Audition

[DrumCorpsHopeful05]

Hello!

I am fairly new to the Drum Corps life and am loving every minute. I want to march next summer and even switched instruments (from sax to baritone) in order to tryout. Can anyone give me some information on what I should start doing to get ready for auditions and tell me what the normal audition consists of. I practice daily in a warm ups techniquq book with scales and paterns, is there anything else I should be doimg??

Michael Downing

[bawker]

Sounds good so far...I haven't picked up a horn in a looooong time, but I used to be able to crank it out, so here's what I would suggest. :)

What you really want to develop is endurance. A lot of people who switch over get a weak, "buzzy" sound...this is what you want to avoid.

Lip slurs are GREAT for flexibility, and will develop your range as well. Long tones are boring, I know, but use them to center your pitch, and concentrate on a dark, full sound. If you can find a recording of the bari solo from Phantom Regiment's 1989 show....that's the kind of sound you want...warm and full.

When you practice, never force in the upper register. "Pressing" for range thins out your pitch quite a bit.

Always use lots and lots of air...make it habit to practice breathing exercises as well...cause in corps, you;ll be doing more than you evvvvver imagined. :)

As far as auditions go, well, I don't know how much they've changed ( I marched back in 1990...heh, a loooong time ago). Some corps, like Cavaliers, have audition "books" I think....and some just ask you to play a few scales and a prepared solo. It depends on the corps. The main thing is drive...if folks see you "want it" and have a good work ethic, you will get picked over someone who may be more talented. Go in with a "game face" and really concentrate on playing the best you can.

Now, granted, I'm not a music major...so take this all with a grain of salt. Many other people can probably help you out more than me...but hopefully, you have a better idea of what to work on.

Edited July 24, 2004 by bawker2000

[Brian]

from a sax to bari to euph to trumpet guy

good luck :P

I was in your position not too long ago, go in with an open mind, be very receptive of what the staff tells you what you need to work on. Since you're playing baritone work on holding the horn properly. Do this everyday, you will thank me! :P TONE is what you want, since you play bari you might get a totally of 1 run in a show depending on the show. Yeh yeh... I know listen to show X's bari lick...I know but for the most part you are just laying down the chords more than doing melodic stuff. Yeh Yeh I know ballads....

ok so they will look for TONE first, it would be nice to get a decent range although you will most likely end up on 3rd bari or euph. Save the triple tounging for the novelty act. Work the basics. The three T's.

good TONE

in TUNE

in TIME

(I think I got that right )

show them you want it more than anyone else, go in there in nail your solo and have fun! :)

you might just be lucky like me and make a finalist corps (hopefully you will be able to march with them though <**> )

[corpsnewbie]

Hello!

I am fairly new to the Drum Corps life and am loving every minute.

Hey man good luck with that, I am in a similar situation, introduced to this great activity through my buddies in my hs marching band, after my commitment with that is over ( summer band practices and such, my hs is one of the best in tx) i'll head over to some corps auditions( though in the marching band heaven that is tx, a drum corps no man's land exists, partly due to the intense summer heat, hehe), as soon as i decide where im headed, cause though im confident enough in my abilities and myself to make the top tier open class corps, i haven't been able to decide past that.

Anywho, as a tuba player, i totally agree with the above tips and suggest you spend a lot of time on fundamentals, not rushing through them like i used to do , but really taking the time to make sure each is accurate and has good tone. Listen to those recordings and use a tuner!

[murppie]

though in the marching band heaven that is tx, a drum corps no man's land exists, partly due to the intense summer heat, hehe

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, we all know why so many Texans do corps right?

....

Cause they can't stand summers in Texas :P

[GDeJesus]

warmup and technique doesn't mean crap unless you have confidence. auditions are just a mental thing anyway.

[DaveMLBC]

I want to march next summer and even switched instruments (from sax to baritone) in order to tryout.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dave Glasgow made the same switch to try out for the Bluecoats years back. He made it, was my drum major for two years, and is now corps director.

( though in the marching band heaven that is tx, a drum corps no man's land exists, partly due to the intense summer heat, hehe)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mississippi is a drum corps no man's land so I had to drive 10 hours to audtion - in Texas! The Bluecoats have full weekend audition/rehearsal camps every other month in Cedar Park (north of Austin).

The biggest advice of all is to do it - go and audition somewhere, this year. Ninety perecent of people cut themselves because they never show up. Just go out there and do it, even if you don't think you're ready, or if you're not sure you want do it this summer, or if it its not that top four corps you drool over. Go, do it. And good luck.