From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A
marching band is an activity consisting of
instrumental musicians performing outdoors for the purpose of entertainment and sometimes in competition. Instrumentation typically includes
brass,
woodwinds, and
percussion instruments. Most marching bands use some kind of uniform (often of a military style) that include the school or organization's name or
symbol,
shakos,
pith helmets,
feather plumes,
gloves, and sometimes
gauntlets,
sashes, and/or
capes.
Marching bands are generally categorized by function, size, age, and
by the style of show they perform. In addition to traditional
parade performances, many marching
bands also perform field shows at special events like
competitions.
Increasingly, marching bands are performing indoor concerts that
implement many of the songs, traditions, and flair from outside
performances.
History
The
Marching Illini, the first band to perform a halftime show at an American football game
Band is a general term for an instrumental group. The marching band
originated with traveling musicians who performed together at festivals
and celebrations throughout the ancient world. It evolved and became
more structured within the armies of the early
city-states, becoming the basis for the
military band, from which the modern marching band emerged.
[1]
As musicians became less important in directing the movement of troops
on the battlefield, the bands moved into increasingly ceremonial roles -
an intermediate stage which provided some of the instrumentation and
music for marching bands was the modern
brass band, which also evolved out of the military tradition.
Many military traditions survive in modern marching band. Bands that
march in formation will often be ordered to "dress their ranks" and
"cover down their files". They may be called to "attention", and given
orders such as "about face" and "forward march". Uniforms of many
marching bands still resemble military uniforms.
Outside of police and military organizations, modern marching bands are most commonly associated with
American football, specifically the pregame and halftime shows. Many U.S.
universities
had bands before the twentieth century. In 1907, the first formation on
a football field was the "Block P" created by Paul Spotts Emrick,
director of the
Purdue All-American Marching Band.
[2]
Spotts had seen a flock of birds fly in a "V" formation and decided
that a band could replicate the action in the form of show formations.
The first halftime show by a marching band at a football game was done
by the
University of Illinois Marching Illini also in 1907 at a game against the
University of Chicago.
[3][unreliable source?]
Another innovation that appeared at roughly the same time as the field show and marching in formations was the
fight song.
University fight songs are often closely associated with a university's
band. The University of Illinois also had the first fight song,
"Illinois Loyalty". Many of the more recognizable and popular fight
songs are widely utilized by high schools across the country. Four
university fight songs commonly used by high schools are the
University of Michigan's "
The Victors", The
University of Illinois' "
Illinois Loyalty", the
University of Notre Dame's "
Victory March", and the
United States Naval Academy's "
Anchors Aweigh".
Other changes in marching band have been:
Since the inception of
Drum Corps International
in the 1970s, many marching bands that perform field shows have adopted
changes to the activity that parallel developments with
modern drum and bugle corps. These bands are said to be
corps-style bands. Changes adopted from drum corps include:
- marching style: instead of a traditional high step, drum corps tend
to march with a fluid glide step, also known as a roll step, to keep
musicians' torsos completely still (see below)
- the adaptation of the flag, rifle, and sabre
units into "auxiliaries", who march with the band and provide visual
flair by spinning and tossing flags or mock weapons and using dance in
the performance
- moving marching timpani and keyboard percussion into a stationary sideline percussion section ("pit"),
which has since incorporated many different types of percussion
instruments such as: Tambourines, Crash Cymbals, Suspended Cymbals, Bass
Drum and Gong Sets, Chimes, EWIs (Electronic Woodwind Instrument), and
most Keyboards
- marching band competitions are judged using criteria similar to the
criteria used in drum corps competitions, with emphasis on individual
aspects of the band (captions for music performance, visual performance,
percussion, guard (auxiliary), and general effect are standard).
Marching band styles
Marching bands are categorized based on primary function,
instrumentation, and style - although many organizations may fill
multiple roles.
Military style bands
Military bands and
Corps of Drums
were historically the first marching bands. Instrumentation varies, but
generally contains brass, woodwinds, and percussion. Given their
original purpose, military marching bands typically march in a forward
direction with (no variation of) straight lines. Music is performed at a
constant tempo (120-140) to facilitate the steady marching of the
entire military group with which the band is playing. The marching step
size (interval) is consistent, and usually at a "6 to 5" (six steps per
five yards) or "8 to 5". This style includes field music units such as
drum and bugle corps or bugle bands,
pipe bands, and fife and drum corps.
Active duty military marching bands often perform in parades with
other military units and march in the same manner as other military
personnel. Due to a lack of appreciation, competition venues, and
military personnel, almost all military marching bands have disappeared
from schools in the United States; notable exceptions the
Fightin' Texas Aggie Band from
Texas A&M University, the
Highty-Tighties of the
Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, and the Cadets of
Norwich University
Military College of Vermont, the oldest collegiate band in the United
States and the nation's first private military academy. There is also a
pocket of about 80 high school military marching bands in East Texas.
Unlike in the USA, military style marching bands have a strong
presence in Latin American countries, especially those that have strong
military traditions, most importantly of Prussian, French, Spanish and
Portuguese origins. Such bands (military bands and Corps of Drums) are
found in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia and Peru.
But in Ecuador and Venezuela, Corps of Drums are the main military style
band for schools. Military style Corps of Drums are also seen in
schools, colleges and universities in Mexico and in Mexican schools in
the US merely using only the snare drum and the bugle (in some schools
the instrumentation can be larger). These bands also are present in
Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Panama.
The United Kingdom keeps the military style tradition with many civil
and youth bands in all of the UK keeping the military band traditions
of the country, either as marching wind bands, Corps of Drums, bugle
bands, pipe bands, and in Northern Ireland, fife and drum bands.
Examples would be the
Royal British Legion bands, and the bands of the various UK youth uniformed organizations. Styled on the UK military tradition,
Fiji's Military Forces also have a marching band.
[4]
Military style marching bands are also commonplace in Germany,
Austria, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, Italy, Spain,
Portugal and France. German and French military style band types can
even extend to Corps of Drums and
fanfare bands staffed full-time by civilian musicians, and even to the
Bagad
bands in Brittany and outside France made up of bagpipers. Spanish band
traditions include military style brass bands, marching bands (using
brass, woodwinds and percussion) and bugle bands and the Asturias
region's unique pipe bands.
