Establishing Efficiency in Your Marching Rehearsal Presented by - - PDF document

Establishing Efficiency in Your Marching Rehearsal

Presented by The Iowa State University Cyclone Marching Band Staff

Steven Smyth, Associate Director of Bands Christian Carichner, Assistant Director of Bands Scott Szurek, Drumline Staff Theresa Birch, Guard Staff and Members of the Iowa State University Marching Band

2016 Iowa Bandmasters Conference Friday, May 13, 2016 3:00 p.m.

10 Steps to an Efficient Rehearsal

by Dr. Steven Smyth

Associate Director of Bands, Iowa State University

• 1. Have a plan
• Using your philosophy, draw up a detailed rehearsal for the week ahead
• Try to have a rough idea of what the entire season’s rehearsals are going to be
• Spread different musical and visual concepts throughout the season
• Music should be learned throughout the season to always keep minds fresh
• 2. Communicate this plan to your students
• Send the students weekly/daily feedback on what they have done and challenge

them with what they need to do better

• Emails and paperwork great! Avoid social media and things that EVERYONE

can read. You don’t want to broadcast what the students don’t do well to the public

• Stick to this plan. If rain or another unforeseen event happens…make a new

plan.

• Include things like drill, warm-ups, and music so that the students know to have

these materials with them and practiced.

• 3. Start on time
• This is most important. Get the students accustomed to starting at the rehearsal

field REHEARSING at your class time…not arriving and getting out their stuff.

• Always start on time
• Always start where they will be rehearsing….in other words, OUTSIDE!!.

Warming up inside is nice and will sometimes corral them together, but you want them to warm-up in their listening environment and ready to transition to drill faster.

• Don’t give up time to transitions.
• Assign student leaders to bring equipment to the field; make sure they are

responsible and able to be to rehearsal early enough to take care of this before you begin.

• 4. Incorporate a good musical warm-up that includes breathing, lip slurs, long

tones, articulation, and technique.

• This is the easiest to cheat but should be the last thing you cheat
• Drumline and guard can either be with you or separate, but they need to be doing

warm-ups too.

• If you need to integrate, have a comprehensive warm up for both winds and

percussion; you can find these all over JW Pepper. “Ultimate Warm-Up” is my favorite.

• Have a guard specialist write a warm-up that incorporates all the visual silk

techniques that you will use throughout the year (drop spins, etc.)

• 5. Incorporate Marching Fundamentals.
• This doesn’t have to a take a long time, but should focus entirely on the skill.
• The goal is to affirm the technique taught in camp and further refine and

define those techniques you use in the drill. This could include sets of the drill where everyone can work on the same skill.

• The goal is to focus on building habits….practice so you can’t get it wrong.
• Include dance positions for contemporary bodywork.

• 6. Students need to have all materials on them
• Music, Drill, Instrument, etc.
• I like coordinate sheets to encourage individual responsibility and to avoid

fights

• Memorizing music is good, but I feel they need to have the music and the drill

handy so that they know where they are going (avoids cryptic instructions that

• nly half of the students may understand).
• I like the use of nail aprons (bummers), because you can carry the materials

you need in them.

• 7. Use water bottles—not water coolers.
• Water breaks take forever.
• Bottles are much healthier, faster, and better for the environment.
• Will still need water coolers or a source available for water throughout

rehearsal.

• 8. Students should mark their drill in their music.
• They learn the phrasing of the music and how it coincides with the visual

program.

• Makes less materials they need to have on field.
• Given enough time in the summer, directors can insert the instructions in the

music itself.

• 9. Use a system for starting and stopping the band.
• Avoid excess commands like “parade rest” and “stand by”
• Use clear commands that reflect what you want them to do (form, dot, etc.)
• Define when they can and can’t talk.
• Give leadership a chance to talk….but not too much!!!
• USE A METRONOME (in the back of the field)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Avoids having to yell

“hurry up”… “I’m going to start….really this time”…etc.

• Count down the sets. This forces them to hurry. You need to try to stick to

your word so that the students know the expectations of when they are to be set.

• Leave enough time so that they can get to their sets as long as they run, and

so they can set up that beginning set correctly.

• 10. Train your student leadership to run sectionals efficiently
• Have a separate camp to teach strategies.
• This builds ownership in the group.
• This is the most efficient thing you can do. Great for some music and for most

fundamentals.

