What To Expect

[dsheets]

Hello DCP-ers. I'm trying out for Spirit, Crown, and Cadets this winter for a Trumpet spot... what should I expect at a tryout, and how should I prepare for this?

Thanks!

--dj

Edited August 14, 2007 by DJSheets

[kalijah]

Hello DCP-ers. I'm trying out for Spirit, Crown, and Cadets this winter for a Trumpet spot... what should I expect at a tryout, and how should I prepare for this?

Thanks!

--dj

Spirit needs your quality of player. But you could march anywhere. Just play like you normally do.

[dsheets]

Wow, just hearing that from Darryl makes me want to close the topic! Anyone else? Do I need to have a prepared piece? Do I have to play scales? Is it like an All-State audition?

--dj

[kalijah]

Wow, just hearing that from Darryl makes me want to close the topic! Anyone else? Do I need to have a prepared piece? Do I have to play scales? Is it like an All-State audition?

--dj

Maybe someone who has auditioned recently can shed some light. i am pretty sure that spirit has an audition piece they post before the audition.

[shadowskream]

DJ,

Last year for spirit they had you prepare a piece (I used an Arban Characteristic Study). they also had a few exercises to perform and i THINK i played a chromatic scale?

At Cavies auditions we had/have a whole packet of information and exercises, as well as a few pieces.

I would suggest checking the websites of the corps. At any camp, be prepared to do anything you would at a normal rehearsal. Spirit had us running and prepping for pretour at the audition, while cavies did NOT, so the actual process will vary by corps.

Hope this helps, and feel fre to msg me if you have other questions.

[CuriousMe]

Most corps are pretty specific about how they want folks to prepare for audition camps. I'd suggest checking out each website and following their directions to the T.

Good Luck!

Peace,

CuriousMe

[sopchick_01]

Someone posted some great advice in another thread. I know its not specificly about brass but I hope this helps anyhow :):

I am not auditioning because I aged out in 2001, but more so here to give some advice to some kids.

Words of advice.... If your goal is to march a certain corps, but you doubt how good you are so you audition for a weaker corps first get experience don't do it.

What do you have to loose? If you want to be a Cadet, Cavi, or Blue Devil try out. You never know you might be better than you think you are. Too many talented kids try out for glassmen or colts, Boston with the intention of going somewhere else in a year and then they never do. They march there for 3 or 4 years. I'm not saying you can't have a great experience there, but why did there goal change. It almost happened to me. Let me tell you there is nothing better than marching a drum corps competing for the top spot every night.

Here are some general tips

1. HAVE A GREAT ATTITUDE AND MAKE ALOT OF FRIENDS AS THIS SHOWS GOOD CHARACTER ESPECIALLY IF YOU GET TO GO TO TWO CAMPS AS THIS SHOWS YOUR LIKEABLE AND HELPS THE POLITICAL SIDE OF THINGS.

2. LOOK REALLY CONFIDENT ESPECIALLY IF YOUR NOT THE STRONGEST PLAYER. LOOK GOOD IN THE ARC, STAND TALL AND WHEN MARK TIMEING DO IT WITH ALOT OF ENERGY. REMEMBER WHEN YOUR IN THE ARC THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU SPECIFICALLY, BUT THEY CAN SEE HOW YOU LOOK. HELL IF YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO PLAY THE CRAZY EXCERSISES OR PARTS LIKE AT BD OR CADETS WHICH THEY BOTH HAVE JUST AIR AND FALVE IT AS BEST YOU CAN AND LOOK LIKE YOUR PLAYING BALLS OUT. LOOKING CONFIDENT IS SO IMPORTANT.

3. IF YOU KNOW YOU CAN MARCH BUT CANT PLAY THAT WELL MAKE SURE YOU SHOW THEM THAT AND IF THERE IS A VISUAL INSTRUCTOR THERE TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT TO. ALOT OF KIDS MAKE TOP DRUM CORPS THAT ARE NOT THE BEST MUSICIANS, BUT THEY ARE GREAT ATHLETES AND SOMETIMES JUST AN AVERAGE PLAYER. A GREAT MARCHER WILL GET THE SPOT OVER SOMEONE WHO PLAYS BETTER BUT CAN'T MARCH. PICK AN AUDITION SCORE THAT IS VERY DEMANDING WITH ALOT OF TECHNICALITY. REMEMBER ITS AUG NOW YOU HAVE 3 OR 4 MONTHS TO MASTER IT. HECK GET ONE OR TWO PRIVATE LESSONS AT YOUR SCHOOL TO HELP YOU OUT. ANY AVERAGE HORN PLAYER CAN MEMORIZE A HARD PIECE WITH 4 MONTHS TO DO IT. YOU CAN TOO. THIS WILL DEFF HELP YOU GET A HORN SPOT EVEN IF YOU DID SUCK IN THE SECTIONALS WITH THE OTHER HORNS.

4. IF YOUR A GREAT MUSICIAN MUSIC MAJOR ECT AND NOT MUCH OF A MARCHER OR OVERWEIGHT YOU NEED TO PRACTICE MARK TIMING AND STAND UP WHEN PRACTICING LEEDING UP UNTIL YOUR AUDITON. ALSO GET A MARCHING BARITONE OR TUBA IF YOUR LOW BRASS AND PRACTICE HOLDING IT UP FOR 10 MINUTES AT A TIME WHILE PLAYING AND HOLD IT UP NOT LOOK LIKE AN ANT EATER. LOL. MAKE SURE YOUR FEET ARE IN TIME AND NOT OUT OF STEP WHEN YOUR PLAYING. YOU NEED TO PRACTICE THIS AS THE FAT GIRLS AND GUYS ALWAYS GET LOOKED AT AND WONDERED BY THE STAFF IF THEY CAN MARCH AND HANDLE THE PHYSICAL DEMANDS ESPECIALLY IN A SHOW LIKE CADETS OR CAVIES.

