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A Corps style band is a type of marching band based on those of Drum Corps International. Notable differences include the introduction of the roll step, backwards marching and sliding, and the "8 to 5" step size.
The corps style of marching stems from a rich American military history of marching bands. Following the Civil War, many musicians from the North and the South returned home and formed community bands. These proliferated in many American towns for decades, and served as a focal point for local festivals. Following World War I, the VFW and the American Legion began sponsoring their own bands for local parades and performances. These groups grew in size and scope to where competitions were held locally, regionally, and finally nationally.
When the Drum Corps Associates (DCA) was formed in 1965 and later Drum Corps International (DCI) in 1972, the performances and level of creativity began to dramatically change from the traditional military style. During this time, step sizes were altered from a "6 to 5" ratio (six steps to five yards) to an "8 to 5" (eight steps to five yards). Instead of a constant forward marching, groups would "stand fast" or "mark time" to music, maintaining specific forms. Backwards marching, as well as a Traverse march (sliding side to side) was incorporated into the marching style during this time.
Through the 1960s the American high school and college bands marched primarily in a military style. However, following the trends set forth by drum corps, many college and high school bands began to incorporate the drum corps elements into their style. The 8 to 5 stride became widely accepted in the late 1970s. During this time marching bells, xylophone, and even marching tympani were added to the field.
The 1980s saw increased movement by American high schools to utilize the corps style of marching rather than the military style. This is most likely due to the fact that the corps style allowed for a much broader selection of musical styles, tempos, and moods, versus the limitations of the traditional military march. Another important factor is that the Corps Style bands face the audience, versus the military bands primarily facing the end zones, therefore, the corps style band has a much fuller sound, and is generally louder. The 80's also saw the movement away from strict 8 to 5 step size to the usage of a constantly changing step size.
With the addition of new musical elements, the 80's also saw the addition of the "Front Ensemble" or "Pit", a derivation of the orchestra pit used for ballet and opera. In marching band, the pit is used to incorporate keyboard percussion such as xylophone, marimba, and vibraphone, as well as other color percussion instruments such as tympani, cymbals, hand drums, drum set, and tambourine.
The 1990s observed increased usage of dance with the color guard, more usage of props and backdrops, increased usage of pit percussion, and generally an increase of the physical demands of the band members. Faster tempos of music were incorporated into corps style shows. Electronics were also incorporated into the corps style via the pit. Electronics are used for amplifying soloists, or as synthesized sounds effects or instrument voices in the arrangements.
During the 1970s, several styles were derived from the corps style, including "Patterns in Motion" which was pioneered by Bill Moffit, then band director at the University of Houston, and later Purdue University. The Patterns in Motion style includes mostly symmetrical forms, gate swings, pinwheels, etc. Generally, the style maintains a fixed 8 to 5 stride but can include altered step sizes to accommodate maneuvers such as pinwheels. This style also maintained a military-style "high step", where the feet are brought straight up to the knee before being pushed forward for a step.
Another similar style developed in the 70s is the "show band" style, which incorporates similar gate swings, pinwheels, and such from the patterns in motion style. Generally, the show band style includes more standing time, and more movement to a drumbeat or cadence, instead of while marching to the music of the winds. The music selection for show bands is often more popular music.
In modern times the show band style still is fairly popular around the country. Although one may observe patterns in motion movement during a show, it is generally not utilized for an entire performance.
Even within the show band style, there are significant variations. There tends to be a style more geared towards African American traditions, and can be observed in bands from schools such as Grambling State University, Texas Southern University, or the fictitious college from the film Drumline. This variation features more standing time, while band members dance and entertain the spectators. Often, musical elements from this variation of show band incorporate contemporary popular music and traditional rhythm and blues. Many of these bands maintain a twirling line, as well as a dance line instead of a color guard.
The other major derivation of show band can be observed in bands such as the University of Texas, or Ohio State University. Although one could argue that both these bands have such rich and longstanding traditions which predate the formation of drum corps, they could be considered a style unto themselves. However, these bands serve more as the foundation of the show band style, not as its ultimate evolution. These types of show bands are also more interested in crowd entertainment, and typically change their field show (music and drill) every other week. They generally have a theme for each show but derive their musical selection from a variety of sources such as traditional marches, symphonic, film scores, jazz, or popular music. These types of bands feature mostly playing while marching with only a limited amount of stand fast time.
