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.

Music

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 most often is of a 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 practise their music as a section, takes 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 all Big Ten Conference bands and 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, such as the IUP Marching Band, 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 shouldn’t 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.

 Sliding

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 “shifting” or “sliding”. A slide 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.

 Parade marching

For parades, bands usually line up in a marching block composed of ranks (rows) and files (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.^[5][6][7]

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 dot books). 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/Stand 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.
• Atten-hut: the command that tells the band to go into the position of attention, a military posture.
• Mark time: 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: 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 make sure 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 hace: the command to turn the band 90 degrees to the left while at the position of attention.
• Right hace: the command to turn the band 90 degrees to the right while at the position of attention.
• About hace: 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 there 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 90 degrees while marking time. It is not to be executed until the director/drum major shouts the syllable “hut”
• Dress center: this command has the band bring there hands together at eye-level and to turn there heads toward the center of the block (if one is in the center, they do not move there head). While at dress center, the band can adjust the block to have better spacing. No commands other than Ready front can be executed while Dress center is in action
• Ready front: this command makes a band exit dress center for attention

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 (i.e., 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 bands use some kind of uniform, and the parts of a band uniform are numerous. Military-style uniforms are most common, but there are bands that use everything from matching T-shirts and shorts to formal wear. 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. Many Ivy League band members 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 of each game, (changing before halftime) such that no combination is repeated all year. Rather than a traditional helmet, the USC Spirit of Troy Marching Band and Troy University’s Sound of the South Marching Band wear traditional Trojan helmets. The Alma College Kiltie Marching Band is famous for wearing formal Scottish outfits including the official Alma College tartan. Additionally, the school or organization’s name, symbol, and/or colors are also 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. 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. However, competitive bands may 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. Manufacturers of marching band uniforms include Fruhauf Uniforms, DeMoulin Bros. & Co., Fred J. Miller Inc., and Stanbury Uniforms.

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.

 

–Wikipedia