This Manual is posted Courtesy and with Permission of

 Star Line Baton Company, Inc.

CONTENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Dr. Henzie's educational and marching band experience has developed a solid drum majoring background.  He was director of the Butler University Band for twenty years and professor of Music at Butler University and Jordan College of Music.  Under his tutelage were graduated some of the nation's finest marching band directors including several Big Ten directors.  He received his Doctor of Education Degree from Indiana University and is nationally in demand as a clinician and adjudicator.

Dr. Henzie has dedicated himself to music education, marching bands and drum majoring.  One of his greatest assets is his great ability to communicate with all age groups and to inspire them to their full potential.

Merl Smith is nationally known as an instructor of drum majoring and baton twirling.  He is past president of the All American Drum Major Association and the United States Twirling Association.  As founder and director of the Smith-Walbridge Camp, Mr. Smith has been a leader in the development of drum majoring and baton twirling methods in the United States.  He has devoted much of his life to the teaching of twirlers, drum majors, drum and bugle corps and bands and has been responsible for national and state champions in all categories.

He personally won the United States Twirling Championship at the Chicagoland Music Festival in 1939 and served as drum major of the Mishawaka High School Band, the Hawaii Sea Bee Battalion Band and several drum corps.

This book is the result of eighteen years of the combined efforts of Dr. Henzie and Merl Smith and will serve as an invaluable guide for all drum majors and band directors.

PREFACE

The concept of this book resulted from seven years of publishing a drum major manual in mimeograph form by Smith-Walbridge Drum Major Camp.  Each of the seven years brought a new edition with more refined teaching methods and techniques for the drum major.  The culmination of all the material that had been tested and retested, plus charting is the content of this book.

This manual was thus created to cover whistle and baton commands, basic drill for the marching band, fundamental instruction and charting for the football marching band.  The material is designed to train the drum major to function as the field director of the band and as an assistant director in rehearsing the marching band for football, parades and other events related to the band's public appearances as a marching unit.  All basic commands were adapted from the United States Army Band Manual and from the staff of professional instructors who had been drum majors of some of the finest bands in the country.

Materials in this text have been tested by over eight thousand high school and college students desiring to be drum majors of their school bands.  Hundreds of bands have performed effectively to the signal commands presented in this book.  We pay our special thanks to the following professional teachers who have contributed to the establishment of the system of drum major signals herein: "Duke" Miller of University of Arizona at Temple, Tom Veenendall of Michigan State University, Dick Follett of University of Michigan, Jack Crum. of Butler University, Fred Miller of University of Dayton.

The charting section of the book is designed to acquaint the drum major with the fundamentals of charting for the football band so that he may assist the director in training and rehearsing the band.

Much of the information related to charting has been provided by the Big Ten directors who have served as clinicians for the Smith-Walbridge Drum Major Camps. These directors are responsible for developing many of the charting techniques currently in use by many bands.  They represent a segment of Who's Who in the College Band Directors National Association.  From the Big Ten and other colleges the list includes:

Jack Lee, University of Arizona

Jack Evans, Ohio State University

John Paynter, Northwestern University

Everett Kisinger, University of Illinois

Frederick Ebbs, Indiana University

Charles Spohn, Ohio State University

Tom Davis, University of Iowa

C. B. Wilson, Western Reserve University

Michael Leckrone, University of Wisconsin

Gary Smith, Saint Joseph College

The authors wish to express their appreciation for the use of the charting examples supplied by the Big Ten band directors whose cooperation made possible the presentation of charting from all the Universities in the Conference.  Our special thanks to Professor AI Wright, Purdue University, George Cavender and William Revelli of the University of Michigan, William Moffitt, formerly of Michigan State University and Frank Bencriscutto, University of Minnesota.

A special expression of gratitude to Ray Gaedke for the graphic illustrations and the final preparation of the material.

The authors will be happy to answer any questions, readers may have on the subjects covered in this book.  Write to the publishers enclosing a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Chapter I

The Role OF THE DRUM MAJOR

The military band was the forerunner of our present day bands.  The instrumentation of the band has been limited to those instruments whose design made it possible to be carried and played while marching.  Until the present era, band music was military in nature, consisting chiefly of marches.  Thus the role of the drum major was limited to military reviews and parades.

DRUM MAJOR QUALIFICATIONS

LEADERSHIP

Leadership is a matter of learning and growth.  As the drum major gains further knowledge and experience in the many phases of his position, he develops the poise, confidence, and insight into the total situation that is essential to being a competent leader.  As he learns and practices the duties of his office he gains the assurance and respect of the band and the director, which provides further stimulus for self-improvement and refined leadership.