STAND UP AND MARCK TIME IN YOUR AUDITION ALSO TO SHOW THEM YOUR GOOD AT MOVING YOUR FEET BUT REMEMBER YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE THIS BEFORE THE WEEKEND CAMP.

5. IF YOU THINK YOUR ON THE EDGE OF MAKING IT COME THAT SATURDAY AFTERNOON OR EVENING. GO THE EXTRA MILE PRACTICE ON YOUR BREAKS AND LET THE STAFF HEAR AND SEE YOU DO IT ALONG WITH THE VETS. THEY WILL APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ETHIC ESPECIALLY AT CADETS. I KNOW BECAUSE I WAS THE GUY PRACTICING. LOL I REMEMBER HAVING AN HOUR LUNCH AND I WAS SO MAD BECAUSE I SUCKED SO BAD IN THE SECTIONAL WITH CHAD PENCE SO I ATE IN LIKE FIVE MINUTES AND PRACTICED FOR 55. THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES LADIES AND GENTS.

6. IF YOU YOU ARE A GREAT ATHLETE AND A GREAT MUSICIAN ON TOP OF HAVING ANY CORPS EXPERIENCE. REMEMBER NOT TO BE COCKY. THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN A ROOKIE WHO THINGS HE IS GOD'S GIFT TO THE CORPS. YOU WILL PROBABLY GET A SPOT IF YOU HAVE THE ATHLETICS, MUSICIAN SHIP AND EXPERIENCE FROM ANY TOP DRUM

CORPS.

SIDE NOTE: I WAS THE ATHLETE. HECK I THINK THE ONLY REASON I MADE CADETS IN 01 WAS BECAUSE THE WEEKEND I AUDITIONED I MARCHED CIRCLE DRILL BETTER THAN SOME IF NOT MOST OF THE VETS THERE. AT GLASSMEN THAT IS ALL WE DID SO THE ONLY THING I HAD TO GET USED TO WAS THE RIGHT FOOT LEED. I HAD THREE YEARS EXPERIENCE AND I LOOKED MORE LIKE A BODYBUILDER/RUNNER THAN A MUSICIAN AND I WAS BECAUSE I AM NOT AFRAID TO ADMIT THAT I MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE WEAKEST BARITONE PLAYER IN THE 18 WE HAD THAT SUMMER AND I DID PLAY EVERY NOTE AND WAS NOT CRACKING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I ATTRIBUTE IT MORE TO THE AMOUNT OF TALENT WE HAD THAT SUMMER AS GINO HAS EVEN SAID IN THE PAST THAT IT WAS THE BEST HORNLINE HE EVER TAUGHT. I MADE THAT HORNLINE BECAUSE I FOLLOWED WHAT I WROTE UP TOP BEING AN AVERAGE DRUM CORPS PLAYER, BUT A GREAT MARCHER AND IT WORKED FOR ME IT CAN ALSO WORK FOR YOU TO HELP YOUR DREAM COME TRUE.

By the way best of luck to you!

Edited August 20, 2007 by sopchick_01

[dsheets]

Oooh, yes. Greats posts and such.

Oh, updated list:

Trying out for Spirit, Crown, Cadets, AND Blue Devils

--dj

[Crossmenfan07]

Thanks for the posts! I must admit I'm pretty nervous, I just recently picked up mellophone and I'm practicing my brains out in the hopes that I make Crossmen. I do have a pretty athletic build but my playing definitely needs work and I know that, hence my mad practicing dash. If any one has any advice on what to focus on so I can rocket my mellophone skills off as quick as POSSIBLE, I would appreciate the advice! I am taking a very realistic yet very hopeful and determined stance on this audition. I really think I have a shot, but I also know that my chances depend on a variety of things! :)

[Michelle]

My Spirit music auditions have been fairly lax. I'm a mello player, so it's a little bit different than the trumpet auditions. I came in and played a prepared piece on my French horn because I didn't have access to a mello after marching season. Then I was asked to play a chromatic scale and a major scale on mello to show that I know all the fingerings (though the guy auditioning me already knew that from '06, ). I think I did a couple lip slurs and that was it. My first audition was at the December camp and the other was at the January camp to set the hornline. Both music auditions were very similar. I would say the number one thing the staff is looking for is tone quality. The technique and range can come with time. Tone quality, IMO, is a harder thing to master.

Also at both of those audition camps we had visual auditions. That consisted of marching 8-to-5 in lines of assorted instruments across the floor while playing a lip slur exercise. You'll be assessed individually, but you won't be all by yourself in the audition if that makes sense. This simple visual exercise is just to ensure the staff that you can, in fact, march and play at the same time. I've seen more good players who are horrible marchers get cut than people who are just average players and average marchers (*points to self*).

You can get very far in a drum corps audition by having a great attitude and being a fast learner. It's all about being flexible and adapting to new surroundings; you'll have to do it everyday on tour.

Good luck at all your auditions! You seem to have chosen quite a few corps to try out for.