Posted by Leland on September 15, 2001 at 06:24:49:
In Reply to: Re: Fiberglass Sousaphone Projection posted by Art on September 14, 2001 at 22:46:12:
That's the thing I've recently noticed about fiberglass sousies -- they really can be heard. I'll go with the theory that the player doesn't get as much feedback and plays louder as a result. I watched a whole day's worth of marching bands last year, and could hear almost every fiberglass-equipped sousie section, but not very many of the brass-equipped sousie sections. Also, the ceremonial band at my grandpa's funeral this past July (he was an Air Force colonel, rating almost everything except a flyover) had one tubist playing what might have been an all-plastic sousaphone, and everything he did was easily heard.
I wouldn't bother with the rope thing, and I wouldn't let myself just stand on the sideline and blow, either. Just march & play -- what else can you do?