Why hasn't music education made it to a place in America where it has become important enough? 

Music in American education has a ways to go.  I spent the last several months doing some research calling high schools in California to find out a little bit about their music programs.  I was shocked to find that less schools had music programs than I orginially thought.  Of course none of the continuing education schools didn't have them.  They are also one of the first aspects of schooling that officials feel can afford loss.  I think this idea definitely needs to be re-thought.How can we make music education an more important part of a child's education?  We know that quality music programs can help a childs development and improve thier reading and math skills  We also know that music is the language that all cultures speak and can be used to bring people together.  Then why don't we teach this as a core part of a child's curriculum and development?  It is not figured into school ratings. It becomes real easy for music to squeezed out of the equation.  Read this article.  http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20041119/news_7m19music.html

Movement, Dance, Color Guard, Basic movement, Beginner dance, body movements, dance skills, body training,


Writing Movement for your Color Guard

When writing movement for your color guard, think about where they are and what you can get them to achieve well. Writing movement for your color guard doesn't mean that they must look like ballerinas.  Movement is simply a demonstration of skills with the body.  Taking simple steps to the left or right is movement and can also be characterized into a piece of choreography.   Using other simple things such as lunges and making shapes are other ways to increase vocabulary.  A back bend is also a movement skill that has a very interesting shape to it.  I imagine getting in and out of it would be something to consider.  How would these things look on your team and would it characterize the show?  Try to think about what things can your color guard already do well together.  Thinking this way will allow room for mastering of skills.

Creating a new uniform for today’s marching musical ensemble can be a daunting and overwhelming task.  Where does a person start?  Should one stick with the tried and true, traditional designs or rock the proverbial boat with a new and updated style?  More and more music educators are looking to create an entirely new look, or update the traditional design that has been a part of the ensemble’s existing image for many times…decades.  How can today’s music educator find the uniform design that represents a fresh, modern appearance, but maintains the support of administrators, alumni, and traditionalist too?  Not an easy job.  Here are some points for discussion that may help bring your wants, needs, and requirements in line when it’s time for new uniforms.


Start by defining the style of the group.  Style is determined by the image that a performance ensemble aspires to create when experienced by an audience.  Many factors contribute to the defined style of a group.  The type of musical literature presented plays a leading role.  Classical, Jazz, Popular, and Rock are just a few of the choices that exist for the marching musical ensemble.  The uniform design presents an image that can support the choice of musical literature.  For example: An elegant, regal style to perhaps represent a classical repertoire.  Maybe a more aggressive, darker look to interpret Jazz musical choices.  Possible a bit more “flashy” design for a group that prefers popular or rock selections.  If the ensemble presents many styles of literature, this too should be considered by endeavoring to create a look that is versatile enough to represent many musical styles.

Focused designs that exhibit clarity from a distance are visually pleasing to the eye.  Too many design ideas or details can create a cluttered, unorganized look.  Take into account the importance of details that can only be appreciated from a close proximity, verses the appearance of the uniform from the press box of a large performance venue.  A successful design is one that is visually effective from a distance, and beautiful upon close inspection.

Consider the use of large, overstated details that are visible from far away.  Many times one of these details is used as the main focal point of a design, and can be outlined or framed to create visual definition that communicates across the size of a football field.

Textural contrast for interest is popular in today’s modern designs.  Reflective elements, metallic ornamentation, shiny fabric finishes, matt or non reflective fabric finishes, and velvet textures, to name a few, all work together to create contrast, interest, and dimension.

Carefully use white and lighter colors to draw the eye to a particular part of the body or feature of the uniform.  White is very powerful and visible on a football field, and should be used with great consideration.  The use of white toward the top of the body when combined with darker colors will visually lead the eye up, and create the perception of greater height.

Gauntlets are a choice that helps create a uniform appearance of the arms and hands.  The use of gauntlets is also helpful in solving minor sleeve length issues from year to year.  Gloves complete the visual line of the arms by taking the color all the way to the ends of the fingertips.

