Best age to start Drum Corps

[GBPezman]

I'm itching to march again and have interest in a certain DCA corps - I have for a while.

My kids are aged 3 and 1 right now and I'd like to get back in when they can march but I've been wondering when the best time would be to get them started. They both already have an interest in the activity, my son had a wonderful time at Drums on Parade this year. Obviously, 3 is too young, but what would be your advice for starting?

Thanks for the input!!

[John Mayer]

A funny thing happened at the Stillwater show, my little girl, Cha Cha, came home with a flag, and said she wanted to be in the guard. This is all fine and dandy, love the fact she wants to be in the corps, but I had to move my plan of attack up a few years, so heres what I did about it.

(Before all the guard people start putting some kind of "guard hex" on me, please understand the Govie guard is very good, and I wanted my little Cha Cha to march soon, not in 10 years when she would be ready to join that faction of the corps)

I figured I would see what we had for uni tops, and see if she would fit in anything, and behold not only did one fit, we had 4 more for spares, why we have 5 uniform tops that fit a 6 year old is still a mysetry to me. So with the fact that she fits into a top I started to plant the seed "Hey you want to play cymbals?". She said see would try because she wanted to try marching. Next up, need cymbals, goto the truck and find out the smallest cymbals are way to big, she will never make throug a parade, goto plan B, find smaller cymbals. I go in search of a set of hi hats, find some, still to big, goto plan B.5 (because plan C is join the guard) I go and talk with my buddy "Rod, the bod, rock & roll, show me the money, who the hell are you, Schiedle" and he has a set of 10" splash for $120.00. It cost more then I want, but Cha Cha is now jucied and wants to march the parade on the 4th.

Wed comes and all the parts are in place, she has a complete uniform, she has real cymbals, but can a 6 year march a 2 mile parade at 85 degrees, and not fall down crying? This is the one big question, and the other question is, are the other cycbal palyers going to like having a 6 year old in the line? I speak with the section leader and let her know(in the Govies the pit playes cymbals in parades) if Cha Cha can't hack it, Tamara (my wife,Cha's mom) will be there to pull her on the spot. The cymals agree to the terms and we all start waring up, I'm playing snare, Molly my sister is in the guard, and my pride and joy Cha Cha is one of 5 cymbals.

The 4th of July parade in St.Peter is always packed and today was no exception, the parade is 4 rows deep on both sides and everyone is cheering for the corps, It's a good day to be a Govenaire. I look back every once in a while, and she still hanging in, she's starting to turn red, but she still looks strong. We turn the last corner and head for the park, I think shes going to make it, I feel better. We get done with the parade, no problems on any front, she made, I made it, we all made it, no body went down, take a second to thank the good lord, and get ready for the concert, feeling relieved about not killing my Cha.

We had 90 mins between the parade and our concert, and in that time my wife took Cha down to Patrick's to cool down and get some food, and to my wifes surprise, Cha now wants to do the concert as well. Back to the park they come, they join up with the corps, and Cha Cha is back in the saddle again. She does not know any of the music, but she is realy trying hard and the crowd loves it. We play the concert (nice concert by the way) and she makes it through that with out any problems and has a big smile on her face when all was said and done.

So I believe your question was "What age" in this case it seems to be 6, but when I started I was 12, but in any case, do it when they are ready. Some of my best times I have ever had was marching in the corps with my parents. I still remember after one very hot parade, stopping by a lake and throwing my mother in with her DM uni still on, ahhh, good times.

I'm very proud of my Cha Cha, but now the next problem is this. Is Cha Cha a member of the corps? Do the Govies invite her to banquet? How does a Sr.Corps handle a 6 year old member? After the concert we went to a party before the fire works where everyone in the corps was at. I took Cha aside and told her how proud I was of her, asked her if she wanted to play again, (she said yes :) ), and then I explained to her that she was now a member of the drum corps. She was not at this party as my daughter, she was a cymbal player. She was the youngest member of the oldest corps, and she liked that.

My new goal is to see if I can get her to play cymbal for SCV, but I think I might wait till shes 10 :P

[GBPezman]

That is a great story! I can't wait to have one like it myself.

I think what I take from that story is that they'll let me know, I won't be able to tell them.

Thanks for sharing the story, that helps immensely! Anyone else?

[Aggie Dan]

I agree. That is a GREAT story.