Leadership may be initiated from anyone of the many ingredients of which it is composed.  Perhaps it stems from outstanding musicianship, the responsibility of solo chair, technique and facility.  Whatever the initial requisite might be, leadership based upon one single attribute will not survive.  It must be supported by many equally important personal characteristics which the aspiring leader must recognize and labor to acquire.

Frequently the drum major has great enthusiasm for the marching band, for his school, his director, and demonstrates this enthusiasm without reserve.  Such enthusiasm is healthy and creates spirit among the other students.  But unless a drum major has many of the other leadership qualities, he will soon become less effective as a leader.  No one, single leadership qualification is totally adequate for the complete role of the drum major.

In attempting to list the leadership requirements of the drum major the following qualifications, though not complete, would be included.

KNOWLEDGE OF MUSIC AND MARCHING FUNDAMENTALS

The drum major must establish himself as being musically literate if he is to assume a position of leadership and authority in the band.  He must have a background in music that enables him to communicate musically with the director and the bandsmen and to reinforce the musical function of the marching unit.

His knowledge of music should be based upon experiences comparable to the majority of the students in the band.  Such fundamentals as tempo, meter and dynamics should be firmly established within his musical training if he is to direct the actions of others in performing their complex musical and marching responsibilities.  He must be proficient at starting and stopping the band, at changing the rate of direction of movement and knowing when and how to give the signals necessary for obtaining the maximum musical and marching results.

ENTHUSIASM

DESIRE AND DRIVE

PERSUASIVENESS

Persuasiveness is a quality that few student leaders develop sufficiently.  The drum major must direct the action of his fellow students.  Commands when given unwisely, are resented by the band members.  The drum major who can give signals and commands in such a manner that the band responds without hesitation or resentment toward him, will profit from the cooperative work of the band members.  Remember, you can lead a horse to water but -.  You can command but, band members respond better when free of "rigid commands."

ACCEPTANCE BY THE BAND MEMBERS

COOPERATION WITH THE DIRECTOR

CONSISTENCY

Consistency in behavior and approach is mandatory when dealing with problems involving conduct and discipline in the band.  The drum major must maintain the same standards of conduct from day to day.  Students must know that each practice is important, not a play period one day and work the next day.  No special privileges are granted on a personal basis or on "Iax" days.  The drum major must strive to maintain the same high excellence of performance standards in marching and playing with everyday consistency.

ABILITY TO MEET EMERGENCIES

Ability to meet emergencies as they develop is a real quality of leadership. " Much of this ability is based upon the drum major's confidence in himself, his awareness of the total situation, his ability to anticipate situations and the knowledge that his actions have the full support of the band and the director.

Sacrifice of time is one of the prices that the leader must pay.  The hours spent in self-improvement, in working for the band, in teaching those who need help, in planning thoroughly the limited time allowed for the multitude of tasks to be done; all are part of the sacrifice the drum major must make.  The rewards are awarded in the future which is being developed through his action.

THE ABILITY TO TAKE CRITICISM AND ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY

A leader must accept the criticism of his fellow students.  They must feel free to give their evaluation of his as well as their performance.

APPEARANCE AND DEPORTMENT

The drum major should represent the finest example of excellence in marching and execution of movements, the ultimate in neatness and appearances and in self-discipline and deportment.

DEVELOPING A STYLE

The drum major as a leader and performer has a dual responsibility to the band as well as the audience.  With this in mind he must be able to create or imitate a style which will highlight him as an individual performer without sacrificing his responsibility of leading the band.  The drum major must demonstrate that he has complete control of the entire performance.  It is obvious that his style must be in good taste, colorful, and yet not interfere with the band or its movement.

Facings may be executed fast, slow, fancy, or plain.  They may be executed in the style of a kick, jump, slide, or strictly military in character.  In conclusion the important item of consideration is the degree or range of difference between the drum major and the band.

Contrasts in style are important items for consideration in the development of individuality and showmanship.  They create attention and interest.  Changes in musical style or tempo provide opportunities for originality and contrast in strutting, arm swing, movement and variations in stride.

The male drum major must incorporate masculinity into his individual style.  Motions must be strong and definite.  Small, weak styles will not gain favorable acceptance.  Girl drum majors should incorporate an air of military, free of masculinity.  Motions should be smoother and smaller, but never dainty and unprecise.

TWIN DRUM MAJORS

Twin drum majors offer great public appeal and interest when they function and perform as a single entity.  To obtain the maximum effect of twin drum majors the director has the responsibility of selecting two bandsmen whose physical appearances compliment each other.