The use of extended shoulder elements, found on many coat styles, helps make the waist and hips appear slimmer and creates a larger, more powerful image on the field.

The visual elongation of the legs and lower torso by continuing the trouser color onto the lower portion of the coat is a way to create the impression of more height.  This can be further enhanced by a shorter than average coat length which makes the legs appear to be longer.  A more tailored fit of the bib trousers and coat streamlines the silhouette of the body to help create a taller appearance, but requires more customized fitting from the organization’s uniform maintenance team each year.

Plumes are beautiful accessories that help complete the look of many different styles of uniforms.  Carefully consider the color and style of plume selected to create the desired effect.  Tall, white plumes are beautiful, but add an additional level of visual exposure that must be contended with from a marching execution standpoint.

Consideration of how a design appears when viewed from the back as compared to the front should also be taken into account.  Beautiful visual effects can be created when there is a light to dark contrast from the front of the uniform to the back.  Keep in mind that when a musical ensemble is facing away from the listener, the volume level is typically reduced.  It is for this reason that a design with darker color placement on the back, and a lighter color appearance from the front, effectively interprets the nature of the audio presentation.

The choice of a shoe color that blends with the color of the trouser is desirable because it helps continue the line of the leg into the foot.  The alternative is to visually expose the feet by selecting shoes that are contrasting in color to the trousers.  Be aware that the choice of a contrasting shoe requires the ensemble to be very accomplished in the area of marching technique.

Life expectancy and quality of construction must be considered in the process of purchasing new uniforms.  When selecting fabrics and construction methods, there are many choices; unconstructed, partially constructed, and fully constructed are some of the terms used to describe the various levels of tailoring available, and have a direct effect on the longevity of the garment.  Be sure to select the construction quality level that fulfills your uniform life expectancy requirements.

Uniforms designed especially for the ensemble’s auxiliary units are also useful.  Even though many of today’s marching productions call for a specifically themed costume for the color guard or dance ensemble, it’s always helpful to have a beautifully appropriate uniform for the visual ensemble to wear when appearing with the musical ensemble in parades or at football games!

Finally, rely on help from design professionals.  There is nothing like the assistance of someone that has spent years analyzing the way something looks on the world’s largest stage … a football field!

by Chad Duggan

A few months ago I was headed back to work from a lunch break.  While driving I looked over next to me and there was a van next to me that said HeadDrums.  I was so curious that I flagged down the gentlemen driving and asked him to pull over.   His name is Steve Meyer.  Come to find out he had a lot to say about a new Drum  technology he developed.  Here are a few of the questions I asked him.

Find Head Drums technology and Steve Meyer


So what makes your drum technology unique?

We make our drum shells from scratch.  I hand pick the wood and each drum shell is cut from a single board.  We make stave drum shells which have superior acoustic resonance because like a conga, all the wood is oriented from top to bottom.  Because sound travels faster along the grain of wood, this is the best way to orient the wood and maximize tone and response.

Most stave drums are thicker than ours because they are lathe turned.  This results in a drum that chokes at low volume and lacks sensitivity because there is too much mass in the shell.  Just like a fine guitar, the lighter the instrument, the more sound you get.

Why aren't drums made this way now?

Most major manufacturers buy or make plywood shells because its cheap and strong.  Not because it makes a superior drum shell.  The difficulty is in the manufacturing method.  The investment in equipment is significant, several hundred thousand dollars, to buy veneering machines to peel the logs and molds for each drum size to glue the veneers together.  The veneers are .025 to .032 thick usually and depending on the number of plays requires many square feet of material.  But this makes each drum shell a very random event, no consistency from drum to drum.

What other methods are out there?

