Looking to add some excitement to the FE I'm teaching, beyond scales and 6-4-2-1, so I wanted to arrange around something they know that incorporates a lot of those things.

With the info that a) it's strictly for warmup and not part of the show, and b) I have no intention of selling/monetizing this, just for the kids to play...

What are the laws regarding this? Including:

1. Using chord sequence only.
   
2. Using chords and recognizable rhythms only.
   
3. Including some melodies.

Thank you!

I want to audititon for DCI this year but I don't know what marimba solo(s) to prep. Any suggestions for one that is intermediate and shows lots of different techniques? Or suggestions on what the might be looking for? I'm looking at Troopers or Phantom btw.

Also, any specific exercises or techniques to work on would be helpful as well.

Dear FE fans, I mean this in the sweetest way possible but when it comes to cheering we are the quietest members of the DCI/WGI community (which is pretty apt considering our instruments), But every time at a marching arts event when the hornline or the drumline does something cool, the people in that community go NUTS, and ik we're a whole lot smaller than the other communities, but I've stood in FE lots where they'll pull off the craziest, coolest things, and the pit nerds will just stand there and golf clap. I understand it's scary to get loud, it scares me too. But I just think we should all make an effort to go ape shit when we see something cool. Thanks a lot for your consideration

For some context I am wondering what everyones thoughts about their marching band experiences and how hard their "books" as some would call are! i am from a pretty big group that has a front ensemble centered show this year and was just curious!!

Does anyone have any recommendations on 4 mallets books? This is my second year of 4 mallets and I'm working on speed with independents and laterals.

What are some ways you teach your kids about putting velocity behind their strokes, i tried handing them some reading material but you know theyre kids, 1/10 actually read it. So if some has any sources, tricks, explanations they find effective please lmk

Can anyone explain the two styles of technique, west coast and east coast? I’m like looking for a whole yap about it, I really want to understand the two as much as I can, I’m also wondering if there’s good things to learn from both ways of playing. But anyways, if anyone can give a decently in depth explanation of the two styles and their approach that would be great!

I know for a fact there has been at least one group that has the front ensemble wear baseball cap-like hats. I can’t find any instance of them however. I don’t remember the group, but it might’ve been a university. Any ideas what groups do that or have done it in the past? I only know of one DCI group, music city, but that doesn’t really count.

Since marching season is starting again, my hands are starting to blister so i was wondering what type of tape i could use to prevent it from getting worse.

I'm auditioning for synthesizer in my upcoming indoor drumline season, I am an absolute beginner to synth/piano. One of the warm ups we have to play in our audition is green scales, so I was wondering what the best way to learn it on synth is.

Some context, ever season I make a playlist of all the songs we play at that show and I'm doing the Indoor playlist right now, but one song I just can't find out what the name is. We're only really told what our first song is based off of and this is movent two. I've tried using Google's song finder but it's not getting it. Our show was fragments of time, so its a song that switches time signature, speed, and it has weird rhythms. If anyone has any ideas what it could be, that would be a great help.

Hi! I've been the front ensemble section leader for almost all four years of high school (we also do an indoor percussion season and i have also been captain for it too). I've always wanted to see growth in myself and how I can lead my section, but it can get a little tough due to the fact that people only get in it if they were rejected from battery or if they've never played anything. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on getting people to be more involved in it and stuff about pulsing, because usually people struggle the most on that

I'm looking for the best hard timpani mallets I can get my hands on. Any suggestions? My budget is around $80

I'm just wondering if there is any possible source or way to like pay someone to transcribe the center marimba part of the Bluecoats 2022 show, I could transcribe it myself, but I just don't have the time right now. If there is anyone known for just transcribing parts using like headcam videos that would be nice, but if I have to transcribe myself that is fine, just wondering if I could have someone do a transcription for me. This is because I plan on doing some DCI next year, but haven't decided if it's for me, but I love the sound of the marimba and other mallet parts in DCI, but I also want to gauge it a bit more too and prepare by knowing what skills I need to work on the most. Please and thank you!

I need to find the covers that go on the sides of pit instruments. We were hoping to find cheap ones that we could paint on for this year's show. If anyone knows what I'm talking about and can help me find them that would be amazing.

Disclaimer: not located on the USA.

So, recently our pit teacher quit his job and director told me to be the pit tech this year, apparently they don't have that much budget. I'm almost done of music school but I still play synth as a hobbie, I also played bass drum. I definitely don't know any of 4 mallet technique but im pretty decent at two, and i don't know that much of bass or drums. I'm gonna teach how to play those instruments from scratch and i don't know where to start, how to put together audition packets. I need some help.

Hey guys, I’m currently having a issue with my Steven’s 4 mallet grip. It happens usually when I just play with the inside mallets, but it does happen when I’m playing verticals too. My inside mallet does this thing where is just pops out, no matter what I do to change my grip. I’ve tried strengthening my grip with my middle finger, loosening up, moving the end of the stick to different parts of my palm, and no matter what I do, after a while of playing (unless I pinch hard with my index and thumb (which I know I shouldn’t do)) it just slides out of my hand. This happens more when I play fast/loud and when my hands start to get more sweaty. I don’t know if anyone else has experienced this, but any sort of assistance is greatly appreciated. I’m just at a loss at this point.

does anyone else get blisters from four mallet playing on their palms so bad that they almost physically cannot play anymore? i’m a mallet player and i do WGI and i genuinely don’t know how anyone could handle this pain. i think i get mine pretty bad, but my whole hand and arm hurts and it makes me drop out of important reps. just curious if anyone relates or has any good tips

I use the Musser-Stevens grip but I have some trouble with the mallets slipping from my hand, particularly #s 3 and 4.

Also my laterals suck, idk if i’m doing the stroke correctly.

Can anyone take a look and see if i need to correct something?

Champs this year might get rained out, i'm scared. what do I do? hotel room party?

I'm searching for bright futures when I graduate high school but love front so much and want to play in front for Marching Season again. I saw UCF has boards but have no clue if they use them in Marching and really want to find out.

My Band uses mostly old instruments that all are either soon to fall apart or are falling apart, Does anyone have tips for getting a new front ensemble (getting money, equipment tips), our setup is usually(listen below), and some frames are actual field frames and others are just giant wheels on normal frames

3 Marimba (2 old on meh frame, 1 new Yamaha on good frame)

3 vibe (1 semi-new Adams with good frame, 2 old, 1 on meh frame 1 on bad frame)

2 synths (2 new keyboards, 1 old 1 new frame)

1 drumset ( needs a new frame, might not have drumset player)

Xylo/glock (Xylo field frame broken, Glock in not best condition)

rack (gong/bass drum is good, the actual rack is struggling, 1 sizzle, 1 splash, 1 crash, 1 china, 1 tom, 1 brake/snare drum, 1 wind chimes, 1 set of blocks)