Drumline

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This article is about the percussion unit of a marching band called a drumline. For the 2002 film, see Drumline (film)

A drumline is a group of percussionists who play a variety of percussion instruments. A drumline may be an incorporated section of a high school or college marching band, a drum and bugle corps or indoor percussion ensemble, a pipe band, or a pep band, but also can exist independent of these larger ensembles. Indoor percussion ensembles serve as the most common outlet for stand-alone drumline performance.

Most drumlines can be divided into two sections; the battery and front ensemble. However, the term drumline is frequently used to refer to just the battery. Dividing the battery further are the sub-sections: snare drums, tenors, bass drums, and sometimes cymbals.

The marching percussion instruments of a battery section features high tension drumheads so as to produce a loud, short, and articulate sound, ideal for the intricate passages played by contemporary drumlines. Marching snares are either 13 or 14 inches in diameter, depending on whether the line is playing indoors or outdoors. The circumference of the rim is lined with 12 evenly spaced lugs, designed to maintain the high tension of Kevlar or PET film heads. Tenor drums (Also known as "quads", "quints", or "six packs") are sets of multiple drums worn by one marcher, usually in sets of 3 to 6 drums. Plastic and synthetic heads are most common in tenors and are tuned with a lower tension than snares, providing the drums with a more resonant, tonal sound which gives the drums a midrange, or tenor pitch support to the line. Marching basses consist of groupings of 4-6 individually carried bass drums. They are marched sequentially according size, with drum 1 being the smallest in diameter and weight and drum 4, 5, or 6, known as "bottom bass" being largest in diameter and weight. Marching cymbals are generally marched in groups of 2-8, though the range is simply by convention. Cymbals are held by each member of the sub-section and are either played by the individual holder, by a snare or tenor player, or used for visual purposes because of their reflective surfaces. A specific example is the well known "V" formation formed by the cymbal line of the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps.

The front ensemble (also 'pit' or 'frontline') can include any percussion instrument. This wide selection of instruments allows for the front ensemble to produce the greatest timbre variety in a marching ensemble. Front ensemble instruments are typically stationary during performance and are therefore not bound to the limitations of being mounted to the player. Instruments usually played in the front ensemble include marimba, vibraphone, bells, xylophone, and chimes. Oftentimes, in order to add special sounds to a piece, many auxiliary percussion instruments will also be implemented by the frontline ensemble.

Contents 1 Battery 1.1 Marching Snare 1.2 Tenors 1.3 Basses 1.4 Cymbals 1.5 Front Ensemble/Pit 2 Indoor Drumline/Winter Drumline 3 External links

[edit] Battery

There are four different types of battery percussion instruments. Marching Snare, Tenors (Trios, Quads, Quints, or Six Packs), Bass Drums (usually 4 or 5 graduating in size), and Cymbals (can be anywhere from 3 to 8 different size cymbals, usually marching crashes).

[edit] Marching Snare

Although all parts are important, the snare is a position held in high regard, due in part to the extreme dedication of the best snare players. Marching snare music is virtually always played in complete unison with the entire snare line unlike the bass drums. Therefore, being a snare drummer is a position highly aspired to. Snare solos are rhythymically more complicated than a horn solo and may incorporate visual "tricks". The snare line's function is melodic, providing the top voice and sound creating the center figures of rhythm distinguished as the melody of a segment of music being played by the drumline. The snare section leader is usually the main tempo reference for the rest of the line, and band. Often during practices, in more intimate band settings the lead snare drummer will click, or tap the drum major's tempo, to keep the band in time while practicing, especially marching drill

[edit] Tenors

Tenors (also called toms, trios, quads, quints, squints, timp-toms, hexes or six-packs depending on the number of drums) are a set of tonal drums similar to tom-toms. The Tenors usually weigh about 40-45 lbs. making them the heaviest of all the battery instruments. Tenors are usually four or five (sometimes three or six) different drums that graduate in size. Since there are several drums to play, the tenors require excellent coordination. Different from snare technique, tenor technique requires the use of the arms as well as the wrists. Tenors can have visuals too, but the sheer complexity of a lot of tenor solos makes enough visuals by just the movement of the arms around the drums. The tenor line's main objective in the drumline ensemble is to add melodic color to the snare sound, as well as create an ambient yet furiously strong color to the palette. Those uneducated about each drum generally consider the snare to be the hardest drum to play, and that snarists are the best percussionists on any line. In many cases, percussionists on tenor are named line captain.

[edit] Basses

Bass drums are the pulse and soul of a drumline. They are the voice that creates the basso melodisism of the line. Bass drum solos are written for multiple drums. Instead of being played by one person, the solo is split from drum to drum. Bass drum sub-divsions take a large amount of discipline to perfect, and are extremely difficult to master. Bass drum players must be very rhythmically secure in order to have a satisfactory section. While some consider the bass drum to be the easiest drum, a single bass part can be very difficult to play. Learning parts for the Bass section job in the drumline and sometimes the whole band. A bass part may consist of split quarter, eighth, sixteenth, sextuplet, or even thirty-second notes, and because of the inconsistent playing it also involves precise timing and counting. Since the bass drum part is played by multiple drums, every player must "feel the beat" and count until they have a note that is to be played by the drum they are carrying. In placing members of the bass line, the person who can best play diddles, or two hits with one stroke, will be the top bass drum. The second pitch bass drum is usually the best counter if not the top drum. The reason being that the number two bass will have more parts, or parts that fall in an awkward position of the beat. In filling out the rest of the bass line it just goes down the line based on skill, although this is not always the case.

[edit] Cymbals

Marching cymbals are not quite as common in drum corps, but are often seen in high school and university marching bands. Cymbals provide color and accentuate crecendi and louder dynamics. Cymbals may be played by the musicians holding them, or the individuals holding them may march with other drumline members who will play them. Marching cymbals roles are nearly as much visual as they are musical. Cymbals, often bright gold in color will be used to provide visual aspects to a band's show that accent and accentuate the band's performance. Cymbals range in diameter from 12 inches to 22 inches, and the larger cymbals can be quite strenuous to play. They require much arm strength, upper body strength and endurance to play due to great use of the entire arm, yet are incorrectly seen to be easy to play. Their visuals can range from hitting each others cymbals to jumping over themselves in a theatrical show.

[edit] Front Ensemble/Pit

Main article: Front ensemble

The front ensemble, often called the pit, is comprised of two sections. The mallet instruments (such as the marimba, xylophone, vibraphone and bells) are typically placed at the fifty yard line of the football field in front of the band. The mallet percussionists provide melody to the drumline, and are often required to perform complex musical passages called 'runs'. Mallet players must be well-focused and knowlegable of proper technique to be successful musicians.

The front auxiliary percussion instruments (like the timpani, tamborine, concert bass, gong, claves, and toms, but depending on the music, more unique and unconventional auxiliary instruments may be used) are usually placed on either side of the mallet instruments. The auxiliary musicians give personality to the music, by employing 'color' instruments such as suspended cymbals and tamborines. The mood of a passage of music can be drastically changed depending on the actions of the auxiliary percussion section.

[edit] Indoor Drumline/Winter Drumline

An Indoor Drumline is marching drumline ensemble that usually performs on a basketball court. Most Indoor Lines compete in a traveling league of other local drumlines. An Indoor Drumline performs a themed show with the Front Ensemble/pit portraying the melody and the battery (marching drums) playing a "backbeat" rythm.

[edit] External links

• Drumline Discussion Board
• Southern California Percussion Alliance (SCPA) Website
• The University of Minnesota Drumline
• [http://www.umassdrumline.org/ The University of Massachusetts Drumline