Steam bending is becoming an increasingly popular method for shell construction.  But steam bending orients the wood in the wrong direction for maximum resonance.  And because each shell must be a perfect single board, it requires very large pieces of wood, and drastically limits the wood species that can be used.  The tendency for steam bending of wood is that the material always wants to return to its original shape.  Most examples of steam bending are very thick and require deep reinforcing rings to help keep the shell in round.  The bigger the drum the harder it is to bend the wood.  So most builders are making very shallow drums

Whole log segments are theoretically the ideal, but like the steam bent, very few trees grow large enough to make a single piece bass drum.  The other problem is that making a drum in the direction of the rings of the tree is the weakest orientation of the wood and can lead to separations and splitting.  This requires many months of drying the rough shell before it can be made into a drum.  Depending on the skill of the maker, there can be a huge amount of waste.

Our method makes the most consistent drum because we use all the wood from one part of the tree, orienting the grain for its maximum strength.  This means the density of the material throughout the shell is even more uniform than the tree itself.

The thin shell (1/4") means that the shell is sensitive to the subtlest ghost notes and fills, but strong enough to withstand constant touring.

So having the grain the same way is not new. It was just expensive to manufacture correct?  How are you able to overcome this problem?

There are only a handful of stave shell builders in the world.  But all of them lathe turn he shells.   Lathe turning makes sense from a woodworking perspective, but severely limits how thin the shell can be and how large a diameter drum can be made.

Tags: Critique, Judging, Education, Band Professional Development, Judges panel, Band tools, Band Office Tools, Music Education, Adjudicators
   

With marching band season coming to an end, it's time for reflection.  Did you reach the goals you set?  Did your students reach their potential?  Did you use all of your tools to get there?  If the answer is maybe, almost, or not quite to any of the questions, consider the following.  Critique is another tool to help students reach their potential.     

  Critique is an opportunity for staff and adjudicators to ask questions and share information related to the production.  Adjudicators and staff need to work as a team to insure the best possible experience for the students.  Critique should not be perceived as an "us against them" situation.  We all work for the improvement of the students.      To get the most out of your critique, there are four basic steps to follow.

1. Prepare - Listen to the tapes provided by the judges.  Be sure to take notes on what is said and refer to those notes during your discussion.  List both positive and negative comments.  Listen for repeating problems or issues from all the judges.  Develop two or three questions based on the input.

2. Inform - Start your critique by stating your goal.  The tone of critique will vary based on your needs.  Are your goals to be competitive, skill driven, learning experience for students? 

3. Discussion - After you state your goals, ask the questions you developed.  Write down the answers that are provided.  Focus on your show and how to reach the goals you set.  Avoid scores and placement.  Don't waist your time discussing other teams, focus on your students.

4. Decisions - Take the information you gathered and look for repeating patterns.  Determine what you can do based on your students abilities, time constraints, and goals.  Put together a priority list and stick to it.  Look for patterns from week to week and combined lists.  Remember to only do what directly fits your goals.   

  Critique is a great tool when used properly by both staff and adjudicators.  The whole point is to help students learn and have a great experience.   

Good Luck to all.  Work hard.  Have fun. 

Respectfully, Marci Carlberg MCGC Circuit Judge

Show Design, Show Concept, Design Team, Staging, Team Development, Show programming,Interview, Tommy Keenum, Show effects, General Effect, Drill,  Marching Band,



I had a conversation with designer Tommy Keenum.  Tommy has created some very special shows in my opinion.  He has an amazing way of generating a variety of effects that are not only memorable but unique. Tommy is a full time design consultant living in Nashville TN, and is also an accomplished singer/songwriter. (tommykeenum.com)


Tommy, there are so many programs that can truly play their horns and march well.  Unfortunately, I only remember a couple of programs because they were different.  I felt like they all played a lot of notes and ended up being lost when it was all over.

How can design be used to remedy this problem for a program and effect the overall outcome of the product competitively?Tommy, there are so many



It really all comes down to communication.If you want to connect with your audience, the first step is to be clear in your own head or as a design team about what you want to say.



