Anyone here involved in the marching arts?

[alwaysbeenkitt]

Just curious, is anyone/has anyone been involved with a high school or college marching band or color guard? Maybe indoor percussion or winter guard? Even if you just play an instrument or enjoy drum corps/your local marching band?

I recently joined my high school's color guard, I've completed one marching and one winter guard season and it's been a blast. It's also gotten me into WGI, DCI, and music in general; to provide some rationale for this post. Just wondering if anyone else is out there!

If this seems irrelevant to the board then this thread can be removed, but I do believe that marching band, just like music, and color guard, just like dance, are among the arts.

[Psychowing]

I...used to be in two marching bands as a clarinetist. Not at the same time, of course. They were middle and high school bands.

While I did have a blast at times with it, my stamina simply couldn't last for some of what my high school marching band did. Band camp was brutal. Not to mention my inspiration for playing stopped being in the band. She was a best friend and we'd always play wonderful duets together. X'D I haven't played my clarinet at all for roughly 2 years now, yet occasionally I look at it and wonder whether I should try playing it again or not.

Pff, of course it's an art. X3 I think it's relevant, at least.

[phantomroleplayer]

I'm in marching band right now. I play the clarinet and it is my last year. I've been marching three years. It is a blast. Lol I could never be in color gaurd, I have great respect for those who are in color gaurd (an not just because they swing sabers and rifles around.) some of the mist distressing dreams I've ever had are of me suddenly being in color guard and not knowing what to do for a competiton.

Done't get me started on band camp. I'm so glad this year was my last time going. >.<

Dude DCI, if I was a brass player I would totally go on and march with a drum corps. I've always wanted to watch DCI finals when Fathom events has it in theaters but I always have something marching band related the day of finals. Phantom Regiment is probably my favorite corps. (because of their 2008 show mostly) And if not them it is Troopers, or Blue Devils. (Actually I really like Cavaliers too. Their show this year was really intense.)

As for defending the existence of this thread, marching band is most definately an art form. I think it really is the closest you get, outside of opera, that encorperates every form of fine arts in one performance. Everything is there except singing (but my first year of marching I was at BOA Nationals I remember watching L.D. Bell doing a show where large parts of their show was sung by the band members and the ending chord was sung as well. It was really quite etheral feeling.) Heck some people even call it a sport. XD (my school district give p.e. as well as fine arts and elective credit for marching band which is sweet.) Anyways we have music, and we are a visual art. Maybe marching band to concert band is like what musical theater is to drama.

[alwaysbeenkitt]

Oct 5, 2011 0:46:53 GMT -5 phantomroleplayer said:

I'm in marching band right now. I play the clarinet and it is my last year. I've been marching three years. It is a blast. Lol I could never be in color gaurd, I have great respect for those who are in color gaurd (an not just because they swing sabers and rifles around.) some of the mist distressing dreams I've ever had are of me suddenly being in color guard and not knowing what to do for a competiton.

Done't get me started on band camp. I'm so glad this year was my last time going. >.<

Dude DCI, if I was a brass player I would totally go on and march with a drum corps. I've always wanted to watch DCI finals when Fathom events has it in theaters but I always have something marching band related the day of finals. Phantom Regiment is probably my favorite corps. (because of their 2008 show mostly) And if not them it is Troopers, or Blue Devils. (Actually I really like Cavaliers too. Their show this year was really intense.)

As for defending the existence of this thread, marching band is most definately an art form. I think it really is the closest you get, outside of opera, that encorperates every form of fine arts in one performance. Everything is there except singing (but my first year of marching I was at BOA Nationals I remember watching L.D. Bell doing a show where large parts of their show was sung by the band members and the ending chord was sung as well. It was really quite etheral feeling.) Heck some people even call it a sport. XD (my school district give p.e. as well as fine arts and elective credit for marching band which is sweet.) Anyways we have music, and we are a visual art. Maybe marching band to concert band is like what musical theater is to drama.

Both of you guys are clarinets? xD Sweet. That's probably the section that my color guard gets along with the most other than drumline, haha. Color guard is very challenging (Oh God. I'm on rifle line this year and have so many bruises) but it's certainly a load of fun. <3 I could never have enough capacity to memorize a whole show of music, outside of guard I'm hardly musical! I think it takes a lot of skill from everyone to put on a show.

Band camp? Good lord. I never know how I survive it. xD Whenever a rookie comes up to me like, "So, what should I bring for band camp?" I'm just like "WATER. GALLONS AND GALLONS OF WATER."


I saw DCI in the theaters, it was simply amazing! <3 Definitely recommend it. I know there's also a fan subscription you can get on TV too, but I don't know how that all goes down.

My favorite corp is either Santa Clara or the Cavaliers. Both of them are simply amazing! I also enjoy Carolina Crown. One of my guard coach's friends spun for Santa Clara back in the 70s-80s. I feel like I annoy her, because whenever she comes to practices, I always want to talk to her about drum corps... XD; She's a huge inspiration though.


I consider marching band to be both a sport and an art. It has the visual and aesthetic quality of any other art, like theater as you said. A lot of shows I've seen in drum corps and even local competitions stage deaths, involve vocalization, have some sort of props... it has a huge visual impact! And it takes a lot of endurance to march, our practices are twice as long as the football team's! We don't get rained out, either, we march right through incoming storms. XDD;


What kind of shows have you guys done in the past? This is only my second year, but my rookie year our show was entitled "Black" (we did "Back in Black," "Pump It," and "Welcome to the Black Parade." The kids at halftime loved it, some judges didn't think it was competitive enough though.) and this year we're doing a Santana show with "She's Not There," "Novus," "Santana," and "Everybody's Everything." Our first comp is the 29th, aaah!

Here's "Black" for your viewing pleasure:



If any of y'all have your shows on tape I'd love to see them!

[Missy Moizy]

OMG!!! FELLOW BAND GEEKS!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! 8DDDDDDDDDDDD

I am a french horn player, yes I am! This is my first year in marching band. It started off slow, but I'm enjoying it now! X3

And band camp...ohhhh lord band camp...I guess I warmed up to it? XD;;; I dunno...I try to forget that week of my life. o-o;;; *mama's girl*

[alwaysbeenkitt]

Haha, "warmed" up to it. Ba-dum tsshhh! It's always ludicrously hot the week of band camp. Why that is so I'll never know...

[maddlythedumbass]

the closest ive ever been to being in a marching band is playing the snare drum.