Marching Band 101

Definition:

an ensemble of musicians that march in time to the music for entertainment at events and in parades, often with brass, wind, and percussion instruments, drum majors and/or majorettes, and color guard
[Courtesy of www.dictionary.com]

Yes, marching band does consist of musicians that march in time in such events as parades and football games, and yes, most bands consist of brass, wind, and percussion instruments. However, this definition only scratches the surface of what marching band truly is. While musicianship and coordination are both important aspects, the ultimate definition has to do with people. As a former member of a competitive band, I might be able to tell you what my dot¹ number was my freshman year and be able to play the tag² to the fight song, but what I remember most vividly is marching thirteen hour days the week before school started at band camp and the ensuing pain of having to walk up a flight of stairs after getting home. I recall creating a pact with a bass clarinet³ not to use porta-potty during those days and needing to rush home after every practice. My fondest memories are of the bus rides to competitions⁴, when we attempted to solely speak Spanish, sang songs from Disney's Mulan, and completely dominated games of Egyptian Ratscrew⁵ against our drill instructors atop unstable mellophone⁶ cases.

Marching band is fundamentally a group of people with one major link, the ability to play music. In the end, all strive to reach the goal of an astounding performance. Whether the final product be for a competition or a halftime show, all bands want to execute the drill to its highest quality. In order to achieve this, the band is split into smaller sections of woodwinds, brass, percussion, and color guard. Within each of these divisions, the band is divided even more into specific instruments (trumpets, clarinets, trombones, etc.). Each section usually contains a section leader (usually an older student who has auditioned for the position). Through these divisions, the band is able to do detail work on music and drill in order to create a cleaner show once full band reconvenes. Overall, marching band is a team sport where the band is only as strong as its weakest member.

1. Dot: used to specify band member placement on drill field
ex. every member corresponds to a circle

2. Tag: short musical sequence used to end a fight song

3. Bass Clarinet: Musicians will commonly refer to other musicians not by name, but by instrument

4. Competitions: Many high school bands compete with bands in surrounding areas (this will be discussed in a future blog)

5. Egyptian Ratscrew: a card game requiring a high level of hand-eye coordination that most band kids play in their spare time

6. Mellophone: an instrument used equivalent to a french horn