Corps Style bands
Corps Style bands
directly reflect the trends seen in modern drum and bugle corps of Drum
Corps International (DCI). Unlike the military band style, drum corps
style step sizes are constantly changing to accommodate the differing
forms the band is creating on the field. Forms may be linear,
curvilinear, or scatter. Music selections can include anything from
symphonic music, film scores, to world music, jazz, rock, or pop music.
Unlike a Military band's usage of baton twirlers, Corps Style bands
may include the usage of a "color guard" which spin flags, rifles,
sabres, and may also incorporate dance into their routines. Other visual
elements unique to the corps style is the usage of props, backdrops,
and even costuming - with the purpose of adding more theatrical elements
to the show.
Other elements unique to the Corps Style bands are the incorporation
of the "front ensemble". This includes the usage of keyboard percussion
such as: xylophone, marimba, and bells; and/or any other color
percussion instruments such as: timpani, cymbals, conga, tambourine,
triangle, drum set, etc. The front ensemble may also use sound
amplification or electronic instruments such as synthesizers.
The "Corps Style" is constantly evolving, with contributions coming
from college bands, high school bands, and drum & bugle corps
throughout the United States. Typically, corps style bands are gearing
their performances for marching competitions and marching festivals.
Competitions featuring the corps style on the national level include:
Drum Corps International; Winter Guard International; and Bands Of
America.
Show bands
Show Band, more commonly known as Traditional Style Band, refers
primarily to marching bands geared towards crowd entertainment, and
perform on fields (for example, a football field). Typically, they
perform a routine before the game, another at halftime, and sometimes
after the game as well. Competitive show bands perform only one show
that is continually refined throughout a season, while bands that focus
on entertainment rather than competition usually perform a unique show
for each game. These shows normally consists of three to five musical
pieces accompanied by formations rooted in origin from "Patterns in
Motion", a book penned by one-time
Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band assistant band director
William C. "Bill" Moffit, who would later become bandmaster of
Purdue University All-American Marching Band and
University of Houston Spirit of Houston. Depending on the band, though the show could be practiced and completed before the football season at
band camp but mostly this is only done by competition show bands.
There are several varieties of Traditional Style Bands, the most recognizable would be the type depicted in
the film Drumline. This style of band is based upon an amalgamation of traditional styles from bands in the
Big 10
and African American traditions, where the music selections are largely
based on rhythm & blues and contemporary popular music. These types
of bands feature a near ubiquitous show format of Patterns In Motion
drill (though French curves and Band Pageantry [innovated by former FAMU
director of bands
William P. Foster]
are also common), a large amount of stand fast time where the band
plays a one or two selections in place, and a physically demanding,
thoroughly choreographed full band dance routine. Band members are also
known to include a smaller dance routine while standing in their forms
instead of marking time. Many of these types of show bands may have both
a twirler line and a dancer line, such as
Jackson State University's
"Prancing J-settes", along with or in place of a more conventional flag
corps. Examples of these types of college bands include
Albany State University's "Marching Ram Show Band",
Bethune-Cookman University's "Marching Wildcats",
Grambling State University's "World-Famed Tiger Marching Band",
Jackson State University's "
Sonic Boom of the South", the "Ohio University Marching 110",
Florida A&M University's "
Marching 100",
Tennessee State University's "
Aristocrat of Bands", and
Southern University's "The Human Jukebox".
Other Show Bands are semi-military and semi-corps style, such as
University of Texas, or Ohio State University. These bands perform a
show that is designed to entertain the audience, but feature more
traditional symphonic styles of music rather than contemporary music
(marches, film scores, jazz, or older pop music). Typically these types
of Show Bands don't include a dance line (usually the drill team is a
separate entity from the band, though may be featured during the half
time show.) These types of show band feature more marching while
playing, and limited amounts of stand fast time.
Most show bands of either type include the traditional military band
instrumentation of woodwinds, brass, and battery percussion. Some also
include the front ensemble keyboard percussion, and may also incorporate
the use of a color guard for flag and rifle routines.
Carnival bands
Carnival bands
are a UK variant of show bands. Carnival bands typically march in time
to the music, and may also participate in parades and competitions. They
contain
brass and
percussion, but may or may not use
woodwinds.
[5]
Scramble bands
Scramble bands
(also referred to as 'Scatter' bands) are a variation on show bands.
They generally do not march in time with the music, but, as their name
implies, scramble from design to design and often incorporate comedic
elements into their performances. Most of the bands in the
Ivy League use this style.
[6]
Instrumentation
The size and composition of a marching band can vary greatly. Some
bands have fewer than twenty members, and some have over 500. American
marching bands vary considerably in their instrumentation. Some bands
omit some or all
woodwinds, but it is not uncommon to see
piccolos,
flutes,
soprano clarinets,
alto saxophones, and
tenor saxophones.
E♭ clarinets,
alto clarinets,
bass clarinets, and
baritone saxophones are less common, but can be found in some bands.
Bassoons and
oboes
are very seldom found on a field due to the risk of incidental damage,
the impracticality of marching with an exposed double reed, and high
sensitivity to weather.
The
brass section usually includes
trumpets or
cornets,
French horns,
alto horns, or
mellophones,
tenor trombones,
baritone horns or
euphoniums, and
tubas or
sousaphones. E♭soprano
cornets are sometimes used to supplement or replace the high woodwinds. Some especially large bands use
flugelhorns
and bass trombones. Specially designed versions of the lower brass have
been created for use while marching. These are typically wrapped in
such a way that allow the bell to face toward the audience at all times.
Bands may also modify their instrumentation to remove slide trombones
completely and replace them with another instrument, such as a valved
trombone or marching baritone horn.
Marching percussion (often referred to as the
drumline, battery, or back battery) typically includes
snare drums,
tenor drums,
bass drums, and
cymbals
and are responsible for keeping tempo for the band. All of these
instruments have been adapted for mobile, outdoor use. Marching versions
of the
glockenspiel (bells),
xylophone, and
marimba are also rarely used by some ensembles. Historically, the percussion section also employed mounted
timpani that featured manual controls.
