Difference between revisions of "Marching band" - New World Encyclopedia
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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. | 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. | ||
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===Uniforms=== | ===Uniforms=== | ||
Revision as of 01:12, 13 October 2008
A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who generally perform outdoors, and who incorporate movement – usually some type of marching – with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments and the music usually incorporates a strong rhythmic component suitable for marching. In addition to traditional parade performances, many bands also perform field shows at special events (such as football games) or at marching band competitions. Marching bands are generally categorized by function and by the style of field show (if any) they perform. Increasingly, Marching Bands are performing indoor concerts, in addition to any "Pep Band" duties, that implement many of the songs, traditions, and flair from outside performances.
History
Marching bands evolved out of military bands. As musicians became less and 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 like "about face" and "forward march". Uniforms of many marching bands still resemble military uniforms.
Outside of police and military organizations, modern marching band is most commonly associated with American football, and specifically the halftime show. Many U.S. universities had bands before the twentieth century. The first modern halftime show by a marching band at a football game was by the University of Illinois Marching Illini in 1907 at a game against the University of Chicago.[1]
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 the university’s band. Many of the more recognizable and popular fight songs are widely utilized by high schools across the country. Three university fight songs commonly used by high schools are The University of Michigan’s “The Victors”, Notre Dame’s “Victory March”, and the United States Naval Academy’s “Anchors Aweigh”
Other changes in marching band have been:
- adoption of the tradition by secondary schools (high schools, junior high schools, and middle schools)
- the addition of a dance team, and/or baton twirlers/majorettes
- the addition of color guard members
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 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
- the addition of vocalists and/or electric instruments (marching bands have as a general rule adopted these aspects before drum corps, for instance the Drum Corps International circuit has only allowed electronic amplification since 2004 and has yet to permit electronic instruments without penalties)
- 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).
Ottoman military bands are thought to be the oldest variety of military marching band in the world.
Types of marching bands
Marching bands can be categorized based on primary function, instrumentation, and style.
Military Bands are historically the first of the various marching bands. Instrumentation varies, but generally contain brass, percussion, and woodwinds. Given their original purpose, military marching bands march forward only and in straight lines; they rarely make curves. Music is done at a constant tempo in order to provide a constant beat for other military units. 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 competition venues, military personnel, and interest, almost all military marching bands have disappeared from schools in the United States; two notable exceptions are the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band from Texas A&M and the Highty-Tighties of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. There is also a pocket of about 80 high school military marching bands in East Texas. They have formed the National Association of Military Marching Bands in order to preserve the tradition of military marching.
"Bugle bands" are a subset of military bands that use non valved instruments, typically B flat bugles. Some bugle bands, like Burgess Hill Marching Youth extend their range by using instruments such as the jaghorn.
Parade bands generally play marches. Instrumentation varies, and can contain anything from bagpipes or fifes and drums all the way to full wind and percussion sections. Many military and veterans' organizations have their own parade bands.
Show bands (field shows) have the main role of performing at sporting events, and competitions, such as American football games. They perform a field show before the game and at halftime (and sometimes after the game as well). Show bands typically march in time to the music, and may also participate in parades and competitions. Show bands contain brass and percussion instruments, but may or may not use woodwinds or a percussion pit. Typically, the show is not merely marching in lines. All show bands march as to create designs, curves, and moving illusions as their music progresses during the show.
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. Carnival Bands contain brass and percussion, but may or may not use woodwinds. The main competition body for carnival bands is The Carnival Band Secretaries League.
Scramble 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.
Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) bands are another variation on traditional high-stepping bands. HBCU bands started as athletic support for football teams, and have grown to be featured in movies, various professional sporting and political events. They are known for their traditional high stepping style, musical repertoire ranging from Top 40 hits to classical literature from the common practice period, and choreography. There are over 100 known HBCU bands.
Drum and bugle corps is a genre of marching ensemble descended from military signaling units that is distinctly divided into classic and modern corps. Both groups have long, continuous histories and developments separate from marching bands. As the name implies, bugles and drums form the musical background of the corps, but modern competitive drum corps incorporate other brass instruments and orchestral percussion. Governing bodies of competitive drum and bugle corps include Drum Corps International (for junior corps) and Drum Corps Associates (for all age corps) in America, Drum Corps United Kingdom and Drum Corps Europe in Europe, and Drum Corps Japan in Japan.
Personnel and instrumentation
The size and composition of a marching band can vary greatly. Many bands have fewer than twenty members. Some have over 500. The Allen High School marching band, known as the Allen Eagle Escadrille, has more than 600 members.[2]
American marching bands vary considerably in their exact instrumentation. Some bands omit some or all woodwinds, but it is not uncommon to see piccolos, flutes, clarinets, alto saxophones, and tenor saxophones. Bass clarinets, alto clarinets and baritone saxophones are more likely to be found in a high school marching band, while bassoons and oboes are very seldom to be found on a field. Brass sections usually include trumpets or cornets, mellophones (instead of French horns), B♭ tenor trombones, euphoniums or baritones, and sousaphones or tubas (often configured so that they can be carried over the shoulder with the bell facing forward). E♭ soprano cornets are sometimes used to supplement or replace the high woodwinds. Some especially large bands will use flugelhorns to cover the lower trumpet parts. Alto horns can also be used in place of the mellophone, although this is rare. Bass trombones are also sometimes used, especially in large bands.
