chasgroh Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Hi Alumni, a question or two from a drum corps newbie, I just got the drill charts for this season and I can honestly say that I'm a bit scared, excited and anxious and eager all at the same timeSo How was the drill/visual experience for you your very first year of drum corps? Was it a scary experience? Any tips (besides getting into shape and practicing the marching style)? ...my first was in 1963 with a bunch of bandoish boy scouts...none of us knew anything so it was a hoot...WAY different than what you'll go through! It only got scary when *all* of the girls' corps beat the crap outa us all year! If you have some time, mark your breaks (when you move in a different direction...when you stop, even tempo/time changes) in your music and practice moving your feet when you work on your music. BE IN TIME!!! KNOW your technique for direction changes, this is super important. Once you know in what direction you're going to be moving, then work on getting all the steps even from point to point...the sooner you master the first step in any given direction, the sooner you will be a rock with feet (well, that also involves keeping everything above the waist motionless...heh...that'll come with time, stud) and you will quickly become confident and great performance will follow. Be positive and LISTEN to the vets and, of course, your staffers. Alot has been said about running back when restaging and all of the comments have merit...I want to add one thing: when everybody gets into it like that you reward yourselves with TIME...and, believe me, when you look back on the year...well...as a group you will ALL wish for just a little more time. (Maybe not if you end up on top... ). Good luck, comrade! cg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaplac Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 one of the biggest things that really screwed me over my first year was worrying so much about where my dot was that I would stare at it when I was learning drill. BIG NO-NO When you learn drill keep your head up and towards the audience using your peripherals to spot yardlines then make corrections based off the end result. Otherwise when you get a horn in your hand it'll be like you never knew your dots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
year1buick Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 I honestly don't remember much about learning the first charts of my Sky Ryders show. At Regiment, I thought something along the lines of, "Holy ####, I hope I don't fall on my ###." We were trying to learn the original version of the rotating box at the end of the opener--initially, it was more ambitious, with multiple rotations in it. Cooler heads eventually prevailed. (I wish we'd have stuck with the more dangerous version.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpaul Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 The staff knows that you're new, and so are a lots of other members. They'll work you up to speed. Just pay attention and show them that you're working hard and you'll be fine. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CloudHype Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 (edited) Learning drill was not a big deal for me, I had 3 days to learn my drill before the first performance. Honestly, Block is more scary then drill. I found drill to be fun but I'm also a vis geek that now writes drill for high school bands and indoor percussion. Advice, here is Cloudhype's list of do's and dont's and general info! Listen to your staff and never, EVER talk back, even if we're wrong. Don't just memorize your music, KNOW your music inside out. Mark your music during free time. While at home, practice your music while marking time and take a step in the direction of your next move at the proper time. Oh, you are given drill charts, circle your spot and draw a line towards dress responsibilities, unless you are told not to and are 100% truly dependent on dots. Make multiple copies of dot books/ coordinate sheets. They fall apart and you might lose a couple during the summer. Never say: "But I'm on my dot!" Listen to your staff. Relax. Sunblock... Really. A burnt body is one in pain. A body in pain makes many mental errors and wonders when lunch begins. Chubby legs love Gold Bond. Chubby legs hate briefs but love boxer briefs. I have chubby legs. Listen to your staff. Don't suck. Know your technique so well that you can teach it. Look up because the ants don't care and grass doesn't give you good tempo. Don't wear a watch. You are now in drum corps and you no longer have free time. You are on my time (sorry, the instructor in me). Never tell another member: "But I'm on my dot!" Reset = Run Edited March 19, 2010 by CloudHype Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
contrajedi8 Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Learning drill was not a big deal for me, I had 3 days to learn my drill before the first performance. Honestly, Block is more scary then drill. I found drill to be fun but I'm also a vis geek that now writes drill for high school bands and indoor percussion.Advice, here is Cloudhype's list of do's and dont's and general info! Listen to your staff and never, EVER talk back, even if we're wrong. Don't just memorize your music, KNOW your music inside out. Mark your music during free time. While at home, practice your music while marking time and take a step in the direction of your next move at the proper time. Oh, you are given drill charts, circle your spot and draw a line towards dress responsibilities, unless you are told not to and are 100% truly dependent on dots. Make multiple copies of dot books/ coordinate sheets. They fall apart and you might lose a couple during the summer. Never say: "But I'm on my dot!" Listen to your staff. Relax. Sunblock... Really. A burnt body is one in pain. A body in pain makes many mental errors and wonders when lunch begins. Chubby legs love Gold Bond. Chubby legs hate briefs but love boxer briefs. I have chubby legs. Listen to your staff. Don't suck. Know your technique so well that you can teach it. Look up because the ants don't care and grass doesn't give you good tempo. Don't wear a watch. You are now in drum corps and you no longer have free time. You are on my time (sorry, the instructor in me). Never tell another member: "But I'm on my dot!" Reset = Run This x 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAvery Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 one of the biggest things that really screwed me over my first year was worrying so much about where my dot was that I would stare at it when I was learning drill. BIG NO-NO Unless of course BS uses the dot system. If so disregard the above statement. Know your dot. Love your dot. Be the dot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsPhan Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Good advice so far. One other important thing to remember, you're going to make mistakes and you're going to get reamed out occasionally. It's not a judgement of your character or your worth as a person, so don't take it personally. Absorb what you need to and move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillH Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Similar to mine...no one on the field had charts....the staff had a big set of acetate sheets with the pages drawn on them (so they could see the transitions from page to page, I think). They'd set the end people and someone would step us off for proper intervals, they'd dress the line, then when they were satisfied, we put down a mark (usually tape). The go to the lest set, repeat the procedure, and march from set to set, lather/rinse/repeat. Sam, Thanks for the interesting anecdote. I thought our corps were different, but did not realize to what extent. I rolled my ankle in pre-season and got to spend a few days helping Zingali chart parts of the Tonight closer. It was an experience I'll never forget. As a musician, it was amazing to me how much thought he put into the musical ideas and how he wanted to express them. (Mind you, I was only doing clerical, dot numbering-type work). Anyway, I cannot remember if we all had charts, but I think we must have, because I still have RPH charts from 83. I am just shocked to hear that your visual experience was so much less detailed, even considereing the difference in drill between the shows. It is remarkable how well you all marched considering this. To the OP, Be a total sponge where the visual staff is concerned. Do everything they ask and put more energy and thought into each moment than you ever imagined. do not be afraid to ask questions, because if you don't understand your responsibilities (step -size path dress, etc) then you cannot execute well. And VERY IMPORTANTLY, only EVER worry about YOUR performance and not that of those around you. You never want to fall into the "Junior Instructor" trap... Best of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellodramatic Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Also if you KNOW where you're going to like someone else said it helps when you sprint to it. It's really the first guy that stops moving that looks the bests. Make sure you do as much as you can to have your dots memorized as you learn drill, or before if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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