For bands that include a
front ensemble (also known as the pit or auxiliary percussion), stationary instrumentation may include orchestral percussion such as
timpani,
tambourines,
maracas,
cowbells,
congas,
wood blocks,
marimbas,
xylophones,
bongos,
vibraphones,
timbales,
claves,
guiros, and chimes or
tubular bells, concert bass drums, and
gongs,
as well as a multitude of auxiliary percussion equipment. Drum sets,
purpose-built drum racks, and other mounted instruments are also placed
here. Until the advent of the pit in the early 1980s, many of these
instruments were actually carried on the field by marching
percussionists by hand or on mounting brackets. Some bands also include
electronic instruments such as
synthesizers,
electric guitars, and
bass guitar, along with the requisite
amplification.
If double-reed or string instruments are used, they are usually placed
here, but even this usage is very rare due to their relative fragility.
Unusual percussive instruments are sometimes used, including
brake drums, empty propane tanks, trashcans,
railroad ties, stomping rigs, and other interesting sounds.
A rare inclusion in a marching band that is becoming more popular is the use of
Electrophones in a marching band. The most common electric instrument seen is a
bass guitar, but some schools also use
keyboards and
lead guitar.
To make the electric instruments usable, external power in the stadium
is normally used, but some groups may use a car-battery mechanism that
requires a car battery and a converter to give the instruments and
amplifiers remote power. Most bands will have the guitars in the pit
with keyboard and auxiliary percussion, but some guitarists do march in
the field show. This is made possible by the use of wireless
transmission systems that allow the guitarists to hook a wireless
transmitter to their instrument, while a receiver is hooked to the amp.
This allows free motion of the guitarists to a fixed range of distance
between the transmitter and receiver. This implementation of equipment
can also be used in parades. Some band scores have parts for bass
guitar, but in the event that a score does not, the bass guitarist will
normally play bassoon, baritone-bass clef, euphonium-bass clef, or
trombone music. It is very rare for a score to have a part for electric
guitar, but the guitarist may use oboe or flute music in this situation.
Auxiliary
Many bands have auxiliaries that add a visual component to the performance. For ceremonial bands, this could be a traditional
color guard or honor guard. For
drum & bugle corps and corps-style field bands, this could include Dance lines,
majorettes, Auxiliary units may be collectively referred to as
color guard or visual ensemble.
Auxiliaries may perform as independent groups. In the early 1970s,
color guards began to hold their own competitions in the winter (after
the
American football season, and before the beginning of the summer drum and bugle corps season). These became known as
winter guard. There are also numerous dance competitions in the off-season.
The color guard of a marching band or drum and bugle corps may contain
sabers, mock
rifles, and tall
flags. In modern bands, other props are often used:
flags
of all sizes, horizontal banners, vertical banners, streamers,
pom-poms, even tires, balls, and hula hoops or custom built props. The
color guard may also employ stage dressing such as backdrops, portable
flats, or other structures. These can be used simply as static scenery
or moved to emphasize block drill, and are often used to create a
"backstage" area to store equipment and hide personnel.
While military color guards were typically male, band color guards
tend to be primarily female, though it is becoming more common for men
to join as well. A few independent units are all-male. Guard members
nearly always wear a special uniform or costume that is distinctive from
that of the band, not necessarily matching in design or color. The
men's and women's guard uniforms are usually designed in one of two
ways: nearly identically, but with gender-specific parts (i.e. skirts)
adapted for the use of the opposite sex; or complimentarily, with the
two uniforms designed similarly but with variations in color or form.
The color guard uniform, especially in a high school marching band, need
not be in school colors; in fact, they rarely are. These uniforms are
designed to represent a certain aspect of the halftime show,
characterize the guard members through costumization, or tell some sort
of story, and can thus be in any design or color (a surprisingly common
complaint among the high school audience is that guard uniforms and
equipment "aren't school colors").
Personnel
Irishman Patrick S. Gilmore started the concept of a band leader.
[7] A marching band is typically led by one to three or, occasionally, four
drum majors, also called field commanders, who are responsible for conducting the band (sometimes using a large
baton or
mace,
though such tools are used rarely in modern marching bands for
conducting) and commonly referred to as the leader of the band. When
there is more than one drum major, one may be the head drum major, who
stands on the 50-yard line while conducting, whereas the other(s) often
directs from convenient angles (should the marching block not be facing
forward) and/or functions as an apprentice of sorts. The number of
members in the band often determines how many drum majors are needed,
based on the complexity of the show (in which case, in a three-person
scenario, one stands on the 50-yard line while another stands on the
30-yard line and the third stands on the other 30-yard line), and
occasionally, additional individuals may be asked to perform brief
conducting duties if beneficial in a particularly tricky part of the
show (more often, such people are those on the sidelines or in the pit).
The modern-day concept of the Drum Major has been exponentially
expanded upon by George N. Parks, often known as the "Dynamic Drum
Major", through his Drum Major Academy. Bands may also be led by a more
traditional
conductor,
especially during field shows, where a stationary conductor on a ladder
or platform may be visible throughout the performance. Aural commands –
such as vocal orders, clapping, or a whistle – may be used to issue
commands as well. In show bands, particularly in HBCU and Big 10 bands,
drum majors often have a visual on-field role with a baton or mace, with
the job of conducting relegated to the director(s). In these cases, the
number of drum majors is often based on tradition, rather than being in
proportion with the number of musicians. For example, the Florida
A&M
Marching 100
has one drum major for each university president. FAMU has had 10
presidents, thus the Marching 100 currently has 10 drum majors. Other
leaders within the band may include field lieutenants and captains of
sections such as brass, drumline, and woodwinds, and members that lead a
section, squad, letter, row, etc.
The size of the band may not only determine how many drum majors
there are, but how many section instructors are needed as well. Section
instructors function like the music director, but are mainly responsible
for teaching members of a given section. Because they are commonly
previous members of the section they teach, they're able to provide
better instruction to combine the needs of the show with the
characteristics of the given instrument.
As bands require leadership from within as well as from without,
section leaders will usually be selected from among the members of each
instrumental section (a "section" comprises all the band members who
play the same instrument—flutes, trombones, etc. Saxophones can be split
several ways depending on numbers). The section leader is always an
experienced band member, and is usually selected by the band director
(rather than elected or self-appointed) for his or her leadership skills
and experience. The section leader is responsible for the
minute-to-minute instruction of his or her section members, and reports
to the drum majors and the band director.
