Introduction to Marching Band

1. Introduction to Marching Band Nick Brown Norton HS Marching Band

2. What is Marching Band? • A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who incorporate movements with their musical performance. • Marching bands perform during football games, as well as local and national parades and competitions.

3. Important Commands • Attention: This is a 4 count move with a hit on 1. You will hear 4 claps than “band tent hut” There will be a pause on beat 4 and everyone will snap to the attention position on count 1. • “BAND TENT HUT (pause) HIT” • The attention position is: • Feet together • The upper body and lower body should be aligned and the shoulders should be back. • There should be no curve in the back, the hips and spine should be aligned. • The head should be looking slightly up, and straight ahead. • The instruments should be in the carry position. • THERE IS NO MOVING OR TALKING AT ATTENTION!!!!!

4. Important Commands • Parade Rest: Parade rest is a slightly more relaxed substitute for attention. • This is also a 4 count move with a hit on count 1. The band will hear 4 claps and then “band parade rest.” There is a pause on beat 4 and then a snap to parade rest on count 1. “Band Parade Rest (pause) HIT” • The parade rest position is as follows: • Feet will be spread apart shoulder width, with the feet facing forward NOT naturally angled to the sides. • The upper body is the same as attention, except the instruments will be held in their parade rest carry position. • THERE IS NO MOVING OR TALKING DURING PARADE REST!!!!

5. Important Commands • Horns Up/Down: This command is used to bring the horns up(or down) together. This is a 4 count move with a hit on 1. • You will hear “BAND HORNS UP”. There is NO movement until beat 1. You will make a hissing sound with your tongue and snap your horns to playing position. • To get the horns down, you will hear “BAND HORNS DOWN.” There is no movement until beat 1. You will make a hissing sound with your tongue and snap your horns down to the carry position.

6. Marking Time • Marking time is used rarely during drill, but is used during rehearsals and sectionals in order to keep time. • The command to mark time is 4 counts. You will hear “Mark Time Mark” with a silence on beat 4. • On beat 4 you will lift your LEFT heal about 2 inches off the ground so that your heal hits on beat 1. On the AND OF ONE you will lift your right heal off the ground and it will hit the ground on beat 2. • When done right it will look as follows: • “Mark time mark (lift) left hit and right hit and left hit and right hit and etc.

7. Basic Marching Fundamentals • The two most common marching techniques are: corps-style marching and high-step marching. • Our band uses corps-style marching because it allows for a smooth musical sound.

8. Marching Fundamentals • Corps-style marching is characterized by: • A very high, pointed toe. • Straight legs while moving backwards. • Weight centered when moving forwards, on the “balls of the feet” while moving backwards. • A very still upper-body. • You will learn how to march proficiently during preseason marching rehearsals.

9. How to Learn a Show • A competition marching band show is a complex work of art using drill to emphasize the music. • Music will be handed out the last week of school, drill charts will be handed out at band camp. • ALL MUSIC MUST BE MEMORIZED BY THE END OF BAND CAMP!!!

10. Basic Marching Information A football field is 100 yards across, with yard lines that run perpendicular to the side lines every 5 yards. 28 steps from the side line are the hash marks, which run parallel to the sidelines. The most common step size that we use is a 22.5 inch step, known as an “8 to 5 step size.” It is known as “8 to 5” because it takes 8 even size steps to cross 5 yards. If a band lined up on the goal line, how many steps would it take to cross the field from goal line to goal line with an 8 to 5 step size? Answer: 160 steps

11. How to Read Your Drill Charts • Learning to read drill charts is imperative for a successful band camp. • Drill charts explain exactly where your individual position is on the field. • If you look at the chart on the left, you will notice a circle around the performer on the 30 yard line on the right side of the field. • When you get your drill chart, you MUST CIRCLE YOUR DOT.

12. Drill Charts 101 • The numbers on the chart are the yard line numbers • The thick, dashed lines that run across the field are hash marks. They are at this position on the real field. • The smaller thick blue boxes on the chart are 4 step boxes. These boxes show where all 4 step intervals are on the field. • The small, thin blue boxes are 1 step boxes. They show every step on the field.

13. Drill Charts 101 • Drill charts lead you to your individual DOT • To find your dot, find your location on the chart and go to the nearest yard line and hash mark(or sideline). You take even size 8 to 5 steps until you find your spot. Then standing on the hash or sideline. You forward march using 8 to 5 steps until you find your EXACT location on the field. Once everyone has found their dot, we can adjust the form so that it looks perfect. • As the season goes on, we will begin to form march instead of dot march, but you will learn more about that as the season goes on.

14. Drill Charts 101 • You will also get an instruction sheet attached to your drill chart. • The instruction sheep has several important pieces of information including: • The amount of counts during the move • Any visuals that might be added to the move • Direction changes, hip switches, halts, “park and barks”, or marking time.

