How to Join a Drum and Bugle Corps
Make sure your instrument is allowed in a drum corps., Learn the terminology., Look into (relatively) local corps first., Notice gender-specific corps., Look into dues once you've found a corps you're interested in., Get into shape., Check your...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Make sure your instrument is allowed in a drum corps.
Drum corps are relatively exclusive when it comes to instrumentation- no woodwinds of any sort are allowed to march, including all variety of saxophone.
In the brass family, the DCI and DCA (more on them later) both have rules only allowing bell-front valved brass instruments into drum corps.
That means trombonists, French horn players, and Sousaphone players will want to learn trumpet, mellophone, baritone/euphonium, or contrabass/tuba.
Percussion instruments offered generally shift from corps to corps, depending on their style or show each year. -
Step 2: Learn the terminology.
Drum corps is a world with a different vocabulary than that of the rest of the world.
Some of the more commonly used terms are listed here.
DCI is short for Drum Corps International, which is in charge of junior drum corps.
Junior drum corps are drum corps that allow members between the ages of 13 to 21, though they may be more exclusive if they chose.
DCA stands for Drum Corps Associates, and is in charge of all-age drum and bugle corps.
While not as popular as DCI drum corps, all-age corps are starting to be more popular. "Phantom" style is a reference to The Phantom Regiment's marching style, which is unique.
You may hear any other corps name inserted, though, as nearly all corps have their own unique style.
Spirit, for example, has a "rolling walk" style, while Cavaliers have a "high walk" of sort, and Phantom has a "sharp" style.
World class/open class/international class are the different classes of drum corps as of
2008.
World class corps have exactly 150 members, while open class corps has 30-150 members.
International class is the class for corps based in countries outside of North America that wish to tour the DCI circuit. "Contra" normally refers to the contra-bass, which is the tuba of drum and bugle corps.
They look rather like very large baritones, slung over one shoulder, as seen in this picture. , Since practice schedules are often extremely difficult to follow, but time commitment is a huge part of making a corps, when looking into joining a corps, look at the local ones first.
You may be surprised what isn't that far away- in 2008, there were 24 different drum corps in the World Class of DCI alone, almost all from different states. , Currently, in DCI, at least, there are no corps that are female-only, however, the Cavaliers and the Madison Scouts are male-only corps.
In other countries, female-only corps are, while not common, existent, at least. , In today's global economy, fees may be the deciding factor between you marching in a corps, and you just watching the show from the stands.
If you have financial problems, but are talented, some corps offers scholarships to help with dues.
After you've marched a year or two of corps, though, it's much easier to get money for marching. , Regardless of what corps you decide on, when the audition weekend is, how your marching, playing, or attitude is, if you're even considering getting into corps, you must be in shape.
You're not looking to build that much muscle mass, though, so standard workouts may not be exactly what you need.
You should be looking to be lightweight, true, but quick and nimble.
Running, biking, and swimming all help out with this without weighing you down with extra muscle mass.
Push-ups and crunches are also recommended, as they will help you build the endurance you will need to survive drum and bugle corps. , Drum corps schedules are demanding, to say the least, and there is very little room for error when first going out for a corps.
People understand, though, that everyone has lives outside of drum corps.
As long as you are upfront and clear about any conflicts in your schedule, and they don't conflict too often, of course, you can normally have a bit of "wiggle room"
though that really depends on the corps most of all. , Also, look into what else the audition exactly entails.
A standard audition for drum corps includes prepared pieces of some sort, a piece of your own, sight reading, basic marching skills, and a section in which you have to march and play at the same time.
It's obviously best to practice as many of these things as possible, especially if you are particularly weak in any of these areas.
Range, lip setting, dynamic ability, posture, and tone are all major factors for brass players.
Keep in mind, meanwhile, that many drum corps also judge attitude! Be positive, polite, and don't make excuses for yourself. , Each corp, as previously mentioned, has their own style.
You don't have to know this prior to auditioning, as the instructors will teach it later, but it can't hurt to be one step ahead. , Make sure that, a week or two prior, you registered for the audition, if that was required, and paid any audition fees.
Instrumentalists should bring their instrument to the first camp (normally corps-owned instruments aren't distributed until at least the second weekend), a folding music stand, their music, and any oils, tuners, metronomes, etc. that may be needed for the weekend. , At this point, there's nothing that should be said.
If you have practiced enough, have the talent and ability, and just a bit of luck, you should do just fine.
If not, there's always next year! -
Step 3: Look into (relatively) local corps first.
-
Step 4: Notice gender-specific corps.