I don't have any stories to share, though.

But, my wife and I are going out to dinner tonight since rehearsal for one of my groups was cancelled... So, you never know. *crosses fingers*

[Sayre Kulp]

My brother and I both started around 7. So who knows. Like most things with kids... when they know they're ready, you'll know. You know?

[John Mayer]

I guess it's alot like potty training, me and my wife waited and waited (and waited) untill Cha Cha was ready and then one day she was done with her dypers, and never looked back.

To tell yawal the truth, I believe performing with your parents in the same uni, on the same street, on the same field, with the same corps, brings a family closer then people realize. I often relate the concept of "circus freeks" to try and get my message across. My parents harldly ever came to watch me play basketball, (which is normal for normal parents watch their normal kid do normal things) because thats what I wanted to do, I didn't do that to get their attention, I played basketball because I wanted to. We as a family always got together in the summer, loaded up the van, and off to the parade we went. We as kids loved going to parades/shows, we would put on our uniforms (circus costumes) get out on the steet/field and do our thing (just like circus freeks). I loved thoose days

What I'm trying to get across is this, what do circus familys do in their down time? I don't know they do, but I play basketball. b**bs

[Shadow_7]

I've marched with young people as young as 6. With some at the age of 8 and 12 with other corps. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. As long as they're the exception and not the rule. Once you get a corps that's 50% or more below 18, the environment is a completely different experience. Not to imply that it's a bad thing, but as a thirty something, it's not something I desire to surround myself with during my time off from work.

I started marching drumcorps when I was seventeen. I probably would have started doing it sooner, if I knew it existed at an earlier age.

[cabalumnidrummer]

You've partly answered your own question:

"I think what I take from that story is that they'll let me know, I won't be able to tell them. "

I've been instructing kids for about forty years. They all join thinking it's easy to play drum. Some are ready at age six or seven, but most are too young to understand. My experience has been that the vast majority begin to really understand what they're being taught at about about age 10. Still others don't fully grasp what I show them until age 12 or 13. My point of course is that everyone is different. Some of my fastest learners have been between the ages of 6 and 10.

My story: When I was about 7 or 8, my older brother was a bugler in a Boy Scout band. One Memorial Day I went over to the drums on the ground in the assembly area and started to bang on them. The drum instructor happened to be there and told my father, "That kid is a natural. He's going to be a drummer some day." It wasn't until I was twelve that I joined the local church Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps as a drummer. Within a year I was out of the beginner group and in the "A" corps. I guess he was right. I was one of the youngest drummers in Hawthorne when I joined in 1966.

Again, every child, every person is an individual. When and if your kids are interested enough to want to march and play, you'll know. I would say don't push too hard too early, unless they are really eager. Let them see how much you enjoy it, and chances are they will follow suit.

My own kids have also played and marched in local corps and their high band, but my dream of having them follow in my footsteps in the Caballeros never materialized -- yet. I'm still hopeful.

[NY Skyliners PR]

You've partly answered your own question:

"I think what I take from that story is that they'll let me know, I won't be able to tell them. "

I've been instructing kids for about forty years. <Snip>

My story: When I was about 7 or 8, my older brother was a bugler in a Boy Scout band. One Memorial Day I went over to the drums on the ground in the assembly area and started to bang on them. The drum instructor happened to be there and told my father, "That kid is a natural. He's going to be a drummer some day." It wasn't until I was twelve that I joined the local church Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps as a drummer. Within a year I was out of the beginner group and in the "A" corps. I guess he was right. I was one of the youngest drummers in Hawthorne when I joined in 1966.

John,

I was wondering WHO it was speaking about a church Fife, Drum & Bugle Corps . . . and low and behold - it was you! You are an excellent person to speak about the drum corps & percussion experience on many levels. . . . hope all is well. Regards to the family! See you soon, I am sure!

P.S. That drum instructor sure knew what he was talking about!

Doreen Sandor

[cabalumnidrummer]

Hi Doreen!

Thanks for the kind words. Hope all is well with you too. Maybe we'll see you at the Grand Prix on the 14th? If not, we're bound to meet at a show before the season is out. I'm still playing with and teaching the Cabs Alumni.

Saw Jim Downey at a show in Brooklyn last fall with the Selden Alumni, and exchanged notes with Jim Dwyer at holiday time. Can you believe Blue Max was 30 years ago? Keep in touch!