Bassoons don't fit on pannier racks

[farrellcollie]

I was a bassoon player throughout high school and college (started out as a music major - ended up a lawyer). I was in the marching band too - piccolo and baritone player. I started playing bassoon to avoid all the competition in the flute section.

[KnottedYet]

Yeah, man! Those flute sections are VICIOUS!!!!!

[susiej]

After an opera performance in Magdeburg, Germany last summer, we saw at least two of the orchestra members bicycling off with their instruments (one strapped to his back, and I'm unmusical enought to not remember what it was). It was very, very cool to watch them.

[Bron]

Yes, I've seen cellists here in Munich riding bikes with the cellos strapped onto their backs. It beats manhandling it on and off the tram.
I'm just happy that my flute fits inside my messenger bag.

Bron-the-non-vicious-flautist

[farrellcollie]

Some of my best friend are flautists.

[MomOnBike]

I will admit that there have been many times that I've wished my bass were flute-sized. Life would be so much easier. {sigh} I've never even been able to get a sound from a flute, though, I think I'll stick to strings.

[Geonz]

There are bands that travel entirely on Xtracycles. Go steel and go for it.

[KnottedYet]

Some of my best friend are flautists.

I flout my flautistness. (and my oboeishness. and my percussivity. and my lefty-guitarinity.)

[mary9761]

I was a bassoon player throughout high school and college (started out as a music major - ended up a lawyer). I was in the marching band too - piccolo and baritone player. I started playing bassoon to avoid all the competition in the flute section.

I played bassoon from 7th grade through graduation in my Junior year. That was for my concert band and as you know most marching bands don't march bassoons, I had all of one afternoon to learn how to play melophone, memorize a song and my marching routine for that night's practice.. Brutal. going back and forth for a while from brass to double reed when you're not used to it, YIKES my lips buzzed like crazy. I wanted to play flute too but I couldn't get all 4 tones they needed.

[farrellcollie]

I as you know most marching bands don't march bassoons, I.

I was so disappointed when I realized at the tender age of 14 that the song 76 Trombones had it all wrong:

There were copper bottom tympani in horse platoons
Thundering, thundering, all along the way
Double bell euphoniums and big bassoons
Each bassoon having his big fat say

[mary9761]

I was so disappointed when I realized at the tender age of 14 that the song 76 Trombones had it all wrong:

There were copper bottom tympani in horse platoons
Thundering, thundering, all along the way
Double bell euphoniums and big bassoons
Each bassoon having his big fat say

I think there was a time when they actually DID march bassoons, but by the time we were in school, they were so EXPENSIVE to replace bocals etc and awkward to march with. I'll never forget the disappointment and a little anger when I accidently bent a bocal and broke it I'd never seen my band directer that angry before.
My bassoon had the "hook" for a neck strap. I think by the time we played bassoon, it was very difficult to get someone to play the alto telephone pole. I was the only one in my entire class all the way through. When they tried me out on the 4 tones, I hit one, then the second, then the third, you could see the gleam in the band director's eyes when I hit #4 they gleefully said sign that girl up! Of course my one band director (now fellow cyclist) showed me if you rolled up a piece of paper and put it in the bell, you could play a LOW A!
Of course the running joke has been, Marlin still wet behind the ears didn't know how to play the bassoon and I taught HIM how to play. LOL.... He retired 2 years ago after teaching 33 years at a YOUNG 56
If I've told this before, forgive me, I'm still taking pain meds and I've been offline for several days so I'm playing catch up and meds are trying to hit too.

[farrellcollie]

I believe you if you say they did march with bassoons at one time- but what a waste - they would never be heard over brass and other woodwinds. Let alone the fragility of the double reeds.- could you go 5 yards with one reed intact? I played in some early music groups in college - great idea - the indoor instruments and the outdoor instruments.

ps. my high school band director almost popped a vein when, in my first week of band camp, I dropped my piccolo right as he was walking past for inspection. He bellowed something about how a piccolo was not a basketball - they don't bounce.