Marching Band Glossary
Adjudicator
Another term for “judge”; the adjudicator’s job is to provide evaluation and feedback for a specific performance at a specific event, and in a competition setting, the adjudicator ranks the groups and help determine awards based on scores they provide
Attention
The motionless, silent, standing military posture used while waiting for the next command
Auxiliary
The Color Guard is sometimes referred to as the "Auxiliary"
Band Camp
A week of intense daily Marching Band practice where students learn marching fundamentals and most of the season's show (music and drill)
Band Trailers
The large trailer vehicles used to haul instruments and equipment to Band Camp and performances
Basic Block
A basic block is the formation in which basic marching concepts and techniques are taught, rehearsed, and mastered
Bibbers
Marching Band pants; part of the standard uniform, worn underneath the jacket
Brass
Trumpets, Mellophones, Horns, Euphoniums, Baritones, Trombones, Sousaphones and Tubas (all the shiny instruments that don’t have reeds)
Cadence
The beat played by percussion during a parade or when marching on and off the field, indicating the tempo and marching pace
Color Guard
The marching band members who add visual impact and color to the musical performance; Color Guard, sometimes just called "Guard", combines equipment work (flags, rifles, sabers, etc.) with dancing and marching
Company Front
A formation where the entire band or corps is in one large line, marching side by side, and moving forward altogether
Cover
Straight line in a column or file, aligned on the front person
"Cover Down"
Oral command that tells the group: Straighten the column or file
Dots
Specific points marked on the marching field (it's how students learn their drill positions)
Double-time
A step where the band members move at twice the speed of the music or cadence
Dress
A straight line in a rank, aligned on either the left, center, or right person
"Dress the Line"
A command given to fix a line that is uneven; it means each member should look to their right and adjust so they are in the correct position relative to the rest of the line
Drill
The actual choreography of the show, which involves development of the patterns in which the band will march while playing the show music; the drill is written with each band member represented by a specific dot
Drill Chart
A picture of what each formation (set) is supposed to look like
Drum Major
Student conductor who leads the marching band and conducts as it plays
Drumline
The percussion that marches on the field, consisting of snares, quads/quints, basses and cymbals
Eight-to-Five
Marching eight steps to every five yards (a 22.5" stride) — based on yard lines on a football field
Embouchure
Mouth placement on an instrument (Brass and Winds)
File / Column
Two or more people standing behind one another
Flags
Part of the Color Guard, the performers who spin 5' & 6' flag poles; sometimes the entire Color Guard is referred to as "the Flags"
Halftime Show
A performance by a marching band during the halftime period of a football game, often showcasing elaborate arrangements and visual effects
Mark Time
Marching in place (done to keep in time with the beat)
Metronome
A device which plays a consistent beat, a steady tempo (think "tick, tick, tick, tick")
Parade Rest
A relaxed Attention position
Pit / Sideline Percussion
The percussion section that remains stationary on the front sideline is called "The Pit" which consists of xylophones, marimbas, bass guitar, and any percussion needed for our performances
Plume
The large, very expensive feather worn on top of the uniform hat (Shako)
Pregame Show
A performance by a marching band before the football game, includes a performance of the school's Fight Song, the National Anthem, and featured pieces
Quads / Quints
Set of 4 or 5 connected drums carried by member of the Drumline
Rank
Two or more people standing side-by-side
Rifles
Part of the Color Guard, the performers who use wooden rifles (replicas of rifles that don't fire and are balanced for spinning)
Roll Off
A drum cadence that tells the band to play
Roll Step / Low Step
A gliding style of marching where the leg swings forward, (similar to a walking step) the heel contacts first, and the weight is smoothly rolled to the toe
Sabers
Imitation swords — another piece of Guard equipment, used to visually interpret the music
Section
Group of similar instruments, example: the clarinet section, low brass section, flute section etc.
Section Leader / Captain
A band student who is in charge of a particular section
Sectional
A specially scheduled practice for a section (band members who play the same instrument); Sectionals provide an opportunity to focus exclusively on that section's music or routines
Shako
A particular style of uniform hats worn by many marching bands
Show
Another term for a performance, "The Show" is usually a slang term for a band's field performance, for example: "What is the theme for the Show this year?"
Silks
The flags on poles used by the Color Guard (although nowadays they are typically made out of polyester fabric, not silk)
Sousaphone
The tuba used in Marching Bands that wraps around the players' bodies
Stands Tunes
Music the marching band plays in the stands during a football game
"Step Off"
The command that tells the band to start marching forward
Tempo
The speed of the music, expressed as a number of beats per minute; for example: "The correct tempo is 110 beats per minute."
Tower / Podium
Raised platform upon which conductors stand
Woodwinds
Flutes/Piccolos, Clarinets, Saxophones (all the non-brass instruments that generate sound by blowing air through a reed/over the mouthpiece and through a cylindrical or conical tube)