot from what it sounds like. everything is a learnin experience. i love snare, but if i were needed in pit, i would use that time to bone up on my mallets and stuff like that. the choice is up to u, but think of it all as a learnin experience. i told u what i would do, but dont take it the wrong way. u and i are 2 totally different people. plan for the future. and maybe u will grow to like the snare drum.

Does the count off have to be on snare? I've seen plenty of programs whose drum captain counted off and was a tenor player.

As far as whose the drum captain or what not... you can always devote your time to helping your line, whether you're a rookie freshman or an experienced junior (like you will be next year).

Peace,
Chris

when I was a sophmore in high school, there were two seniors in the percussion section. We had a lunatic for a band director, but luckily she chose the best person for the spot (who happened to be a sophmore as well). She was chosen due to her abilities she had in drumming. It was a good choice. My delima for next year is that I may have to have a bass drummer count off the beat. The section leader doesn't have to count off. If you feel someone else is as good as you on counting off, make it clear you are the section leader, but you want to let yadayada do the count off for warmups and such.

If you're playing quints then it's kinda out of your hand I would say. Unless you play snare then don't sweat it, unless you're the percussion instructor. But just let the snare section leader worry about it, if the snare can't count off then he'll just need to learn to.

I must say to you what I said in another thread. Follow your heart. If tenors is what you want to do than do that and be happy. Ghetto give good advice as well. I myself am a snare guy transplanted to tenors. Granted I never looked back once I made the move but still. Learning another instrument can be a good thing. Lead from within. All that bs about captain and section leaders is just that BS. You can take anyone and give them a title. It takes a leader to lead. I say it takes more leadership to stay were you are nd show the guy how to correct his mistakes and show him how to fix his problem.