Where the military style is usually a constant forward march, it may incorporate an abrupt turn (known as a face turn) or an about face. The corps style incorporates forward, backward, and side to side marching. The military bands generally always face an end zone, where the corps bands generally face the main audience (home side press box), but can face backfield or other directions for specific effect. The military style uses a strict "6 to 5" foot stride, where corps style generally has a constant altered step size.
A significant break from the military tradition used in the corps style is instead of baton twirlers, there is a color guard which uses flags in their routines, as well as rifles and sabres. In military bands twirlers march the same drill as the band members do, where the color guard in a corps band is generally a separate unit, doing their own drill and routine. Color guard members also may incorporate dance movement. If a military unit has flags, they are generally not spun, and the same silk is used throughout the show, where a color guard will use multiple designs for silks during the show, as well as rifle and sabre.
Musically, military bands perform marches. The corps style can incorporate any or multiple styles of music to fit the theme of their show. Corps style bands can utilize props and backdrops to enhance the theatrical quality of their show, whereas military bands generally don't have a theme for their shows.
The corps style marching band contains the traditional military band instrumentation with the addition of other concert instruments and percussion. [1]
The development of the corps style of marching has brought about new equipment for drumlines. In the 1970s and 1980s, specific drum harnesses were developed to accommodate marching with a set of bells, a single fiberglass timpani, or a xylophone. These types of harnesses are also used for snares, tenors (quads/quints), and bass drums, a significant upgrade to the traditional cloth sling. Multiple sizes of bass drums are often used for corps style bands, with the bass drums playing melodic or "moving" parts (similar to a hand bell choir) rather than a traditional military bass drum keeping a steady beat. [2]
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Excluding zoomusicological instruments and the human voice, the percussion family is believed to include the oldest musical instruments. In spite of being a very common term to designate instruments, and to relate them to their players, the percussionists, percussion is not a systematic classificatory category of instruments, as described by the scientific field of organology. It is shown below that percussion instruments may belong to the organological classes of idiophone, membranophone, aerophone and cordophone.
A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who perform while marching, often for entertainment or competition. They are most popular in the United States, though not uncommon in other parts of the world. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Most marching bands wear a uniform, often of a military style, that includes an associated organization's colors, name or symbol. Most high school marching bands, and some college marching bands, are accompanied by a color guard, a group of performers who add a visual interpretation to the music through the use of props, most often flags, rifles, and sabers.
A modern drum and bugle corps is a musical marching unit consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, electronic instruments, and color guard. Typically operating as independent non-profit organizations, corps perform in competitions, parades, festivals, and other civic functions. Participants of all ages are represented within the corps activity, but the majority are between the ages of 13 and 22 and are members of corps within Drum Corps International or Drum Corps Associates.
Classic drum and bugle corps are musical ensembles that descended from military bugle and drum units returning from World War I and succeeding wars. Traditionally, drum and bugle corps served as signaling units as early as before the American Civil War, with these signaling units having descended in some fashion from ancient drum and fife corps. With the advent of the radio, bugle signaling units became obsolete and surplus equipment was sold to veteran organizations. These organizations formed drum and bugle corps of civilians and veterans, and the corps performed in community events and local celebrations. Over time, rivalries between corps emerged and the competitive drum and bugle corps circuit evolved.
Marching percussion instruments are percussion instruments specially designed to be played while moving. This is achieved by attaching the drum(s) to a special harness worn by the drummer, although not all marching bands use such harnesses and instead use traditional baldrics to sling their drums.
An indoor percussion ensemble or indoor drumline is a type of marching ensemble consisting of battery and front ensemble instruments. It differs itself from a traditional percussion ensemble by not only on musical performance, but on theatrics and marching. Although most indoor percussion ensembles are affiliated with high schools, there are also many independent groups that draw participants from a large area and are independently funded. Independent groups typically start rehearsing in October, while high school groups typically start after their fall marching band season ends. Because of this, the activity is often called winter percussion or winterline.
A tenor drum is a membranophone without a snare. There are several types of tenor drums.
