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Position:Home>Performing Arts> Competition Marching Band Help?Question: Competition Marching Band Help!? I am freshman starting high school and I am in competeion marching band!. I'm having a few problems seeing as this is my first year!.
I can play the music!. I can march the show/drills/pictures (What we've done) I just CANNOT keep time/march at the same time as playing music without getting off!. Any tips!?Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: so you are "phasing" when you march & play,!.!.!.thats normal for rookies! it takes time to get coordinated with this new skill set!. here's a few things that help my students!. 1!. mark time when you practice 2!. sing, hum, think your parts walking to class (in tempo & on step) 3!. analyze which foot falls exactly where in your music (especially the parts that trip you up) then sing & mark time to them/then play them marking time 4!. having your music solidly memorized helps with the marching aspect!. i have had a los angeles city championship band & they never used chairs during marching season, they marked time to everything, scales/warmups/show tunes/pep tunes,!.!.!.!. don't get discouraged, keep at it! when kids on campus say things like "marching band is easy",!.!.!.you know they are full of crap & could not hang with your band because they just don't get it!Www@QuestionHome@Com on a sidewalk, use chalk to draw lines approximately the distance of your marching step all the way down the sidewalk!.( I forgot the distance in inches but make sure the lines are the same distance apart from each other)!. Draw the lines about a hundred feet or so!. Practice marching so your heel hits each line!. Do this until you can march the sidewalk hitting each mark properly!. (you may need a partner to let you know if you are short or long on your steps)!. As you do this, lift your arms as if your holding your instrument and humm the notes to your show songs as you march!. Try to get to where you don't look down and you can march while humming!. When you can do this!. Then start using your instrument and try playing your music while you march!. This should improve some of your skills of marching and staying in step while playing!. Good luck to you and your band this year!.Www@QuestionHome@Com I know that this sounds ridiculous, but practice in your backyard!. Since it is not the step size that you have having problems with, then all you need is a metronome that you can hear, your horn and some time!. Start out marching to the beat of the metronome!. If you have trouble with this, then keep at it until you get it!. Your foot makes contact when the met sounds!. Next add a scale, quarter notes, one note for every step!. Once you get that going, make it eight notes, two notes for every foot fall!. Finally, play off beats!. This will be the hardest!. At first, think about playing a note every time your ankles line up, and your foot hitting the ground when the met sounds!. Try keeping steady without the metronome!.When you can complete this exercise with confidence, you will be ready for the last part!. March your show music!. If you don't have a lot of room just march in a small oval or find a track you can use!. For the rhythms that give you the most trouble, separate them out and practice them in a small chunk!. When you can march without direction and play your music, you will be more than ready to add the drill in practice!. It sounds like more work than it is, but it will definatly help you with the rest of the season!.Www@QuestionHome@Com you just need to PRACTICE! it's really hard being a first year, but in the years after, it's easier!. i wouldn't know how it feels not to be able to march in time, being as i just have that natural beat in my head all of the time and, as embarrassing as it is, i march to songs when i go to walmart!. but i do know plenty of people for whom it is very difficult to keep time while marching!. it will just get easier the more you do it!. good luck!.!.!.=]Www@QuestionHome@Com aww!. i can help!! -we mark time when we just play music!. marking time is like tapping your foot, only using both feet to subdivide!. and you still need good marching posture!. with your feet together, lift your left heel about an inch off the ground, then as you are placing that heel down, life your right heel up!. if you listen to/play music, it'll make ALOT more sense!. be sure not to wobble your hips!. after getting use to marking time, you will be able to march and play music on the beat!. honestly, in my opinion, it's so much easier to march & play then it is to mark time & play!.!.!.!.!.but i'm just weird!. :) remember to ALWAYS count inside your head! because during a show, if you aren't counting, you WILL get lost!! so please count your rests, count everything!! make sure you KNOW the music!. make sure you know how long each note is, how to play each measure, etc!. because if you don't know the music, it'll be hard to put it together with the steps! LISTEN to the drumline!. they are your Metrenome(sp!?) on the field!. if you get lost, look at your drum majors hands, and look for the down beat of their hands!.!.!.!.if that makes any sense!. you could probably go on to youtube!.com and see if they have videos on "marking time!." & remember, don't be afraid to ask the upperclassmen for help! they're there to help guide you, so please do ask for guidance! goodluck && have fun! marching band is an AMAZING experience!!!!Www@QuestionHome@Com a simple answer is!.!.!. compare the sets of your drill to measures in the music!. like a measure or whatever for each set!. your band director should be able to help you!. b/c we always put that in our drill book!. and after you do that you'll know what notes comes on what steps and sets!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |