I don't care how old you are, I don't care who you've marched with, I don't care who you are still currently marching with, I don't care how much experience you've got, and I don't care that you seem to think that you know it all. I have got news for you, when I actually open my mouth and have something to say I know what I am taking about especially when it comes to brass playing or brass performace.
I have had the priviledge to have been taught by and to have taught along side of some the the best instructors in the hostory of the activity. I'm not talking about guys who may have taught from 1974-1983 or anything like that, I am talking about guys who have been around since then and have changed and evolved with the activity and have come up with cleaner and better sounding hornlines year after year because they were open minded enough to know that there are other approaches to a brass instrument that might actually make it sound better.
And to those of you with one year in the activity don't ever patronize me otherwise I will grab your horn and play circles around you with it. Think I am kidding? Also I don't care if you are a tuba major or trumpet or horn major. All that means is that you can play from advanced method books note for note like the little cookie cutter musician that you have become. People like you are preprogrammed, plug and play, that is all you are. You may have a piece of paper or be working on a piece of paper that says you are good, but you are good at one thing and one thing only, mimicing all of those that came before you. Go out and get a sense of individual sound or tone and then come back and talk to me. People like you are like robots when you perform, no emotion, just notes and rhythms, you will never move me in a performance.
Back to you people with little more on your resume other then the 1976 blah blah blah's from who really cares anyhow. Older does not always mean wiser. Because you play in a band does not make you a better player either. There are thousands of younger, hungrier, better educated people ready to take your place, all you have is a name and a false legacy. It's time to step aside and let the people who actually know what they are talking about and doing take over.
Just remember to think before you speak, and if you should ever see folks out there like Wayne or Gino be sure and ask them who in the hell this Shawn Carpenter guy thinks he is. You might be shocked at what you'll get for an answer.