How should a design team approach their product?


Shows can have an obvious theme where you are telling a story ( i.e. Romeo and Juliet or presenting images that revolve around a certain subject.   ( America, The Seasons, Movies, etc ). With these shows I make   an outline of the most important parts of the story, or an outline of all of the different visual and musical imagery that fits the subject. Then I use this outline to plan the show. You will have a few definite ideas right away about how to bring some parts of the outline across (i.e. color guard effect, musical impact, drill move, percussion effect, props) I start with those and then with the help of the rest of the team we begin to fill in ideas for every section. These will be the "moments" that you build the show around so it is important that they be solid and achievable and varied so that you are not relying on one section of the band for too many of the effects. Even if the show is not theme oriented you still need to create a
"storyline" or outline of effects so that the team can be inspired and have a clear picture of what they are trying to create.


What are some things that a band director can do to achieve a well designed product when working with a designer that is new to the staff?  What should communication be like? What expectations should be set?  What deliverables should be exchanged?"


Most important is to let that person know what is important to you and your program. They need to understand and respect what has been working for you.  Let them know the things that you want to retain about the way you have been doing things and also be open to the fresh ideas that they bring to the table. It is a balance. I am always a bit skeptical of designers that want to come in and totally revamp a program. They tend to be more concerned with getting "their" vision out there. What you want is someone who is out to make you the best "you". To take what you already have going for your program and push it forward.


If a director wants to develop his/her own design team, what things can he/she  can do to nurture and develop one?


This goes along with the above question. The two things to avoid as you develop your team are the extremes of either micro managing them or giving them too little direction. It is important for there to be a strong leader who "bangs the gavel" so to speak when a decision needs to be made but also for the design team to feel that they have some freedom to create and invest some of themselves into the show. I am most creative when I have clear boundaries that leave room for me to work.


How should a director go about hiring a designer for his/her program?"


Start by asking people with programs you respect who they use or have used in the past successfully. Designers who are well know have earned that reputation and do amazing jobs, but more important to me is finding someone who has time to devote to the job and who you feel comfortable working with. An organized designer who shows up on time with a plan and a work ethic trumps the wacky artistic genius every time.


Tommy is a full time design consultant. He lives in Nashville TN, and is also an accomplished singer/songwriter. (tommykeenum.com)

My discussion with Tommy shed some light on areas that could vastly improve your fall show.  When thinking about your next fall show, ask yourself.  How effective is the design from a composition standpoint?  Am I getting the most out of the team who is producing it? How do I go about hiring a good designer?

I would like to thank Tommy for sharing his expertise with all of us at MyBandStaff  Thank you!

Tags: Music Arranging, Music Ensemble, Music Career, Drill Composition, Music, Composition


It's Okay - Really! by Scott Hicky/Arranger

Over the past few years, people has been asking me about how writing arrangements for marching band became my career.  In fact it all started decades ago with one man, a band director names Les Susi who asked me ( a fledgling director) to write a one - minute Beatles arrangement for his marching band.

While my education background, an undergraduate minor in composition and a graduate major in music theory, prepared me to entertain such an notion.  My fear of failure was in reality than my education could supplant.  My answer to Les was "OK- I 'll give it a try!".  As good fortune would have it, the arrangement worked well enough to sound feasible and recognizable, and my infant writing career saw it's beginnings.

Years later I saw Les at a music convention. Haven forgotten that initial tunes title, I asked Les, one of the finest teaches that I have ever known, if he remembered.  His reply was immediate, "That's easy".  He said, " It was "hello goodbye".  Once again, Les had impressed as he always did.

The reason for this diatribe is simple: Most high school directors believe they can write a drill for their band, regardless of it's quality or how long it takes them.  When it comes to arranging music,  they would rather ride in a New York city cab at rush hour.  And to a certain degree they would be correct.  Why?Because they have never tried.  Their exist to set oneself up for failure is an act of shear insanity.