The
director
provides general guidance, selects the repertoire, interprets
commentary and evaluations from judges, and auditions and/or recruits
prospective members. What content is not provided by the director may be
contracted from arrangers (who compose original works or adapt existing
works) and copyists (who reproduce the parts of the score),
choreographers, and drill designers (primarily for field bands). With
the assistance of section instructors, the director also teaches
performance technique—musical, martial, and visual—and assesses the pool
of talent, choosing leaders and soloists as needed. The director also
selects venues for public performance and oversees the staff that help
provide funding and equipment. Many opportunities for member improvement
are present: the director may organize clinics with various
professionals, send representatives to specialty schools or camps,
and/or plan trips abroad for education or exhibition.
Large bands also require a number of support staff who can move
equipment, repair instruments and uniforms, create and manipulate props
used in performances, and provide food, water and medical assistance.
Additional staff may be utilized when the band hosts functions such as
competitions and reviews. In high school bands, these activities are
usually performed by volunteers, typically parents of band members or
the band members of the lower grades. These people are often referred to
as "runners" or "boosters". Significant support staff for college bands
and independent corps are typically paid by the university or the corps
organization, respectively.
Performance elements
The goal of each band's performance is different. Some aim for maximum uniformity and precision; others – especially
scramble bands
– want to be as entertaining as possible. Many U.S. university marching
bands aim for maximum sound "impact" on the audience. Some bands
perform primarily for the enjoyment of their own members. However, there
are some common elements in almost all band performances. The following
overview is heavily focused on U.S. marching band tradition.
Music
Some marching bands have their members hold music on lyres attached to the instrument.
The traditional music of the marching band is the military
march, but since show bands also evolved from the
concert and
brass band
traditions, music has always been varied. Often, music from other
genres is adapted for the specific instrumentation of a marching band.
Commercial
arrangements
that are tailored for the "average" band instrumentation are also
available. Military and university bands typically have a repertoire of
"traditional" music associated with the organization they serve. Some
competitive bands will choose to use an arrangement of popular music
varied for marching band, as well as music from a movie or other such
theme. However, the largest and most successful marching bands tend to
steer clear of "show tunes" and popular music, instead preferring
compilations or arrangements of classical or traditional concert pieces
(i.e. Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring or Puccini's Nessun Dorma) or of
entirely new compositions.
Music may be memorized, or it may be carried on flip folders, which
are held by lyres that clip onto the instruments. Having music memorized
is usually considered an advantage for competitive bands, and at
competitions, there is usually a penalty for the use of the sheet music
on the field written into the scoring rubric. Practically, memorization
prevents obstruction of vision caused by the folders. The memorization
of music is usually a matter of pride for the marching band, as a band
that must use sheet music might be seen as of lesser caliber than one
that performs with memorized music.
Band Camp
Most bands will meet in the summer, normally in August for summer
training. This involves learning basic marching fundamentals such as the
type of marching step the band uses, commands, and how to move on
field. The band is also given music to learn for their show. Drill for
the show may or may not be provided to learn during band camp. The camp
takes place outdoors on field for marching, and in a band hall for
music-only rehearsals. Sectionals, which is when instrument sections
split up to practice their music as a section, take place here.
Directors may use time during band camp to place band members in their
sections based on playing and/or marching level and ability. For bands
that require auditions for the band, drumline, or auxiliary, auditions
may happen the first few days for placement. Band camp may last 1–2
weeks. It can be a day camp or a residential camp. In most university
bands, band camp means an earlier move-in date for university students
in the band.
The High Step
The high step is used by many colleges and universities, including most
Historically Black Colleges or Universities
such as Southern University, Florida A&M, Grambling State
University, and Tennessee State University. Some bands, such as the
Florida State
Marching Chiefs, Norfolk State University
Spartan Legion, and the
Kansas State University Marching Band use both high step and glide step, depending on the situation.
- In one variation of the high step, the band member rolls his or her
foot out to the toe, bending the knee. The knee then locks, and the leg
is lifted out in front of the marcher before it is put down in the new
position. This is known specifically as a chair step.
- Another high step involves bringing the foot up to the inside of the
leg to the knee before coming down and forward. Some bands may refer to
this as "tucking" and others as "ankle-knee". This is the style used by most bands from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
- An older high step involves the lifting of the knee with legs
directly in front, thighs parallel to the ground, and toes pointed
downward. When the leg is elevated, there should be a 90-degree angle
with the body and the thigh, and a 90-degree angle with the thigh and
the shin. The leg is then lowered, and this is repeated with the other
leg. This is informally referred to as the "chair step". Schools in the Big Ten Conference use this style.
- Another, very physically demanding, style of high step marching is
extended high step. This version requires the thigh to be parallel to
the ground (perpendicular to the body) with the lower leg extended
outward at a 45-degree angle from the body (135-degrees from the thigh),
toes pointed downward. The leg is then driven quickly back to the
ground while the other leg repeats in this fashion. At the same time,
the upper body swaggers 22.5-degrees left or right of center with each
step.
The most important part of this style of marching is known as "stop
action," which means all movement ceases momentarily at the apex of each
step. This requires a band to have a great deal of stamina, but is
effective visually.
Glide Step/Roll Step
Many bands are known for using some variation of the
glide step, also known as the
roll step.
This step involves bringing the heel gently to the ground with the toe
pointed up, and then rolling forward onto the toes before lifting the
foot (or walking on the ball of the foot with heel elevated when
backwards marching). This style is a direct imitation of drum and bugle
corps. It gives the drill a fluid and smooth appearance, and allows for
better control of the difficult formations and various styles of music
played by those bands which roll step. With this control comes the
ability to perform a much broader range of tempos; the proper execution
of a roll step will give a player marching at 40 beats per minute the
same smooth tone as a player who is marching at 180. The roll step
allows for much better control of the upper body, and thus better
control of the air support needed for playing.
Marking time
When a band is not moving, the members may
mark time, or march
in place. The step used usually resembles the step that is used for
marching forward, though mixing a high step mark time with a roll step
march (or vice versa) produces an interesting visual effect. For a
typical mark time, the foot is raised to the ankle bone of the opposite
leg. The toe should not come off the ground and the knee should not come
out much past the still-straight leg.