“Efficiency is doing things right; Effectiveness is doing the right things”

• Peter F. Drucker

Position of Relaxation

• body should be confident without tension (completely relaxed) - shoulders are relaxed
• heels and toes together
• knees should not be locked
• “focus air” by moving chin to chest and breathing in while lifting head to maximize air flow
• chest should be expanded (hug a tree)
• body alignment should be connected by these five points to make a straight line: ankles, knees, hips,

shoulders, and the top of the head

• balls of your feet should be in the middle of the yard line
• center your body weight over the balls of your feet so that there is no weight on your heels

Start-Up Sequence Horns Up/Down

• motion is as quick as possible yet precise (exception for the slow horns up)
• after horns hit on the up or down motion, there should be an immediate relaxation to avoid tension in

the upper body, but body will still be at the attention position

Count Action Vocalization 1 Metronome, Whistle, or Hands will give these three beats to establish tempo 2 3 4

• Horn initiates movement towards embouchure
• Left Knee pops on the “and” of the beat

“Go!” 5

• Horn is in up position on the S of “State”
• Left heel initiates contact with ground on beat

“State” 6 Continue Mark Time Sequence Three count breath towards initiation of sound. 7 8

Marching Fundamentals Definitions

Mark Time (low/glide-style)

• feet will be parallel to each other
• weight of body must be on the ball of the foot, not the heel.
• to initiate the mark time, the heel will rise and left knee will pop on the “and” of the beat, and touch

the ground on the downbeats (left on odd, right on even)

• heels raise three inches, toes stay on the ground
• movement should happen quickly, heels should spend more time on the ground than in the air.
• upper body posture is the same as the position of relaxation

Forward March (Glide Step)

• upper body and instrument remain in the position of relaxation
• weight is slightly forward
• to initiate movement, “push” with the right ball of your foot to propel your body weight forward on

the upbeat preceding your move.

• n count one of your move your left heel should extend from the hip and make contact with the

ground.

• toes should always point upward as high as possible during the forward march - calf muscles should

feel a slight pull. When done correctly, the foot will form a curved shape that you will “roll through”.

• during the roll, the weight distribution should be centered as much as possible, do not roll on the
• utside of the feet
• ankles will cross on the upbeats.
• the heel of the foot in motion should stay as low to the ground as possible when moving forward - no

bicycle motion

• the feet stay parallel; there is no crossing over of the feet or a motion of tight rope walking

Backward March

• upper body and instrument remain in the position of relaxation
• n the upbeat before the move you should push your weight forward just like the forward march, the

difference is that both heels will come of the ground and you will be balanced on the balls of your feet.

• the first step should be straight back in a full 22 ½ inch step. The left ball of your foot should never

leave the ground and should instead brush the ground as you step.

• your legs should extend straight back, not in an arc that creates excess motion and bouncing.
• stay level during the move - avoid dipping the body down or raising up on the toes
• n slower tempos, it is extremely important to keep the steps and motion smooth, continuous, and

even - avoid jerky, rushed movement

• the weight should always be forward on the balls of your feet..don’t lean back

Slides

• shoulders should be square to the point of reference - especially the lead shoulder
• pivot the upper body at the waist - the waist should almost be at a 45 degree angle
• horns and upper body should look similar to the position of attention
• try to avoid tension in the upper body
• the most important part of unity in sliding is keeping horns at the correct forward position (as if at

attention)

• always stretch before attempting slides and continuously work on dexterity

GO CYCLONES!!!

Iowa State University Drill Rehearsal Method

This system is a result of many influences. Our Cyclone Marching Band Staff have all brought their own ideas and experiences and the following system is an amalgamation of all of these. We have developed this system through trial and error, and we feel this has developed into a workable procedure allowing for an efficient and enjoyable experience for both students and staff. The establishment of this system early in the season takes diligence and patience. Initially it takes MORE time than other systems, but once established creates a clear, concise, and efficient way to work with clear expectations for achievement. For this system to work, you will need a loudspeaker at the BACK of the field and a way to amplify a metronome that the instructor can control wirelessly. There are many options available depending on the availability of electricity at your rehearsal facility. Directors will also need to establish a leadership training program that will help you establish this among the other students. Leaders to set and example and to hold the standard of excellence that this sort of system requires.

Procedure

• 1. Find starting page (put down poker chip).
• 2. Give over all instructions (measures, counts, movement type, etc.).
• 3. Have them find their own dot from the coordinate sheet (with no talking).
• a. Once there, have them put the balls of their feet on their dot, put down a poker

chip, face the ladder, and don’t talk.

• 4. Repeat the count structure, and have them point toward their previous poker

chip.

• 5. March back to their previous poker chip in a straight path while aware of others

whose paths they may cross (hence the pointing).

• a. This gives them a good knowledge of step size and potential collisions.
• b. Have them march the set in the amount of counts in the correct direction.
• 6. Once there, say:

a. “Form” – This is where they dress the form to the correct shape. They should not talk or drop their horns from set; instead, they should use their peripheral vision to find their spots. b. “Dot” – Once you say this, they can move to the dot (or their poker chip) on their coordinate sheet. They can then talk constructively to others as long as their feet are in their spot. c. “Set” – They return to the “set” position (position of relaxation, with horns up). This is where you give instruction for what they will do next (if you want to learn a new set, go back to 1; if you want to clean this one….read on) d. “Go” – After you want them to move, say “go” and they should run back to their spots.