If you choose not to try, (which is O.K.) then it is important for you to know how to talk with an arranger while picking the music in which you band will spend the July through November time frame.  You believe the arranger has all of the answers.  While we have few, we can use the directors assistance.

Music Selection
For example, if your band's wind complement is smaller than 50 members, you choice of music may directly dictate it's ability to succeed. Whatever this means to you.  The "1812 Oveture" may possibly be out of their reach both in volume consideration and endurance.  My suggestion to directors is to choose a music genre with which he or she feels comfortable.  Let's face it.  You spend at least quarter of your calendar year playing these tunes you might as well enjoy it.   Because if you do, so will your kids.

Tempo
There is nothing more deadly than a tempo of 108 beats per minute for two plus minutes.  Hands - n- the-blender time!  Yet we choose tunes because we like them.  A lively Opener, a lover ballad, (we can play musically), and energized closer always seems to fit the bill for a tempo standpoint.  But a quick suggestion, a ballad does not necessarily mean slow, mearly soft.  Just keep temp in mind from the get go and you should be fine.

Program Flow
How do the selections you have chosen flow as a total package?  Does variety exist throughout the program?  Ebb and Flow?  Nuance? The gamitt of emotions?  Study the repretoire segment of any judges sheet, then ask questions.  My suggestion is that we entertain our audience  (judges are also considered part of the audience), then consider the artistic endeavor as a supportive role.  Challenge your kids, but don't destroy them in the process.

These are but three items to consider while discussing your show with an arranger.  Instrumentation, strength and weakness, solos, ensemble, special moments, ranges-and this is merely the beginning.   Regardless of the size of your band, a qualified wind arranger (and percussion arranger as well) will help customize the best package for your band's particular needs.  Every band is different and unique - treat your band with proper care and feeding.

My final statement is a plea to all band directors, regardless of your situation.  Please obey all copy right laws.  Get the information you need, then follow through on the information.  While I am not an attourney, I can't represent the law.  But all composers deserve to earn a living and we  have the responsibility to help them.   Good luck in all that you do, you have the best of America's future in your hand.

Marching Band Drill DesignTitle: Marching Drill Desig is the orchestrated composition of elements in a marching band show.  The drill will designate a specific point in space and time for each performer to be.  Putting a strong marching band drill design is a challenging task with many components.  For a band to be successful, a marching band drill design must be tailored to fit the bands specific strengths and weaknesses.  From music to marching, everything must be considered before programming can take place.

Marching band drill uses a variety of techniques that are used for desired effects. 

Band Drill can be designed with lots of negative space between individual performers; this will be a softer and lighter effect.  Closing down your interval spaces can bring emphasis and have a stronger appearance.  Your band can perform a scatter drill and create lots of liquid fluid motion with varying speeds.

Marching band drill uses geometric shapes such as lines, circles and parade style blocks to develop the overall drill design.  Any combination of these can produce different textures and look to be used in the overall programing.

In order to connect the creative ideas transitions are used.  Transitions will tie the ideas together creating a smooth consistency and flow.

A strong marching band drill design is a seamless presentation with a good sense of pacing and planned effects.


A strong marching band drill design will provide musicians with point to point travel and can be optimized based on their musical responsibilities.  A well designed drill sets the stage for the music.  The drill is designed so that the performer's point to point motion does not support the musical excellence demanded by the musical score.  Holding in place and taking smaller steps, or any combination thereof are suitable choices.  Placement on the field is considered in an effort to maintain a consistent meter, intonation , and coordination.

Design competencies such as balance, texture, weight, and speed are explored in an effort to provide dynamic and expressive movements that speak the musical lines in the music.