The drum majors must make every effort to develop similarity in appearance, mannerisms, movement and uniform dress.  Their marching must be so alike in style and precision of detail that they think and act as one while working as a team.

Considerable time must be given to a system for coordinating each movement of the whistle and baton signals.  Work on uniformity of baton angle, elbow and knee height, stride and strutting, length of whistle commands an exactness in the execution of signals.

Develop a system of counting such as "one, two, ready go" or a simple "ready-and" spoken by the head drum major.  With practice and experience the system of counting may eventually become automatic and even unnecessary.

The disadvantages of twin drum majors are apparent in the time and limitations which are inherent in the development of TWO equally competent and completely coordinated individuals.  Additional consideration should be given to conflicts in personality and authority.  Some bands may find it prohibitively costly to uniform two drum majors.

Frequently the advantages out-weigh the disadvantages.  Twin drum majors provide greater visibility and field coverage in rehearsal as well as performance.  They provide an additional rehearsal assistant and a trained drum major in the case of an emergency.  When functioning as a team they create a double impression of the role of the single drum major and enhance the audience impression of the performance.

ANALYSIS OF COMPARATIVE DRUM MAJOR STYLES

CHAPTER II

TEACHING MARCHING FUNDAMENTALS

POSTURE AND CARRIAGE

Carriage implies the use of correct posture when marching or moving.  A steady, rhythmic, uniform stride, free of body tension or excessive arm or shoulder movement, with proper balance and distribution of weight upon both feet, will produce a graceful, physical movement reflecting the authority of the drum major, his rank and position of leadership.

Correct carriage may also be observed by practicing before a full length mirror or with the assistance of another band member.

The drum major must set the example of good posture and carriage for the entire band and auxiliary units.  Posture and carriage are important elements of marching fundamentals and should be stressed in the initial practice sessions.

Motion pictures, slides or snapshots of band members requiring special remedial training in posture and carriage have proved to be an effective method of assisting members to correct their problems.  It is equally effective for the drum major to see himself in action or still motion as a method of studying his posture, carriage and technique.

On Count one

(1)                 Raise the left heel, toe on the ground, weight on right foot.

(2)                 Bring left knee to position shown in figure 4.  Leg should be parallel to the ground, toe must be down and below the heel.  Shoulders back, do not lean forward.

(4)        Return left foot beside right foot.  Weight equally distributed on both feet.  Position of attention.

Practice slowly with count until the movement becomes fluent and natural.  Reverse the system for the RIGHT foot by substituting right for left in the instructions.

FUNDAMENTALS WITH VERBAL COMMANDS

Fine marching bands are developed from good fundamentals of marching techniques, attention to posture and carriage, good musicianship and a system of drill that every bandsman understands.  The drum major is frequently responsible for much of the teaching of the basic marching fundamentals.  Such responsibilities necessitates an ability to teach and drill through the use of verbal commands.

Verbal commands are most frequently used with a small unit or when the band is not playing.  They are essential for teaching and directing drill movement in rehearsal and for commands such as "AT EASE" or "PARADE REST."  All commands consist of two parts: (1) a preparatory command and (2) a command of execution.  The preparatory command tells the band WHAT TO DO and the command of execution STARTS the movement.  The preparatory command should be long, strong and distinct and directed toward the last rank of the band or the bandsman farthest from the drum major.  Such a command demands considerable breath support and a forceful projection.  The ease of projection is achieved through proper posture, correct breathing and the adjustment of mouth, throat and vocal production.  The diaphragm plays an important role in providing the breath support and intensity to project the vocal commands to the focal point desired.  The command of execution must be short, strong and distinct. It must be an order. . . authoritative.

Precision movement is generally the result of a systematic method of teaching as well as practice in the application of the system.  Develop a system of giving verbal commands, based upon a count system so that the band as well as you may respond and execute the commands with ease, confidence and precision.

A basic part of any; system of commands is the rhythmic meter.  Allow at least one beat or count following any command such as the preparatory or the command of execution.  This one count permits the band members to respond with greater precision and security.  Most commands require only three counts for the preparatory and command of execution, the fourth count is required to THINK and prepare the response.

The rhythm of command is important in obtaining precision and unison movement.  Practice the verbal commands in a strict rhythm as indicated by the numbers beneath the commands.  Such practice will be readily transferred to the whistle and baton signals that are basic to the trained drum major.  For practice we suggest a tempo or speed of 128-140 beats per minute.

The drum major must give all commands from the position of attention.  The commands of execution are printed in capital letters below the count and the suggested rhythm notation.