• 7. Countdown.
• a. Either you or your drum major should countdown the time they have to get back

to their spots (usually 10-20 seconds). You should allow for a little horseplay and joking when they do this. Marching band is supposed to be fun!

• 8. At the end of the countdown, the metronome starts, and they do the directions

you gave at “set.”

2015 Cyclone Marching Band Daily Warm-up

Monday, Tuesday, Friday: Group Warm-up Wednesday, Thursday: Sectional Warm-up (same thing done in smaller groups stopping at pregame) Stretch and Dance Warm-up (60-70 bpm) Time Activity Counts High Block Horns Drum Guard 5:00pm Heart Rate: Run a lap (end in set 5 of pregame) at side yes yes 5:01pm Yoga Stretch Routine (being written by Dillan Glock) at side yes yes 5:06pm Dance Warm-up Basic Positions Prep Counts 8 moving at side yes yes 1st Position Parallel 8 up, open, carry, down at side yes yes 1st Position Open (90 degrees) 8 U, O, C, D at side yes yes 2nd Position 8 U, O, C, D at side yes yes 3rd Position 8 U, O, C, D at side yes yes Basic Movements 5:08 Tendu Left (left, front, back) 8 Up at side yes yes Tendu Right (right, front, back) 8 Up at side yes yes Lunge Left 8 U, O, C, D at side yes yes Lunge Right 8 U, O, C, D at side yes yes Lunge Forward 8 U, O, C, D at side yes yes Lunge Backward 8 U, O, C, D at side yes yes Plié 1st Position 8 Up at side yes yes Plié 2nd Position 8 UP at side yes yes Plié 3rd Position 8 UP at side yes yes

Breathing and Musical Warm-up Time Activity Body Horn Drum Guard 5:10pm Breathing as selected by Mr. Carichner Relaxed at side No No 5:15pm Musical Warm ups Set w/horn No No Marching Fundamentals Time Cts Element Dir Slide Drum Guard 5:20 8 Start Up Sequence NA NA Opt Opt 16 First Step Forward (1, 2-3 freeze, back 4, MT 5-8) Repeat FWD NA Opt Opt 16 Second Step Forward (1,2,3-4 freeze, 5-6 back, MT 7-8) Rpt FWD NA Opt Opt 16 First Step Backward (1,2-3 freeze, back 4, MT 5-8) BWD NA Opt Opt 16 Second Step Backward (1,2, 3-4 freeze, 5-6 back, MT 7-8)Rpt BWD NA Opt Opt 8 Forward 4 w/post and freeze 1,2,3, post, freeze 5-8 FWD NA Opt Opt 16 Backward 8 w/post and freeze (back 1-7, post, freeze 1-4, forward to line 5-8) BWD NA Opt Opt 16 Build Slide (1-4 Hips, 5-8 chest, 1-4 shoulders, MT 5-8) NA L Opt Opt 8 Forward March FWD L Opt Opt 8 Back March BWD L Opt Opt 16 Build Slide (1-4 Hips, 5-8 chest, 1-4 shoulders, MT 5-8) NA R Opt Opt 8 Forward March FWD R Opt Opt 8 Backward March BWD R Opt Opt 8 Fwd Cheat L Step, Post (cheat), Step (new direction), Reset 5-8 FWD NA Opt Opt 8 Fwd Cheat R Step, Post (cheat), Step (new direction), Reset 5-8 FWD NA Opt Opt

Dismissal at 6:25 8 Bwd Cheat L Step, Post (cheat), Step (new direction), Reset 5-8 BWD NA Opt Opt 8 Bwd Cheat R Step, Post (cheat), Step (new direction), Reset 5-8 BWD NA Opt Opt 32 Box Right All Fwd Opt Opt 32 Box Left All Fwd Opt Opt 16 High Step (fully broke down into quarter elements) FWD Fwd No No 8 High Step (broke into half notes) FWD Fwd No No 8 High Step...real speed FWD Fwd No No 32 Form (page 5-8) Pregame Var. R Yes Yes 32 Float (page 8-9) FWD Fwd Yes Yes 64 Flip (page 9- 12) FWD Fwd Yes Yes 36 NA Fanfare (page 12-14) Var. Fwd Yes Yes Marching Fundamentals Time Cts Element Dir Slide Drum Guard Musical Rehearsal Time Material Drum Guard 5:25pm Show, Pregame, and Stands Music Yes Opt Drill Rehearsal Time Material Drum Guard 5:40pm Halftime and Pregame Drill