Tags : Dance, Movement, Marching Band, Choreography, marching basics, visual, ballet terms

Title: Movement and Marching… Today’s “M&M”



Today’s modern marching bands are utilizing dance to expand their movement vocabulary. Choreographic efforts can help musicians understand musical phrasing… the relation of body and mind working together to produce a unified phrase, visual to music. Just like marching basics or musical exercises, dance requires attention to basic technical skills.  For the development of your “basics” movement program, these common five dance techniques can be taught and utilized in many combinations to create a larger vocabulary for winds and percussion.



Tendu (tahn-DEW) not just reaching out with a pointed foot, but extending the leg from the center core, engaging the leg muscle groups to lengthen to the extended, pointed position.  The “action” of the tendu is what makes it dance.



Demi Plie (duh-MEE plee-AY) release the knees over the toes, slide the tailbone toward the heels without tilting the pelvis, keeping both feet fully on the floor. This basic lends itself to Jazz run technique, as well as adding levels to choreography.



Degage (day-ga-ZHAY) – through the tendu – emphasize the “brush” action to extend the leg beyond the tendu – to about 6” off the ground.  The extension from the core through the leg goes beyond the tendu to “Disengage” from the floor.



Passe (pah-SAY) – in marching circles this is very similar to “high mark time” leaving the floor pointed, the foot trails along the leg to the top of the knee, without tilting the pelvis or over shifting the weight to the supporting leg, The student should feel the line on the inside of the supporting leg.



Rond de jambe (rawn-duh-ZHAHNB) – Begin with the tendu, create a circular motion on the ground with the pointed foot, again without tilting or rotating the pelvis. Students should be aware of the rotation within the hip, always working to extend the line of the working leg.



Daily training regiments are essential for even the simplest of moves.  Too many groups throw in a lunge or a kneel, without giving the student the proper training to fully understand the mechanics of the move.  A strong movement program, taught by an experienced dance teacher, is a good investment for today’s marching bands.



First position turned out lends itself easily to extending movement phrases. Full range of motion through the foot (point and flex) incorporated in the marching style, is not only better for the working joints, but also keeps the student’s approach consistent from marching to dance.





Daily training requirements are essential for even the simplest of moves.

where the lunge comes from, what muscles are involved, how to move to, and out of such positions are more important than the “shape” itself.  Where is the weight? What muscle groups are engaged, how is the “core” involved?  These are just a few questions that need to be answered by the students to fully understand the choreography, and execute properly with ease.



Daily work on flexibility, coordination, and core building, provides the tools to understanding movement better.



.  A dance oriented marching style can give consistency to your approach to all movement training





Besides the obvious benefits of Dance training, like gaining points for variety of techniques and simultaneous responsibilities, Students will gain coordination skills, and learn to feel more comfortable moving their body’s with greater understanding, Marching from point to point becomes an “easy” task when there is a larger vocabulary of skills.  Moving the body through time, space, and line, makes for a better understanding of musicality, ultimately producing better musicians.



Moving the body makes the mind more alert, lending to better rehearsal and learning… a well rounded performer sets the spirit free… building a better understanding of performance.




Robbie Billings

Artistic Director

Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps

Flags are usually the first piece of equipment that a color guard member is introduced to.  Drop spins are an exercise that is often taught first.  These spins have a very even feel in tempo/meter with no velocity changes in the weight of the pole as the flag travels from up to down and up again in one continuous motion.  Next,  some form of a speed spin like "Double Fast" or the infamous "Peggy Spins" are usually taught.  These type of spins are a bit faster and allow the performer to get a better understanding of how the weight can be used in their pole.  There is a change in velocity in between hand grabs.  Both of these spins are taught on the left and right hands for dexterity.

Palm flips is the first time that a new color guard member will have the opportunity to release their flag. This exercise will get them to focus on control of the flag as it leaves their hands only to catch solidly without loosing posturing and alignment.  These flips are typically a half rotation that can be from flag up position to flag down position. The release of the flip happens simultaneously from each hand evenly.  A combination in succession will allow the performer to develop some consistency. Each time the flip occurs, the performer must regain control over the flag so that another flip can be performed with the same excellence as the first.