| Archive for The official forum of the Royal Navy Volunteer Bands A home for the Royal Navy Volunteer Bands |
| vicshaw |
Hi thereHi, my name is Vicky Shaw and I joined this forum to find out what it's like to be in the Royal Marines band and to hear other people experiences. I am 18 years old and am interested in becoming a member of the band but want to find out lots more first. I play the trumpet and the flute and thats my introduction! |
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| sticky blue |
Welcome  - have a look at "Thinking of Joining" - you could do much, much worse - contact your local Careers office and/or speak to Deli (Admin) have a look round the forum - I'm sure you will receive lots of good advise - bye bye
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| mrbassbone |
Re: Hi there
Hello Vicky from a US Navy Musician Retired. I wish you all the best and fun and enjoyment. |
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| bootybandy |
Welcome Vicky. Have a good look round this site to see the type of humour you can expect in the RMB. Apart from being the finest Military Band in the world, we have some good fun too.   
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| RAB |
.. Hi Vicky..Welcome to the Forum.. By the time most of us were 18, we were fully trained and actively involved in a fully fledged Royal Marine Band. If you decide to apply to join, I wish you all the best. I had real fun, and apart from the heavy work schedules of the modern day Bands, I'm sure the crack's still abundant.. So don't dilly dally young 'un...  .. Get aboard as soon as you can... 
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| Co-admin |
Vicky, welcome.
As the others have said... life can be a party, just get through training; that is the hard part. If you have any specific questions, lease ask and I'll do my best to answer them for you. You could do a lot worse than join the RM Band Service. There is a hell of a lot of fun if you want it and the bad times are soon forgotten and soon become great times. Some of my lowest points have since become interesting points. You may hate them at the time but they do become priceless as time passes by. Don't live life thinking 'what if', do it and then you'll know. |
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| greenfairy |
And if you decide it's not for you then (or they don't bloody let you in as in my case  ) just join a Volunteer Band - all of the fun and less of the stress (allegedly )
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| lesbryan |
Go on and do it you you i dont thinkyoul ever regret it vicky 
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| MrJpig |
found a lovely audition piece GF 
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| vicshaw |
thanks people for replying to my post!
Questions: 1. I cant dive! will they teach me? 2. Do you have to be able to do music theory upto a high standard? 
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| greenfairy |
Nah, life's to short to be sucking on them when there's so much more out there for me to screw up instead!
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| Aaron Aardvark |
Im sure they will be queueing up to teach you .
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| MrJpig |
Go for it Vicky. good to have Yeller Bellies on Board....I am sure the training won`t 'STUMP' you
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| lesbryan |
DIVING COMES EASY OR SO THEY SAY
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| MrJpig |
Its only falling into water fingers first | ||||
| vicshaw |
lol, I didn't think us yellow bellies were very well known!! What instruments do u guys play? | ||||
| lesbryan |
I can play the picalo picalo i can play the big bass drum big bass drum |||| 
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| vicshaw |
ok ok | ||||
| mrbassbone |
My primary insturment is the Bass Trombone but I also play Euphonium and Timpani. |
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| sticky blue |
Speak to Deli - he has the full info:
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| Co-admin |
Dive as in into water or as in Scuba? You only need to dive in from the side of the pool and if you want to do Sub Aqua / SCuba diving you can do courses. I did my PADI Advance Open Water through the firm as part of my Adventure Training.
It is prefered if you have some. There is no reason why you can't get to grade 2 or 3 in a couple of months. If you really want to join you would be showing them how much you want it by doing some theory exams and tuition off your own back. You should be able to do it through school. Show them how much you want it by doing some learning and it will benefit you when you show them you want to learn and are capable of doing it. You'll be taught theory at the school if you join but this way you'll have a head start on some of the others. |
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| vicshaw |
cool i am going to be doing this anyway, as I need grade 5 theory to carry on with my lessons, the onlyt thing is is that I find theory hard, but I will work for it.
I have some more questions: -Are you always on a ship and where do u travel? -Is there a bar on base? |
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| vicshaw |
Also, I'm a little confused, what is the difference between the navy band and the royal marines band service?
And does anybody have msn messenger and would like to chat about it on there? |
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| RAB |
..Ahhhhhhhh..Vicky..A couple of days on this Forum and you're starting to sound like a RMB member already...
As part of your pre-entry training, you should take the bus everywhere you go...You'll live half your life on one after you join..
Oh ... and don't forget to sharpen up your card game skills...
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| A |
http://royalmarinesbands.myfreeforum.org/ftopic919.php This might help
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| sticky blue |
Now your getting the idea - not all bandies are pi$$ 'ed - I'ts just that work hard - play hard - there's always a bar ashore somewhere
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| Co-admin |
We have 5 bands: Scotland, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Lympstone and Dartmouth as well as the training band at the School of Music.
We spend most of our time ashore with the odd trip to sea. HAve a lok at the main site and you'll see what the bands get upto: http://www.royalmarinesbands.co.uk/Articles/pdmcomments.htm Click on the band links to the side for each band's report. Yes there is a bar in the barracks. The School of Music has its own bar with a big TV for the football and there is abar/club run by the NAAFI. |
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| vicshaw |
yep, i am still confused though, sorry i am easily confused, u say these bands r volunteer bands? but how can they be when the musicians are getting paid to play in them? | ||||
| mrbassbone |
Vicky...there are REAL Service bands and then there are volunteer bands. Volly Bands are made up of non-military members...correct me if I am wrong, Deli...while the ACTIVE SERVICE BANDS are made up of those IN the Royal Marines. ps...it helps when you reply to a message to use the quote button when replying. That way we are sure of what you are replying to... |
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| vicshaw |
OK THEN |
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| MrJpig |
You carry on the way you are mate...we understand you
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| Co-admin |
The Royal Marines Bands are full time services and paid as such. The Volunteer bands are a mix of ex serving and civilains who like to play music and get the chance to be part of a musical organisation backed by the Royal Marines. They get free instruction and help with instruments. They provide small bands for various functions all over the place as well as other ensambles. If you look at the volunteer band pages you will see they wear a uniform to gig in. | ||||
| RAB |
And a ...ps to you Mr B.....Wouldn't it be better for you to use your "PM" button for this purpose..????...
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| vicshaw |
Well I must say you have all helped me with my decision, I've still got a lot to think about yet but at present its top of my list!
I am going to get myself into an exercise routine also and do the music theory cos I really want to be part of this.
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| Aaron Aardvark |
Good one Vic........dont forget to read up on Aardvark Care. You will have to fag for the aardvark so it will help to learn how to cope with such a responsible task. You wont have to aardvarse polish though because that is the duty of my BatBulger. Good luck
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| lesbryan |
yes goodun and all the very best of luck to you for the future
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