Marching percussion (often referred to as the drumline or back battery) typically includes snare drums, tenor drums, bass drums, and cymbals. All of these instruments have been adapted for mobile, outdoor use. Marching versions of the glockenspiel (orchestra bells), xylophone, and marimba are also used by some ensembles.
For bands that include a front ensemble (also known as the "pit"), stationary instrumentation may include orchestral percussion such as timpani, wood blocks, marimbas, xylophones, bongos, vibraphones, chimes, as well as a multitude of auxiliary percussion equipment. Until the advent of the pit in the early 1980s, many of these instruments were actually carried on the field by marching percussionists. Some bands also include instruments such as synthesizers, electric guitars, and bass guitar. 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.
Instrumentation varies widely from band to band, so no generalization is completely correct. There are bands where members play string instruments, or bang on brake drums, empty propane tanks, and trashcans with drumsticks.
Large bands also require a number of support staff who can move equipment, repair instruments and uniforms, and manipulate props used in performances. In high school bands, these activities are usually performed by volunteers, typically parents of band members or the band members of the lower grades.
Auxiliary groups
Many bands have auxiliaries who 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 dancers, majorettes, or some type of drill team. 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 & bugle corps season). There are also numerous dance competitions in the off-season.
Music
The traditional music of the marching band is the military march, but since show bands evolved from the concert and brass band traditions as well, 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. Many 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.
Marching styles
Some bands, primarily military bands, use a simple walking motion. This is done to conform with military regulations regarding marching and to conform with "what everyone else is doing" in order to appear more uniform.
Many bands use 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. This style is a direct imitation of Drum & 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. In addition, roll stepping allows for a much broader range of tempos to be performed well: 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 proper form prevents the wind player from bouncing and moving around unnecessarily, thus producing an unstable tone. Marching percussionists generally use a roll step exclusively, as drum harnesses (especially in the case of marching snare and tenor drums) make a high step impossible.
Along with the roll or glide step, there is also a 'high step'. Many traditional style colleges and universities such as The Ohio State University Marching Band, the University of Southern California Spirit of Troy and The Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band execute this style as do most Historically Black Colleges or Universities. Some secondary schools that have deep tradition in their marching band also utilize a high step.
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. Alternately, 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.
Field marching
While playing music during a field show, the band makes a series of formations on the field, which may be pictures, geometric shapes, curvilinear designs, or blocks of players. These maneuvers are collectively called drill. Typically, each band member has an assigned position in each formation. There are as many ways of getting from one formation to the next as there are bands:
- 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 or expanding
- 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
Many bands use a combination of the above techniques, sometimes adding dance choreography that is done in place or while marching. 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.
Uniforms
Nearly all marching bands use 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. Capes, rank cords, and other embellishments are common. Sometimes uniforms 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. 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. The University of Oregon band wears outfits that are designed to look like their football team's uniforms. Rather than a traditional helmet, the USC Spirit of Troy Marching Band wears traditional Trojan helmets. The Alma College Kiltie Marching Band is famous for wearing formal Scottish outfits including the official Alma College tartan. Drum Majors often wear more formal outfits or costumes that match the theme of the music, or their own design of uniform, based on personal preferences, which is at the discretion of the director. Many use an all-white version of the regular band uniform, with some (especially at the college level) still employing the tall wool-lined shako (often derisively referred to as a "Q-Tip hat").
Impact of the marching band
Culture is an important concept for everyone. In the United States, there is a sharing of the national culture which includes the marching band along with baseball and Fourth of July celebrations. The marching band serves to help individuals appreciate the importance of what music was in the daily lives of soldiers and military personnel to the excitement and ceremonialism in our contemporary lives. The marching band performs marches which entail military history. It performs in inaugural, military and holiday parades as well as pregame, halftime and homecoming collegiate activities. Whatever the event, the marching band is an impressive sight showing precision and professionalism in music.
Footnotes
- ↑ Marching Illini Firsts. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
- ↑ Allen Eagle Escadrille. Retrieved 2007-07-26.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Coachman, Frank, Marching band, NY: Rosen Pub. Group, 2007. ISBN 1-404-20730-9
- Garty, Judy, Marching band competition, Philadelphia: Mason Crest Publishers, 2003. ISBN 1-590-84539-0
- Moss, Lloyd; Bluthenthal, Diana Cain, Our marching band, NY: Putnam's 2001. ISBN 0-399-23335-0
External links
- rec.arts.marching.band.college Usenet newsgroup FAQ Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Irish Marching Bands Association Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Mid-America Competing Band Directors Association Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- MarchingWiki.com Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- The Carnival Band Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- John Philip Sousa Foundation Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Marching.com Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- MarchingArts.com Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Marching TV Channel Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Marching Band in Texas Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- WorldOfPageantry.com Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Drum Corps International (DCI) Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Carnival Band Secretaries League (CBSL) Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Compendium of College Marching Bands Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- The Pride of Broken Arrow (Documentary) Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- marchingbandplanet.com Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Dot Book Generator Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- BYBA - British Youth Band Association Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- TYMBA - Traditional Youth Marching Band Association Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- World Association of Marching Show Bands Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- College Sports Fans Ranks the Top College Marching Bands Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- National Association of Military Marching Bands Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- www.militarytattoo.org - Information Website Retrieved October 11, 2007.
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