Almost every school's band plays their alma mater during their pregame. That isn't going to change.
Marching Band
- Thread starter cy4prez7
- Start date
Almost every school's band plays their alma mater during their pregame. That isn't going to change.
never mattered is students care or not..All that really matters is the old people that donate the big money.
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As far as the band playing pop hits, would everyone prefer the band just play the fight song constantly like OU? I'd rather stab myself in the face than have a band like that. The Alma Mater is a beautiful song that needs to be featured, but the only way it's going to be recognized is if it is part of freshmen orientation and the football team sings it with the band right after the game like Notre Dame & Navy do- win or lose. Everyone would love it, but the exposure isn't there. The story behind it as inspiring as Jack Trice's, but no one beyond the ISU music department knows it exists. A drunken student section doesn't even know you're playing it.
Actually agree with this. People are always fired up, then it starts. It is played at peak drunkedness for most of the fan base, part of the people are not even in the stadium at that point, and not many students know the words. I like it, and it should be played, I am just not sure when the best time for it is. After the game is no good, since people will be in a panic to get back to tailgating. Maybe the best thing to do is just leave it where it is.
if you could do the following that would be great...
1) shut up about it it is a great song and learn it, every student around me in the front of the upper deck was singing it yesterday so maybe you're just an idiot that doesn't.
2)get some god damn respect The Bells of Iowa State is the ISU equivalent to the national anthem, is america **** yeah more catchy and more likely to rile up a crowd? yeah but that's not what it's there for
Wouldn't it be awesome if someone could come out on the field before the game and teach the crowd how to sing the Alma Mater?
Are you suggesting we give Jeff Johnson his job back? C-Y! C-L! ...
Literally know one knows it besides like band members. Comparing it to the national anthem is a stretch.
I'll admit, it's a cool thing when other schools do it and the whole crowd gets into it. I've always wondered why ISU crowds didn't.
I've got it.
For a whole season, Simon Estes comes out and leads the crowd in Bells. The crowd falls in love with the tune, and the whole stadium sings it and gets jacked about their love for Iowa State.
My wife and brother played in the Marching Illini, so I've seen several games at UI, mostly to watch the band. They play longer halftime show that features the same last 3 tunes at each game. In the middle of the "Three-in-One," as they call it, is the Alma Mater. The entire stadium holds arms and sings it. It. Is Awesome.
There is no reason ISU can't do something like this. It just takes someone who cares and can plan.
For a whole season, Simon Estes comes out and leads the crowd in Bells. The crowd falls in love with the tune, and the whole stadium sings it and gets jacked about their love for Iowa State.
My wife and brother played in the Marching Illini, so I've seen several games at UI, mostly to watch the band. They play longer halftime show that features the same last 3 tunes at each game. In the middle of the "Three-in-One," as they call it, is the Alma Mater. The entire stadium holds arms and sings it. It. Is Awesome.
There is no reason ISU can't do something like this. It just takes someone who cares and can plan.
I will admit to being dismayed by the use of microphones, though I understand the reasoning. From the SW grass, in addition to the feedback issues in the 2nd half, there were also some obvious phasing issues. Well, obvious to me, anyway, though probably not the general public. Adding mics certainly helps volume for those further from the band, but the laws of physics present some problems that cannot be easily solved.
Last nights game was the first time I noticed the band had microphones on them. Didn't like how it sounded. Too much feedback,etc. They sound so much better without the mics.
There was a crazy amount of phasing on the broadcast last night. I attributed it to, you know, fail, but it seems the microphones were doing it on hearing this. Not a big fan of artificial amplification for just the same reasons.
It seems like the steps show has already become pretty popular, maybe it would be worthwhile to have the band sing it then and take the opportunity to encourage the audience to sing it in the stands. Also, having the announcer say "Please rise and remove your hats for the playing of the alma mater, The Bells of Iowa State." would make it much more clear to people what they're supposed to be doing, instead of being just some thing on the field before they start clapping for the fight song.
It's harsh, but honest, and I'd have to agree with this one. Yes, the band needs to play it, but timing is everything.
I had a marching band reject sitting next to me in the SEZ last night, I couldn't hear Bells because she was too busy screaming her own words to the song and gabbing away about how "when I was in school..."
I was wondering if last night was the first time the band was mic'd. I thought it was a little weird, because I can usually hear the band just fine in the SEZ, no matter which way the wind is blowing. Ditch the mics, because there were phasing issues and it bothered me every time I noticed. The band is good enough that they don't need use mics as a crutch. It sounds much better naturally.
It's hard enough getting people to remove their headgear and stand silently for the national anthem, which is even more universal to attendees of sporting events than it is for an alma mater song.
The Simon Estes suggestion is an awesome one. Even if you just incorporated him into pre-game for one game a year, it would be worth even if it did nothing to teach people the song, just because it would be awesome.
On top of just being kind of an awkward situation, the dude sounds exactly like Fat Albert, deep and slow voice. I used to yell "HEY! HEY! HEY!" when he would come out. Good times.
my dad is an alum and he knows it he wasn't in the band i know it i'm not in the band, maybe you should take 10 minutes 1 day to learn it and then you can stop whining
