How to March in a Marching Band (core Style and Traditional Style)

Today I will be teaching you how to march in a marching band.

Every marching band starts with an attention position before they do anything. Attention is holding your instrument in your hand/hands, with your head up looking forward and not moving or talking. This little first step is meant for the band to look good and disciplined.

In core style bands you march with a method called feet rolling, it seems like walking to the naked eye but in reality they are rolling on their feet from the heel to the toe with every step. In traditional style bands you march with the show style march where lift your knees to a 90 degree angle and drive your feet into the ground with every step.

In both styles of marching band the first step will always be with the left foot. You will never see a marching band of any kind start on their right foot.

Once you've learned to start with your left foot you will learn how to mark time. Marking time is a stationary marching fundamental, this will help people learn how to march and learn how to count their steps.

After you have learned how to mark time then you will begin to move down the field in a method known to the marching band world as 8 to 5. 8 to 5 means you should only take 8 steps to go 5 yards on an American football field.

Since there are only 8 steps in between each yard line on the football field almost all bands count in repetitions of 8 and once you reach 8 you restart back at 1. Counting this way is essential because it makes it easier for the member to march 8 to 5 consistently.

Now you know how to start, mark time, and march 8 to 5, but now you have to learn how to stop. Like how you start on your left foot, you will also end on your left foot on count 8 of your 8 to 5. Once you step with your left foot on count 8 you come to a complete stop and go to attention.

The ground that we walk is never perfectly level so therefore the way you march is crucial to playing your instrument while marching. Keeping the upper half of your body stable and landing on the balls of your feet will make marching while playing easier and it will sound better.

Drilling is the constant repetition of moving up and down the field the making of formations. Drilling is seen during the halftime show. The easiest way to drill is to read off a drill sheet that tells you how to get to the spots that you need to go. Core style relies more on individual drilling whereas traditional style bands drill in quads or groups of 4.

Now that you know how to march in a marching band it is now time for the show! Marching in the show is a little nerve-wrecking the first time, but the best thing to do is remember what you have practiced and you will be fine!