Introduction
These six strategies make your marching band rehearsals more efficient. They keep your marching band shows coming together with fewer surprises between now and finals.
Utilizing Click Tracks
We strongly recommend a click track for any tempo change, including direct changes, accelerandos, and ritardandos. While we want our students to follow the conductor or drum major, muscle memory often controls the performance. Hence, it’s crucial to give students as many chances as possible to practice the same thing during marching band rehearsals. NAfME’s guidance on bringing technology back into the rehearsal room covers this same territory. It’s worth a look if you want more on integrating tools like this into daily practice.
Consistency is Key
Using consistent language to describe your starting and stopping points can greatly enhance your rehearsals. Make use of page or set numbers as soon as possible. That way, your visual rehearsals and musical rehearsals utilize the same language.
Stick to the Rehearsal Procedure
Sticking to a system and process facilitates learning. Here’s an example of a marching band rehearsal procedure that could be beneficial in all of your rehearsals:
- The director states directions, drum major repeats directions.
- Students listen at a “standby” position, creating a calm rehearsal environment.
- The drum major calls the ensemble to “set,” moving the instrument into the starting position.
- Eight beats from the metronome initiate the repetition.
- Students perform the repetition, stopping exactly in the prescribed position and freezing.
- The director or drum major says “check”; students observe the result of the rep from a visual standpoint.
- The director or drum major says “adjust”; students correct any error in visual shape and space.
- The director or drum major says “standby”; students return to standby and await feedback.
- The students receive the director’s feedback.
NAfME has written more broadly on building organized, effective practice processes. It lines up with why a procedure like this one works.
Point Your Instrument to the Focal Point
In a performance setting, adjudicators will be sitting at the top of the stadium, in the center. The band should project the full range of sound at this “focal point.” Your students should always have a place to point their instruments. Set up a “focal flag” about 50 yards in front of your front sideline, aligned with your 50-yard line. That gives your students something to aim for at every rehearsal.
Rehearse with Your Electronics
Electronic failures in marching shows are unfortunately common. If your show involves electronics in any form, it’s important to rehearse with them daily. This helps you balance the electronics with your acoustic sound and confirms everything functions properly and consistently.
Don’t Be Afraid to Tweak the Show
Making adjustments to your show, both musically and visually, is a necessary part of your band’s development. Leverage the expertise of your design team to make these adjustments sooner in your season. This leads to a higher level of confidence in your students, and ultimately, a better performance. If you’re still finalizing a show for next season, take a look at Frozen in Time. We built it with exactly this kind of mid-season flexibility in mind.
Conclusion
None of these six strategies require new equipment or a bigger staff. What they need is a rehearsal room where you use the same language, the same procedure, and the same standards every single day. That repetition is what turns a good drill chart into a performance a band actually owns by finals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a click track used for in marching band?
A click track gives students a steady, audible tempo reference for changes like accelerandos and ritardandos. Timing comes from something consistent, instead of just watching the conductor or drum major in the moment.
Why use “check” and “adjust” as separate rehearsal commands?
Splitting them forces students to first observe what actually happened (check) before trying to fix it (adjust). That way, they’re not guessing at a correction before they’ve actually registered the error.
How far in front of the sideline should a focal flag be placed?
About 50 yards in front of the front sideline, aligned with the 50-yard line. That puts it roughly where adjudicators will be sitting, at the top of the stadium.
How often should I rehearse with electronics if they’re part of the show?
Daily, if electronics are part of the show at all. Balancing acoustic and electronic sound is a skill you build in rehearsal, not one you discover at the first performance.
About Evan VanDoren
Evan VanDoren is a composer, arranger, conductor, and former high school band director whose music is performed by ensembles across the United States and beyond. He works with band programs to create music and marching band productions designed around the strengths of their students and programs.
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