TAMU-Commerce

Marching Band Technique

MUS 404.001
Spring 2014 Course Orientation

Allan F. Goodwin, instructor

Office: Music Building 191 Office Hours: By appointment
Phone: (903) 886-5292 Meeting Time: 12:30 AM – 1:45 PM
E-Mail: allan.goodwin@tamuc.edu Location: Music Building 209 (Lab)

GTA: Sarah Rogers

E-Mail: sarah.rogers@tamuc.edu

Course Description and Objectives

• Understand the practical history of the marching band and drum & bugle corps in The United States
• Understand the four-fold purpose of marching band
• Develop a list of resources for stock and custom marching design possibilities
• Gain practical exposure to marching band show planning and production
• Gain exposure to concepts in traditional and contemporary arranging and musical design
• Understand the legal issues and limitations pertaining to copyright and intellectual property
• Design custom drill design to pre-arranged music
• Understand the primary schools of thought with respect to marching fundamentals
• Develop a repertoire of drill cleaning concepts
• Understand appropriate pacing marching arts instruction
• Gain exposure to marching adjudication and evaluation
• Understand the unique issues designing for small-school programs
• Demonstrate the use of:
o Audio editing software
o Traditional (paper and pencil) drill design tools
o Computer-based drill design software
o App-based marching band instructional tools

Required Course Materials

• 16 GB USB Flash Drive
• Headphones/earbuds with 1/8” adaptor
• Access to an Apple Macintosh computer
• Couse-Pack materials will be provided as necessary
• 1 blank CD-R
• No textbook. Save your money.
• 2” 3-Ring Binder

Recommended Course Materials

• 6-month college-student subscription to Pyware Version 7 ($75.00)
• http://www.pyware.com/collegesubscription.html
• DCI Fan Network “Live” subscription ($39.00)
• http://dci.thefannetwork.org/store/service/display
• BOA Fan Network “MFA Encore” ($39.00)
• https://musicforall.org/video/subscriptions
• Drill Book App ($2.99 / $6.99)
• https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/drillbook/id324469543?mt=8
Lab Hours
• To be determined

Attendance
• Any and each absence after 3, excused or unexcused, will result in the lowering of one letter grade. Tardiness is
considered 1/3 of an absence.
• Courtesy dictates notifying the instructor in advance of an absence whenever possible.

Conduct
• All students enrolled at the University shall follow the tenets of common decency and acceptable behavior
conducive to a positive learning environment (Student’s Guide Handbook, Policies and Procedures, Conduct).
• In order to maintain a focused learning environment it is required that all cellular phones and other hand-held
electronic devices be turned off or made inaudible during class.
• As this course is computer based, all work will be done using Apple computer products. Lab computers are not to
be used for personal reasons (sending/responding to emails, web browsing, etc.)

Grading
• Grades will be determined on the basis of:
o Daily Participation / Preparation 10%
o Assignments and Projects 90%

Grading Scale
• 90 – 100% A
• 80–89% B
• 70–79% C
• 60–69% D
• 00–59% F

Grading Detail
1. Flow Chart / Segment Sheet 10%
2. Audio Editing Project 10%
3. Written / Taped Adjudication Project 10%
4. Teaching Segment 10%
5. Drill Design Final Project 40%
6. Final Exam 20%

Guest Clinics
• Key Poulan (arranging)
• Alan Mueggenborg (drill design)
• Mike Tarr (marching instruction)
• JJ Pipitone (marching adjudication)
• Kenny Fruhauf (uniform design and construction)
• TBA (colorguard)
• TBA (marching percussion)

Class Schedule Detail

Date Topic Assignment Due

1/14 Introduction to course, Roundtable discussion, The history of marching band
1/16 The history of marching band, The purpose of marching band, philosophy
1/21 Marching band, UIL, Curricular goals and TEKS
1/23 Marching band design elements, What makes a show effective? Philosophy Statement

1/28 What makes a show effective?, Aesthetics, The pacing diagram, Fan Network
1/30 The music selection process, Thematic design, The chicken and the egg

2/4 Marching band design resources, Stock designs, Custom arrangements, In-house arranging
2/6 Arranging for the marching band Pacing Diagram

2/11 Editing music

2/13 TMEA

2/18 Copyright, licensing, Intellectual property, Uniform design

2/20 Drill design, What and why Audacity Assignment

2/25 Flow charts and segment sheets

2/27 Introduction to charting, The “old school”

3/4 Charting drill

3/6 Charting drill Flowchart

3/11 Spring Break

3/13 Spring Break

3/18 Charting, Digital Design Pencil Sketch

3/20 Charting, Digital Design

3/25 Charting, Digital Design

3/27 Charting, Digital Design

4/1 Marching fundamentals, Schools of thought

4/3 Marching fundamentals, Practical teaching lab Pyware Assignment

4/8 Practical teaching lab, Rehearsal pacing

4/10 Rehearsal Techniques

4/15 Rehearsal Techniques

4/17 Marching Percussion, Colorguard

4/22 Selecting contests, festivals and competitions, Marching band adjudication

4/24 Marching band adjudication

4/29 Adjudication lab Written Comments

5/1 Designing for the small-school band program

5/6 Finals Week

5/8 Final Exam (10:30 AM – 12:30 PM) Judging Tape