15. Drill Chart Quiz • Where is the circled player? • On the 30 yard line, 4 steps off the sideline.

16. Preseason • We will meet every other Tuesday and every Thursday during the month of June • Tuesdays from 6 to 7:30 PM are sectional times. The first and third Tuesday of the month are brass. The second and forth Tuesday are Woodwinds. • Percussion meets every Wednesday from 6 to 8PM in June and July. • We will have Full Band Rehearsals every Thursday in June from 6 to 9PM. We will spend the first 2 hours on marching fundamentals and the last hour on music rehearsal. • BRING WATER AND SUNSCREEN!!!!

17. Band Camp • Band Camp is schedules July 28th-August 1st 2008 from 8:30AM-6PM and August 4th to August 9th from 8:30AM to noon. • Band Camp is MANDITORY for all band students, as we will spend the time learning and cleaning drill. • Band students are NOT allowed to leave the school during band camp hours. The band boosters will feed the kids lunch and dinner and will provide nutritious snacks during the day. • Please bring water and sunscreen and start hydrating early as we will spend the majority of the time outside and it WILL BE HOT!

18. Football Games and Parades • Remember, all performances are required. • The Norton Band will attend all Norton Panther football games for the 2008 season. • We will meet in full uniform at 5:30PM for all home games to rehearse and at 5:30PM for all away games in order to board the buses. • We travel to the games in full uniform. • We will play our pregame show at all home games and our competition show at all halftime performances. • All pregame and stand tunes are to be memorized. • Band members are be on their best behavior while at any performance, as you are representing the Norton City Schools and the City of Norton! • No matter what the situation is, we are at the game to support the team. Please cheer appropriately. • We will assign raincoats for when they are needed. The weather gets worse as the season goes along. Dress appropriately because we are going to be there rain or shine(or sleet, or snow, or whatever)

19. Competitions • All competitions, including the Indianapolis trip are mandatory. • We will attend 4 OMEA competitions, 1 Bands of America regional, as well as OMEA State Finals and Bands of America Grand Nationals in 2008. • All band members are required to ride the bus to and from all competitions. • Band members are expected to show “pride, class & dignity” while at the show. • We will wear band shirts under the uniform. • The Norton HS dress code will be enforced while on all trips. • Updates will be sent to parents by mail.

20. BOA Grand Nationals • We will travel to Indianapolis, IN on Thursday November 13th for the annual BOA Grand National Championships. • We will return Sunday the 16th. • Cost of the trip is $150. We will have many fund raising opportunities for the students to raise this cost. • Room and bus sign ups will be posted in November and updates will be sent to parents via mail before the trip. • Trip updates and pictures will be available on the band website www.nortonbands.org

21. BOA Grand Nationals • The following is hotel information for the 2008 Bands of America Grand Nationals in Indianapolis, IN.  The band will be staying at the following hotel: • Holiday Inn East, 6990 East 21st Street, Indianapolis, IN 46219 • Phone: 317-359-5341, Fax: 317-351-1666 • For more regarding the Indianapolis, IN, area (including dining, etc.), please visit Indy.org

22. Norton Band Grading System Your total band grade is taken from these areas: • Marching/Music=50% • Rehearsal=50% • Marching/Music Grade: taken from pass-offs, spot checks, taped playing quizzes, written quizzes, assignments, and faculty observations. • Rehearsal Grade: Any missed rehearsal which is not excused will result in the loss of 5 points from a students rehearsal grade. • A students rehearsal grade is also negatively affected by his/her failure to have necessary equipment at rehearsals and sectionals. • Performance Policy: Based upon attendance at all performances(games, contests, parades). A PERFORMANCE CANNOT BE MADE UP! A student’s band grade will be lowered one full letter grade for each missed performance.

23. Uniform Care • Each member of the marching band is assigned a complete uniform. • The uniform is under the care and control of the Norton Music Boosters. • Uniforms will be handed out prior to the performance and collected after the performance. • They will be stored in the uniform closet between performances. • An annual fee will be charged to each band member in order to help defray care and cleaning charges accrued throughout the season. • At no time should uniforms be washed or ironed. • If it appears that your uniform has been abused while in your care, you will be charged for additional cleaning, repair, or replacement of that uniform.

24. Uniforms • The band uniform should always be worn with the following accessories not furnished by the school district or music boosters: • Long black socks • Black Band Shoes(MTX) • Black dress gloves • Shorts, thin sweats and/or long johns. • Jeans and pants are prohibited under uniform pants. Band tee shirts or sweat shirts must be worn under uniform jackets unless told otherwise.

25. Additional Information • All band information and forms are inside the Norton Band Manual that was given out during the mandatory parent/student meetings in May. • Additional forms and information can be found on the band website www.nortonbands.org • The band office number is 330-825-7277.

26. References For additional information on the Norton Band program, go to the bands website www.nortonbands.org Grading scale and uniform care courtesy of the Norton Band Manual given to students and parents at the beginning of the season. Other sources: Bands of America Marching.com Wikipedia The drill image is courtesy of Superior Educational Solutions