Hey dude! I have a couple questions for you that I was wondering could be answered. 1. What is it like to be a drummer in DCI? 2. How does the music compare from, let's say, music on a jazz sheet to music on a Drum Set in marching band? 3. Is there a way that a person with a background in jazz could transition into the world of marching band drum set? Anything helps man, I wanna see if I can get into a position such as that. Thanks!
Hey man! 1. Being a drum set player in DCI varies from corps to corps but all in all it is a very different experience than what most set players are used to. Usually the set is the source of time in a band but on the field the battery is always where you are listening (unless they just aren't playing) so being able to lock in with a metronome on your own is crucial, because on the field you have to lock in to a met that is almost 50 yards behind you! 2. This also varies from corps to corps. For me, our arranger wrote a "skeleton" of a part and allowed me to fill it with my own voice, but I am not sure if this applies everywhere. 3. I play a lot of jazz in school and one thing the jazz world doesn't focus on that the DCI world does is the metronome. Jazz loves playing around the beat but there is no room for that in a drum corps show. Basically learn your rudiments, get solid with a click, and make sure you know some orchestral things (gong rolls, bass drum, etc.) and you have a really good shot! Feel free to DM me with any more questions you have!
@@huntercurrymusic thanks for this! This helped me. Im writing my owm part for our marching band show and i meed to incorporate "marching band drumset" technique.
Hi. I know im late but can I ask, why do you put on earphones in the middle of the show? My best guess would be that theyre actually earplugs for when the snareline gets close but i dont know really
They’re in ear monitors so that I can hear the sounds of the DTX pad. At one point in the show I’m playing with a delay effect on the marimbas so I really have to be able to hear that in order to keep everything in time.
I have a question for you if you don’t mind answering, but did the front ensemble arranger write all the drum set parts or do you also have free reign to add fills and what not. You are such an inspiration dude!
Thanks for the kind words! I answered a similar question in the comments already but it was a collaborative effort between me and our arranger Omar Carmenates (who you should definitely look up)
We warm up of course! In my case, I learned all of the warm ups on keyboards during the audition process and used them as a framework for a bunch of different grooves. Once I settled upon my favorite ones, I took them with me to spring training and would play those while the boards were warming up. The grooves changed as their exercises changed as well. It provides a more fun listening environment for the front ensemble because a drum set groove is more pleasing than a metronome for hours on end, and is easier to lock into sometimes, so long as the drum set is locked in.
Hunter Curry thank you for the information, I’m on drum set next year and responsible for figuring out my own warm ups, I don’t want to just copy the snare part but I also don’t want to just play “rock grove #1” I’m figuring it out
