[MusicTlk] Blind people in the marching band

[Jordan Gallacher]

I somehow managed to almost always stay in a straight line with everyone.  I think it was the fact that the high school I was at was one of the top ten in the state, top four when I graduated, and they expected everyone to do their best.  I know occasionaly someone would have to let me know that I was getting out of a straight line during mardi gras parages, but it became quite obvious since I was a trombone player, and I knew that I had just enough room to get to 6th and 7th positions if I staid where I was supposed to.  Plus the way the crowds are here in Slidell, the way we carried the trombones, I basically had the end of the slide just about in the back of the person in front of me.  For field performances, it was memorization and a lot of it.  I would have another band member help me find where I was supposed to go during practices, but that was about it.  I only messed up slightly once during the Louisiana Showcase of Marching bands senior year, but I have a feeling that the judges just happened to be looking elsewhere at that moment because it happened right on the 50 yard line right behind the line for the sideline.  As my band director had pointed out, and he was right about, you cannot hear much of anyone else during a field performance, and I did have a scary moment back in 2002 at Showcase where my vision decided to go out completely right in the middle of the performance.  What saved me was that the wind was coming out of the North, and that actually gave me the reference point to which direction I was going and where I should be going.
Jordan

-----Original Message-----
From: MusicTlk [mailto:musictlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tara Briggs via MusicTlk
Sent: Friday, February 9, 2018 6:24 PM
To: musictlk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Tara Briggs <thflute at gmail.com>
Subject: [MusicTlk] Blind people in the marching band

Hi all! On another thread we are talking about how blind people are able to participate in school bands. I thought I would make this a little more specific and ask those of you who is been in marching band how did you do it as a blind person? Here’s what I did in case anyone missed it in a previous message. When it came to marching in the parade, I had someone who happens to be on my left although I think either E or woodwork make a clicking sound when we are marching so I could keep up with the band and then when we played I listened to where everybody was. I don’t think I was perfectly in line but it worked all right. When it came to performing in the field shows, I played with the pit. I found out later that there have been lying to people who marched in the field shows. Apparently what some people have done is to tie fishing line on their waist and on the ways of the people on either side of them. When the fishing line is taught they know they’re in the right position. I also think this would probably work when marching in a parade. I heard of one blind drummer who had a guy walk behind him and the guide with just got him by his shoulders since obviously you can’t go cited guide when trying to plan instrument. I’m very curious to know what other tips people have used.
Tara

Sent from my iPhone
_______________________________________________
MusicTlk mailing list
MusicTlk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/musictlk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for MusicTlk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/musictlk_nfbnet.org/jordanandseptember%40gmail.com