Some bands mark time by bringing their feet all the way up to their
knee, this is also known as high-mark time. Some bands practice marking
time during concert arch with the toes coming off of the ground in order
to give the marcher a greater sense of marching while actually standing
still. The heel should hit the ground on the beat. Some bands forgo
marking time and instead come to a complete halt when not marching.
Traditionally, the drumline would put their feet in a V-shape and lift
their feet fully off the ground a few inches. This is to avoid hitting
the drums.
Lateral Marching
When band members are marching in one direction but want to focus
their sound in another, they may rotate their bodies at the waist, so
that only the upper portion of the body faces in the direction of play.
This is known as "lateral marching", but is more commonly known as
either "shifting", "traversing", or "sliding". A lateral march is not a
change in the direction of march, only in the direction the upper body
faces. Percussion players, whose large drum harnesses often prevent them
from twisting their torsos, and sometimes tuba and sousaphone players,
will instead use a
crab step when moving sideways. During a crab
step, the musician crosses one leg over the other, either marching on
the toes or rolling the foot sideways. Percussionists may also
substitute roll step when their instruments would interfere with
performing the high step.
Changing direction
A true direction change (involving the feet actually moving in a new
direction) requires the use of a "prep step", rarely referred to as a
"flank". Say Band Member X needs to change from a direct forwards march
to a forward march to the left (basically, he's turning left). To
perform the prep step, on the last count of movement in the first
direction X will plant the toe of his foot with the heel turned outward
in half the angle of the turn desired (for our ninety-degree turn, his
heel is turned 45 degrees), his upper body still facing forward. On the
next count, his other foot snaps into position completing the
ninety-degree turn. His upper body may or may not turn with his lower
body (the incorporation of a slide). When performing a prep step, the
foot used is usually the right one. Some bands plant the heel on the
prep step rather than the toe, but the angle of the foot is preserved.
This is usually a matter of preference.
Backward marching
A
back march may be used when the band wishes to move in the
opposite direction from where it is projecting its sound. There are
several ways to back march, one of which is to walk backwards, putting
each foot down and rolling from the toe to the heel (the exact reverse
of the roll step). Another variation involves marching on the platforms
of the feet, dragging the toe of the moving foot on the ground.
Backwards marching usually employs the same preference for leg
straightness as forward marching (if the band marches with legs
completely straight while marching forwards, they will also do so while
marching backwards, to preserve uniformity of style). Using peripheral
vision to align oneself to formations or field markings is even more
important during backward marching.
Staying in step
Even when marking time, it is often considered good form for all band members to stay
in step—that is, step with the same foot at the same time. A large majority of bands
step off
with, or start marching on, the left foot. Staying in step is generally
easier when the band is playing music or when the drums are playing a
marching cadence.
When the band and percussion are not playing, rhythm may be
maintained in a variety of ways: a drummer may play clicks or rim shots,
the drum major may clap or use a wood block, a drum major or band
member may vocalize a sharp syllable like "hit", "hut", or "dhut" (the
latter is usually characteristic of the drum line, and often said before
playing in the rhythm; dhut, dhut, dhut-dhut-dhut-dhut [one, three, one
two three four] ), or band members may chant the military call of
"Left, left, left right left". Band members may count the steps of the
move out loud so as to keep the entire band together. Typically most
moves consist of a number of steps that are a multiple of four. This is
because most marching band music is in the
time signature
of 4/4. Even-numbered time signatures like 4/4 aid in staying in step
because they assign odd-numbered counts to the left foot, and
even-numbered counts to the right foot. If a band member is on the wrong
foot, for instance odd on the right foot and even on the left, this is
out of step but when a band member is completely off tempo is called
being out of phase. For example landing on the left foot on the + of 3 (
+ of 3 or
add of 3 is half way in between 3 & 4).
Parade marching
For parades, bands usually line up in a marching block composed of
ranks (rows) and files or company fronts (columns). Typically, each
member tries to stay within his or her given rank and file, and to
maintain even spacing with neighboring musicians. It is usually the
responsibility of the people at the end of each rank and the front of
each file to be in the correct location; this allows other band members
to
guide to them.
Band members also try to keep a constant pace or step size while marching in parade. This usually varies between 22 and 30
inches (56–76
cm) per stride. A step size of 22.5 inches is called
8-to-5 because the marcher covers five
yards (about 4.6
m) in eight steps. A step size of 30 inches is called
6-to-5
because five yards are covered in six steps. Because yard lines on an
American football field are five yards apart, exact 8-to-5 and 6-to-5
steps are most useful for field shows.
A
drum cadence (sometimes called a
walkbeat or
street beat)
is usually played when the band is marching, sometimes alternating with
a song. This is how the band keeps time. Alternatively, a drum click or
rim shot may be given on the odd beats to keep the band in step.
Between songs and cadences, a roll is usually given to indicate what
beat in the measure the band is at. Cadence
tempo varies from group to group, but is generally between 112 and 144
beats per minute.
Street marching
In
Minnesota,
Upstate New York, and
Wisconsin,
bands perform on city streets (called a performance route) with compact
formation elements, sometimes referred to as a street show. These shows
are judged using similar criteria as any other marching band
competition. Elements of difficulty increase with street marching
competitions because of the varying widths of streets in each community.
Street marching is typical for bands who operate during the spring and
early summer months. Typically, a band that performs street marching
competitions will not be involved with field marching, and vice versa.
Various venues exist for street marching competitions between high
school marching bands.
[8][9][10]
Field marching
While playing music during a field show, the band makes a series of
formations, called drill, on the field, which may be pictures, geometric
shapes, curvilinear designs, or blocks of musicians, although sometimes
it may be pure abstract designs using no specific form.
Typically, each band member has an assigned position in each
formation. In many show bands and most drum corps, these positions are
illustrated in a handheld booklet called a
drill book
(also known as a dot book). Drill books, or drill charts, show where
each person stands during each set of the show. The drill charts include
yard lines and hashes as they would be on an actual football field,
which shows the band members where to stand in relation to the yard
lines and hashes. There are many ways of getting from one formation to
the next:
- each member can move independently – this is called scattering or "scatter drill"
- all the members can move together without deforming the picture – this is called floating
- the members can stay in their lines and arcs, but slowly deform the picture – this is sometimes called rotating, expanding, or condensing
- the members can break into ranks or squads, each of which performs a maneuver (such as a follow-the-leader) which may or may not be scripted – an unscripted move is sometimes called a rank option
- each member may have a specifically scripted move to perform – in
these cases, the desired visual effect is often the move itself and not
the ending formation
- often if band members are at an extended halt, they will perform a
stationary visual move, such as a rip (like "the wave") or they might do
some sort of choreography
Players may point the bells of their instruments in the direction they are moving, or
slide
(also called traverse) with all the bells facing in the same direction.