In the Philippines, a drum and lyre corps is a marching ensemble consisting of strictly percussion instruments and a color guard section. The drum and lyre corps originated in the Philippines, as an economical alternative to regular brass bands or a drum and bugle corps. The instrumentation of a drum and lyre corps consists of a typical marching band with the bell lyre section. The lyre sections consist of bell lyres, glockenspiels, as well as vibraphones and marimbas. During competitions, drum and lyre corps usually include a pit section which consists of the typical pit instruments used by drum and bugle corps.
The University of New Hampshire Wildcat Marching Band, is the official marching band of the University of New Hampshire. The WMB plays at home games of the Wildcat football team, typically one away game per season, the Dover and Salem band shows, and various parades across New England. The band has traditionally had an equal mix of music and non-music majors and claims to have an average GPA consistently above the university's average. The WMB usually marches 80 to 100 members, depending on the year. Its largest roster in the past decade was approximately 125.
Color guards or Flag corps are teams of performers who perform choreographed dances and routines with various equipment to enhance and interpret the music of a marching band or drum and bugle corps show. Color guard teams can be found in American colleges, universities, high schools, middle schools, and independent drum corps. They use various equipment including flags, fake rifles, and sabres, along with other props. Most Color Guard groups are of mixed gender but some may also be single gender.
Orchestral percussion refers to the various percussion instruments used in an orchestral setting. It may also refer to the act of playing such instruments in an orchestral style. Many music schools and conservatories offer training for musicians interested in developing their skills as orchestral percussionists. Typically, an orchestral percussionist does not specialize in one particular instrument. Although there is no exhaustive list of all instruments that an orchestral percussionist must be able to play, there are particular instruments that are frequently used in the orchestral repertoire. This includes timpani, snare drum, bass drum, xylophone, glockenspiel, triangle, and tambourine.
The Purdue "All-American" Marching Band is the marching band of Purdue University and performs at Purdue Boilermakers football games. The AAMB is also the official band of the Indianapolis 500 race, having held the position since 1919.
The Western Illinois University Marching Leathernecks is the marching band for Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. The group was formed in 1904.
The University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band (UMMB) is the marching band for the University of Massachusetts Amherst known for its drum corps style and nationally renowned percussion section. The Minuteman Band is also known for its use of dance routines, vocalists, electronics, and overall showmanship.
The Hawkeye Marching Band is the marching band for the University of Iowa. The band performs at all home Hawkeye football games at Kinnick Stadium in addition to other events. It is the largest and most visible musical ensemble at the university. The band was founded in 1881 as a military band, giving membership to both music students and members of the military. In 1990, the band was awarded the Louis Sudler Intercollegiate Marching Band Trophy, generally considered to be the most prestigious honor a collegiate marching band can receive.
Oregon State University Marching Band, ("OSUMB"), is the marching band of Oregon State University, known as the "Spirit and Sound of OSU." The band was established in 1891. It is one of the oldest bands in the Pac-12 and the primary athletic band at Oregon State. In addition to the Oregon State University Marching Band, other athletic bands include Basketball Band, Rhythm & Beavs, Rhythm & Beavs: Travel Band, the Away Game Pep Band, Alumni Band, Gymnastics Band, and Bar Band. All band members are required to participate in marching band before they may be eligible to participate in any of the other athletic bands Oregon State offers.
Daechwita is a genre of Korean traditional music consisting of military music played by wind and percussion instruments, generally performed while marching or as a static performance.
A Corps of Drums, sometimes known as a Fife and Drum Corps, Fifes and Drums or Field Music is a traditional European military music formation. In contrast to a military band, a Corps of Drums' primary role is communication. Historically, music was used as signaling device throughout the day for keeping the march tempo and delivering commands. Today, the primary role of a Corps of Drums is ceremonial, performing in parades and military ceremonies. Besides drums, this formation may contain a variety of instruments,including trumpets, bugles, and fifes.
The Falcon Marching Band, known also as the FMB, is the marching band of Bowling Green State University. It features a symphonic sound and chair step marching. Under the direction of Jonathan “Jon” Waters, marching band is the largest student organization on campus. The band performs at all home football games, which are hosted in Doyt Perry Stadium as well as other various university functions.
The Blue and Gold Marching Machine is the official marching band of North Carolina A&T State University. The Blue and Gold Marching Machine performs pre-game and halftime shows at all North Carolina A&T Aggies football home games and travels to most away games.
