Marching Band Research Paper

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A band by definition is; "a group of instrumentalist playing music of a specific type." Add the word marching in front of it and it becomes something very different. Marching has been very important to schools and colleges since it started in 1842. There are two main types of marching, and what would marching band be without the music? Contemporary and classic music alike are all played during the act of marching. It all started with The University of Notre Dame. Though the idea of Marching and playing did not start with Notre Dame, this University was the first to have a marching band. They have had a marching band longer then they have had a football team. The idea of marching originally began with the United States Military. The first record…show more content…
This has said to be the hardest, most time consuming job in marching band. They have many jobs, but, all are for the greater good of the band. If one walks through and average marching day, they would see, the drum major calling everyone to attention. It is then that the leader would clap his or her hands to the beat that the band will be playing and marching to. It is these first few minutes that is very important to the rest of the marching process. If the drum major does not mark the time correctly, all marchers will be off unless corrected. This is also a very important time for the marchers to focus all their energy on marching and nothing else. Marchers are not to talk while at attention and must pay attention in order to get their footing right. The drum major will then use a whistle or their voice to signal marchers to, march froward, mark time, march backwards, or to begin the sequence for a turn. While the marchers are marching, the drum major will usually be holding a mace which she will move the mace up and out to tell the marchers when their left foot needs to step on the ground. It is important that the drum major, during any parade or professional performance, pay attention to everything going on around them. For example, the drum major needs to notice if the rest of the parade is slowing down or coming to a halt, that he or she calls out or whistles to the rest of the marching band, that they need to stop and mark time, until they are told to resume. In field marching the drum major is just as important. Instead of marching along with the rest of the band, like in street marching, the drum major will instead stand on a pedestal in the front center of the field. It is from their that the drum major must conduct all music. In some larger schools and marching bands, the groups will instead have up to three drum majors. These three drum majors will stand evenly across the front of the field and conduct,

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