Bands that march in time with the music typically also synchronize the
direction of individuals' turns, and try to maintain even spacing
between individuals in formations (called intervals). Sometimes bands
will specifically have wind players turn their instruments away from the
audience in order to emphasize the dynamics of the music.
Auxiliaries can also add to the visual effect. Backdrops and props
("scrims") may be used on the field that fit the theme of the show or
the music being performed. In comedic shows, particularly for university
bands, an announcer may read jokes or a funny script between songs;
formations that are words or pictures (or the songs themselves) may
serve as punch lines.
Fundamental commands and drill down
In some marching bands, a drum major has the option to give out a set
of commands to the rest of the band either vocally, by hand command, or
by whistle. These commands originated from the military history of
marching band. Different bands might have different sets of procedures
such as the number of counts it takes to carry out the command, but the
overall result will be the same.
- To the ready/Standing by: the command tells the band to stand with
heads slightly bowed, feet shoulder length apart. The band will often
automatically do this when they first march onto a field at the
beginning of their show.
- Band atten-hut: the command that tells the band to go into the
position of attention, a military posture. The band usually responds
with a loud "ONE".
- Mark time march: the command tells the band to march in place in rhythm to snare taps, normally before they march off.
- Forward march, sometimes Forward Harch: this command tells the band to begin marching, in time, and in step. They step off on the left foot, and end on the right.
- Detail halt/Band halt: this command tells the band to stop marching.
Normally they'll mark time for two beats, saying "ONE, TWO" or "DUT,
DUT" on these beats, to ensure they end on the right foot.
- At ease: this tells the band that they may completely relax.
- Parade Rest: the command that tells the band to put their feet
shoulder wide and join both hands in the front of their body or to put
both feet together or in a V-formation and roll their elbows out and put
both hands in fists resting on the hip (the upper-body portion is
usually only utilized when marching without instruments, sometimes the
second option's lower body form and the first option's upper-body form
is used).
- Left face: the command to turn the band 90 degrees to the left while at the position of attention.
- Right face: the command to turn the band 90 degrees to the right while at the position of attention.
- About face: the command to turn the band 180 degrees to the rear while at the position of attention.
- Horns up: the command for wind players to bring their instruments to playing position (mouthpiece on or near the mouth).
- Horns thrust: this command for wind players instructs the band to
bring their horns to a "thrust" position where their instruments are
perpendicular to the ground and their mouthpieces are level with their
eyes.
- Horns carry: this command for wind players instructs the band to put their instrument under their right arm.
- Dismissed: this command generally releases the band either for the day or for another portion of the rehearsal.
- To the left flank: this command turns the band 90 degrees
sinistrally while marking time. It is not to be executed until the
director/drum major shouts the syllable "hut".
- To the right flank: this command turns the band 90 degrees dextrally
while marking time. It is not to be executed until the director/drum
major shouts the syllable "hut"
- To the rear: this command turns the band 180 degrees while marking
time. It is not to be executed until the director/drum major shouts the
syllable "hut".
- Dress center/right/left dress: this command has the band bring their
hands together at eye-level and to turn their heads toward the center,
right, or left of the block (if one is in the center, one simply puts
one's head down). While dressing, the band can adjust the block to have
better spacing. No commands other than Ready front (sometimes Eyes
front) can be executed while Dressing is in action.
- Ready front/Eyes front: this command makes a band exit dress center for attention.
- Cover down: this command tells the band to line up their files and make sure they are straight.
Aside from field show and parade, competitions among
secondary school
can also have the "March Off" (also "concentration block" or "drill
down"). This event involves all participants on the field following the
commands of a drill sergeant. If a participant makes a mistake, either
by execution or wrong timing, then the participant will fall out of the
field. A winner is crowned when there is only one participant left on
the field.
Delay
Each musician in a marching band creates
sound waves.
The waves from each musician, traveling at the speed of sound, reach
the other musicians, field conductors and listeners at slightly
different times. If the distance between musicians is large enough,
listeners may perceive waves to be
out of phase.
Typically, in this case, listeners perceive that one section of the
band is playing their parts slightly after another section. This
delay effect is informally referred to as
ensemble tear or
phasing (not to be confused with the
music composition technique of the same name).
Consider also that viewers perceive the movement of marchers as light
waves. Since light travels faster than sound, viewers may perceive that
movement is out of phase with the sound. Sound waves may also reflect
off parts of the stadium or nearby buildings.
For example, if two musicians, one standing on the front sideline of
the football field and one on the back sideline, begin playing exactly
when they see the beat of the conductor's baton or hand, the sound
produced by the musician on the front sideline will reach listeners in
the stands noticeably before the sound played by the back musician, and
the musicians will be seen to move before the sound reaches the stands.
Delay can be reduced in several ways, including:
- using compact formations;
- instructing players to listen to percussion and to watch field conductors, to get a uniform idea of tempo;
- instructing musicians to make constant adjustments and watch or
listen to sources of tempo to make their sound reach the audience at the
same time as other musicians;
- instructing players located near the back of the field watch the
drum major, and all other players to "listen back", playing along with
those watching the drum major;
- instructing players to keep track of time and rhythm on their own (internalize the tempo);
- instructing the percussion to call out counts, or do rimshots (sometimes called cheaters) when they are not playing;
- instructing players to ignore the delay and realize that listeners
hear the sound waves in phase. This most often occurs when the band is
spread out, but in groups (e.g., the four corners of the football field
in 4 groups). In this case, the sound will reach the center of the
stadium and the center of the stands at the same moment provided the
band members are not correcting for each other.
Uniforms
Nearly all marching band personnel wear some kind of
uniform.
