Some Facts about the Modern Marching Bands

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Some Facts about the Modern Marching Bands
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For hundreds of year, marching bands have been in
existence and in UK they are generally connected
to the Military. By buglers, drummers, or pipers,
troops would be led into battle. Here for
retreating these instruments were utilized to
give signals. Indeed, a piper was used to lead
off the WWII fighting platoon up the beaches of
France and to the landing crafts, during WWII. In
present arm force, Military bands play an
important part, but especially for ceremonial
purposes, as often seen on Trooping the Color,
Beating Retreat or the Edinburgh Tattoo.   Now
there are numerous styles of marching bands in
existence. Traditional marching bands tend to be
present in the UK. Apart from tuned instruments
such as bugles, valve trumpets, bell lyres, these
bands consists of brass and woodwind bass drum,
tenor drums, snare drums and cymbals. Such bands
are often used by organizations including the air
training corps sea cadet corps, scouts, etc use
such bands. These are also familiar sights at
festivals and parades in British towns.
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Originated in Scotland, other major part of
marching Music Composition Programs comes from
Pipe bands. With many top bands coming from the
USA and Canada, these have become popular all
throughout the world. The bagpipes play the
melodies and the drum corps has a very important
role. 6 or more snare drummers play complex
rudimental phrases on high tension snare drums.
There are Kevlar drumheads on these drums that
are tuned up to a very high pitch. So, to bear
the huge forces put upon them, the drums have to
be extremely strong. Under both the bottom and
top heads there are snare wires, which gives a
clean and crisp tone. This facilitates the
picking of even the softest of grace notes. Tenor
drums of various pitches and sizes are used to
add complex mid-range tones. Tenor drumming has
been taken to a latest level by some tenor
players.   From the American style show bands or
Drum Corps, a huge growth area in the world
marching scene comes. Apart from the numerous
sized bass drums and snare drums, the drum corps
also has cymbals, multi - tenors / quads, and a
pit. This pit located at the forefront, features
a range of tuned percussion such as marimbas,
bells, xylophones, etc. The rest of the band is
made up of brass players. In USA, these band
systems form an integral part of the music
education system and tends to play the completed
Marching Band Sheet Music.
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Marching snare drums have changed dramatically
over the last 100 years or so, from rope tuned
calf heads on crude drums to today's high tension
and finest maple, birch, or even carbon fiber
made models. Their hardware manufactured and
drumheads are made from lightweight
aircraft-grade aluminum.   There are some avenues
for the drumming lovers who are on a look to
start playing with a marching band. With the
possibility of performing too many varied
audiences, youths can apply to their local Army
Cadets, Air Cadets, Sea Cadet or Boys brigade
band, which will provide an instrument and
tuition.