-
Step 5: Look into dues once you've found a corps you're interested in.
-
Step 6: Get into shape.
-
Step 7: Check your calendar.
-
Step 8: Find the audition music/routine.
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Step 9: Look into the corps marching style.
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Step 10: Show up on the audition weekend
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Step 11: prepared.
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Step 12: Audition.
Detailed Guide
Drum corps are relatively exclusive when it comes to instrumentation- no woodwinds of any sort are allowed to march, including all variety of saxophone.
In the brass family, the DCI and DCA (more on them later) both have rules only allowing bell-front valved brass instruments into drum corps.
That means trombonists, French horn players, and Sousaphone players will want to learn trumpet, mellophone, baritone/euphonium, or contrabass/tuba.
Percussion instruments offered generally shift from corps to corps, depending on their style or show each year.
Drum corps is a world with a different vocabulary than that of the rest of the world.
Some of the more commonly used terms are listed here.
DCI is short for Drum Corps International, which is in charge of junior drum corps.
Junior drum corps are drum corps that allow members between the ages of 13 to 21, though they may be more exclusive if they chose.
DCA stands for Drum Corps Associates, and is in charge of all-age drum and bugle corps.
While not as popular as DCI drum corps, all-age corps are starting to be more popular. "Phantom" style is a reference to The Phantom Regiment's marching style, which is unique.
You may hear any other corps name inserted, though, as nearly all corps have their own unique style.
Spirit, for example, has a "rolling walk" style, while Cavaliers have a "high walk" of sort, and Phantom has a "sharp" style.
World class/open class/international class are the different classes of drum corps as of
2008.
World class corps have exactly 150 members, while open class corps has 30-150 members.
International class is the class for corps based in countries outside of North America that wish to tour the DCI circuit. "Contra" normally refers to the contra-bass, which is the tuba of drum and bugle corps.
They look rather like very large baritones, slung over one shoulder, as seen in this picture. , Since practice schedules are often extremely difficult to follow, but time commitment is a huge part of making a corps, when looking into joining a corps, look at the local ones first.
You may be surprised what isn't that far away- in 2008, there were 24 different drum corps in the World Class of DCI alone, almost all from different states. , Currently, in DCI, at least, there are no corps that are female-only, however, the Cavaliers and the Madison Scouts are male-only corps.
In other countries, female-only corps are, while not common, existent, at least. , In today's global economy, fees may be the deciding factor between you marching in a corps, and you just watching the show from the stands.
If you have financial problems, but are talented, some corps offers scholarships to help with dues.
After you've marched a year or two of corps, though, it's much easier to get money for marching. , Regardless of what corps you decide on, when the audition weekend is, how your marching, playing, or attitude is, if you're even considering getting into corps, you must be in shape.
You're not looking to build that much muscle mass, though, so standard workouts may not be exactly what you need.
You should be looking to be lightweight, true, but quick and nimble.
Running, biking, and swimming all help out with this without weighing you down with extra muscle mass.
Push-ups and crunches are also recommended, as they will help you build the endurance you will need to survive drum and bugle corps. , Drum corps schedules are demanding, to say the least, and there is very little room for error when first going out for a corps.
People understand, though, that everyone has lives outside of drum corps.
As long as you are upfront and clear about any conflicts in your schedule, and they don't conflict too often, of course, you can normally have a bit of "wiggle room"
though that really depends on the corps most of all. , Also, look into what else the audition exactly entails.
A standard audition for drum corps includes prepared pieces of some sort, a piece of your own, sight reading, basic marching skills, and a section in which you have to march and play at the same time.
It's obviously best to practice as many of these things as possible, especially if you are particularly weak in any of these areas.
Range, lip setting, dynamic ability, posture, and tone are all major factors for brass players.
Keep in mind, meanwhile, that many drum corps also judge attitude! Be positive, polite, and don't make excuses for yourself. , Each corp, as previously mentioned, has their own style.
You don't have to know this prior to auditioning, as the instructors will teach it later, but it can't hurt to be one step ahead. , Make sure that, a week or two prior, you registered for the audition, if that was required, and paid any audition fees.
Instrumentalists should bring their instrument to the first camp (normally corps-owned instruments aren't distributed until at least the second weekend), a folding music stand, their music, and any oils, tuners, metronomes, etc. that may be needed for the weekend. , At this point, there's nothing that should be said.
If you have practiced enough, have the talent and ability, and just a bit of luck, you should do just fine.
If not, there's always next year!
About the Author
Gloria Stewart
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
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