Military-style uniforms are most common, but there are bands that use
everything from matching T-shirts and shorts to formal wear. The school
or organization's name, symbol, and/or colors are commonly applied to
uniforms. Uniforms may also have substantially different colors on the
front and back, so if band members turn suddenly (
flank), the audience will see a striking change of color. Band members at many
Ivy League schools wear a jacket and tie while performing. The
Southern Methodist University
band will wear a different combination of jackets, vests, ties, shirts,
and pants for each half (changing before halftime) of each game and no
clothing/uniform combinations are repeated during the marching season.
The
Alma College Kiltie Marching Band is famous for wearing
kilts made of the official Alma College
tartan.
The components of a band uniform are numerous. Common design elements include hats (typically
shakos,
pith helmets,
combination hats or other styles of helmets) with feather plumes, capes, gloves, rank cords, and other embellishments. The
USC Spirit of Troy Marching Band and
Troy University's
Sound of the South Marching Band wear traditional Trojan helmets. It is
also common for band uniforms to have a stripe down the leg and
light-colored shoes, or
spats
over dark shoes to emphasize the movement of the legs while marching.
Competitive bands however, many times opt for matching pants and shoes
(usually white or black) to hide the visual effect of members who are
out of step as seen from a distance. Occasionally, a band will forgo
traditional uniforms in favor of costumes that fit the theme of its
field show. The costumes may or may not be uniform throughout the band.
This kind of specialized uniform change is usually confined to
competitive marching bands.
Drum Majors,
the field commanders and band leaders, usually do not wear the regular
band uniform, to better distinguish them from the rest of the band. Some
wear more formal outfits or costumes that match the theme of the music,
or most commonly a differently-designed version of the regular band
uniform, often employing different colors (especially white) or features
such as capes. Some (especially at the college level) still employ the
tall wool-lined shako or much larger bearskin (both often derisively
referred to as a "Q-Tip hat"). Sousaphone players typically use a
military-style beret, as other hats may be in the way of the bell. Some
auxiliary groups use uniforms that resemble gymnastics outfits: Often,
these uniforms are themed, drawing inspiration from the music. Many
auxiliary groups change the outfits they use from season to season based
on the needs of the band, although some that do also have a "base"
uniform for occasions such as parades or other ceremonies.
Rehearsals
Some bands will perform the same field show at all of their
appearances during a single season. Others will avoid repeating a
performance in front of the same crowd. In either case, the amount of
rehearsal required varies greatly depending on the number and complexity
of the formations, and the difficulty of the music. Some bands do a new
field show every week, but only practice drill for two or three hours
immediately before the performance. Other bands can practice a single
show upwards of 20 hours per week (or more, for some competitive drum
and bugle corps, who have been known to practice as much as 16 hours a
day) for an entire season. This amounts to an average of 400 hours spent
rehearsing for every minute of a competitive show in a season.
In the US, some states, such as Texas, have association rules that
prohibit high school bands from practicing too much, in order to avoid
injuring or overworking students. Texas has an 'Eight Hour Rule' which
states that no competitive part of a marching band can spend more than 8
hours per week, including full band rehearsals, sectionals, and time
before competitions, rehearsing. The things that do not count towards
the 8 hours are competitions, parades, football games, and rehearsals
during the scheduled school day. In other states; however, high school
marching bands can practice 40 or more hours a week, such as Indiana.
Music for parade and show bands is typically learned separately, in a
concert band
setting. It may even be memorized before any of the marching steps are
learned. When rehearsing drill, positions and maneuvers are usually
learned without playing the music simultaneously – a common technique
for learning drill is to have members sing their parts or march to a
recording produced during a music rehearsal. Many bands learn drill one
picture or form at a time, and later combine these and add music.
Rehearsals may also include physical warm-up (stretching, jumping jacks, etc.),
music warm-up (generally consisting of breathing exercises,
scales, technical exercises,
chorales, and
tuning),
basics (simple marching in a block to practice proper technique), and
sectionals (in which either staff or band members designated
section leaders rehearse individual sections).
When learning positions for drill, an
American football
field may be divided into a 5-yard grid, with the yard lines serving as
one set of guides. The locations where the perpendicular grid lines
cross the yard lines, sometimes called
zero points or gacks, may
be marked on a practice field at eight-, four-, or two-step intervals.
Alternately, band members may only use field markings – yard lines, the
center line, hash marks, and yard numbers – as guides (but note that
different leagues put these markings in different places).
In order for members to learn their positions more quickly, they may be given
drill charts,
which map their locations relative to the grid or field markings for
each formation. In other groups, spray chalk or colored markers are used
to mark the location of each person after each set of drill, with a
different color and, sometimes, shape for each move.
Some bands use small notebooks, also known as a
dot book or
drillbook,
which they hang about their necks, on the drum harness, or around the
waist. These contain pages of "drill charts", which often either give a
picture or list coordinates that band members use to find 'pages' or
'sets' on the field. Coordinates are normally listed in 8-to-5 steps off
the front sideline and front and back hashes, along with the number of
8-5 steps off of the yardline listed on each page. Some bands are even
using small plastic pouches that hang about their neck on an adjustable
strap, which has a zipper pocket for holding drill, flags to mark sets,
and a pencil. There is also a clear plastic window in front to display
the current part of drill being worked on at that point in time.
Members may also group into squads, ranks, sections, or (especially with
scramble bands
that primarily form words) letters. Instead of each member having an
individual move, moves are then learned on a squad-by-squad
(rank-by-rank, etc.) basis.
March steps and traditional music and drill that are unique to an organization are often taught at a
band camp,
a time set aside for intense rehearsal before the performance season
begins. Many U.S. university bands meet for a week of band camp prior to
the beginning of the autumn semester. Other band camps exist for
individual band members, drum majors, and auxiliaries to practice their
skills and learn generic techniques in the off-season. For many bands,
band camp is actually camp: the groups board at a campground for a
period of time. Other groups simply hold band camp at their typical
rehearsal facilities. Many bands have an initiation night at the end of
the camp to help build a greater bond between the musicians. More often
than not, initiation is focused at the newcomers to marching, for
example, freshman in high school/college. One of the major exceptions to
this practice are Summer Sessions, practices that those who are
planning on trying out for
The Ohio State University Marching Band attend.
[11]
Northern Ireland
There is a huge
marching scene in
Northern Ireland with most of the parades being organized by
loyalist bands and the
Orange Order.
Marching bands serve as entertainment during
American football
games. For college marching bands, this is the primary purpose of the
ensemble. The band plays the national anthem before kickoff (when home),
often as part of a pre-game show, as well as other music while in the
stands during the game. Sometimes, short songs from past field shows are
used as stand tunes later. Bands cheer with the cheerleaders, and some
bands create their own cheers. Marching bands perform their show during
halftime. When both teams' bands are present, it is common protocol for
the visiting band to perform first. After halftime, some high school
bands will use the third quarter of the game to take a break and get
food. College bands do not have such breaks, but continue playing in the
stands during the entirety of the game. The band will stay the entire
game, playing the school's fight song and alma mater at the end of the
game regardless of the outcome.
Three
National Football League teams designate an official marching band: the
Washington Redskins,
Buffalo Bills and
Baltimore Ravens (the Ravens' band,
Baltimore's Marching Ravens, predated the team's move to Baltimore and previously had served as the marching band for the
Colts during their time in Baltimore). Marching bands were once common fare during
Super Bowl halftime shows during its earlier years but were later replaced by short
stadium rock
concerts from high-profile recording artists, some of which have
incorporated marching bands into their performances. Marching bands are
otherwise uncommon at the professional level.
Competitions
In competitions, bands are usually judged on criteria such as
musicality, uniformity, visual impact, artistic interpretation, and the
difficulty of the music and drill. Competition exists at all levels, but
is most common in the U.S. among secondary school bands and drum and
bugle corps. Performances designed for a competition setting usually
include more esoteric music (including but not limited to adaptations of
modern orchestral pieces). Many traditional style bands compete in
contest known as a Battle of the Bands, similar to the Atlanta Classic
from the movie
Drumline.
Although its legitimacy is often called into question, competitive
marching band is sometimes considered a sport, due in large part to the
physical exertion required in combination with teamwork. Many HBCU
marching band fans refer to band as "marching sport."
Sports Illustrated
considered the activity a sport in 1987, describing the Drum Corps
International World Championships “one of the biggest sporting events of
the summer.”
[12][13] In the same article, Sports Illustrated quoted basketball coach
Bobby Knight,
"If a basketball team trained as hard as these kids do, it would be
unbelievable. I like to take my players [to watch drum corps] to show
them what they can accomplish with hard work and teamwork. Besides, once
they see them practice 12 hours a day, my players think I’m a helluva
lot easier.”
[13]
In his presentation to the American College of Sports Medicine's
annual meeting in 2009, researcher and exercise physiologist Gary
Granata presented research after studying members of the
Avon High School Marching Black and Gold,
noting "At the top levels of marching band and drum corps, you get a
level of competition and athleticism that is equal to a division I
athletic program."
[14]
Granata further pointed out, "Performers are constantly moving, and
often running, at velocities that reach 180 steps or more per minute
while playing instruments that weigh up to 40 pounds."
[15]
Moreover, in an
ESPN segment from 2005, researchers from
Indiana State University
placed devices on Drum Corps members that recorded metabolic rates
during performances and practices, utilizing measurements of oxygen
consumption, carbon dioxide production, and heart rate. The findings
were that the performers metabolic rates matched those of marathon
runners halfway through a marathon, while the heart rate was more along
the lines of someone who was running a "400 or 800 meter dash."
[16]
Spring competitions
Spring and early summer parade marching (or street marching) is
popular in the northern midwest and Upstate New York, where temperatures
are moderate enough for students to march distances in standard
uniforms. Performance styles range from traditional block marching to
elaborate productions with evolving drill patterns.
[17]
Summer competitions
There are also some circuits in the United States which continue to
hold field show competitions during the summer months. Much like drum
corps, these bands rehearse and tour full-time for about a month from
mid-June to mid-August. Such circuits include the Mid-America Competing
Band Directors Association, or MACBDA,
[18] and the
Catholic Youth Organization circuits.
MACBDA is currently host to more than 20 actively competing,
summer-only
field show bands from the US (Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and
Michigan) and Canada (Saskatchewan and Alberta). The circuit sponsors
fourteen field show competitions each summer and the circuit
championships move on a three-year-rotation from Calgary, AB, Canada, to
Traverse City, MI, to the Southern Wisconsin / Northern Illinois area.
The
Honda Battle of the Bands
is an annual marching band exhibition which features performances by
HBCU bands. Seemingly contradictory to the name, Honda's "battle" is not
a competition in the traditional sense; that is, no winner is crowned
during the event. Rather, the bands compete for the favor of the
audience, each other, and the greater community.
Fall competitions
Most high school marching band competitions occur in the fall when the majority of schools begin classes. In the
United States, there are two national competition circuits in which bands can compete;
Bands of America and the
United States Scholastic Band Association (USSBA).
USSBA
was formed in 1988 through the help of the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps.
Over 700 high school bands compete during the Fall season with bands of
similar size and talent. Each competition provides approximately 40
professional judges who give feedback on the show's programming and
design. At the season's end the top 50 bands are invited to compete in
the US Scholastic Band Championship, which is hosted at a college or
professional stadium.
[19]
Also, many states have their own competition circuits as well as
rules that govern competitions that occur in their circuits. Several
colleges host annual independent competitions, many of which hold
varying degrees of prestige, such as the Contest of Champions at
Middle Tennessee State University, which is the longest running high school band contest in the United States.
The Avon High School Marching Black and Gold, a large marching band, is
classified as a AAAA band in the BOA circuit, as determined by school
size.
In order to make competitions fair, bands are normally split up into different
classes or
divisions
based on certain factors. One popular classification system uses the
size of the school to split up the competing bands. This is the method
used by
Bands of America, the
Indiana State School Music Association, and the
University Interscholastic League.
Alternatively, the number of band members determines the class—with the
largest bands being Division I, and smaller bands being classified as
Division II, III, and IV.
The Sudler Trophy and Sudler Shield
Main article:
Sudler Trophy
The Sudler Trophy and Sudler Shields are awards bestowed each year by the
John Philip Sousa Foundation
on one university marching band and one high school marching band. The
awards do not represent the winner of any championship, but rather a
band surrounded by great tradition that has become respected nationally.
No school may be honored with either award twice while under the same
director.
