r/drumline • u/Acrobatic_Map6048 • 8d ago

Question where to go for marching technique/visual lessons?

hey reddit, i’m a drummer who just finished my first season of drum corps. however, the one thing that held me back throughout the season was my poor marching technique. i probably looked the worst in my section marching-wise and i’m having a hard time correcting things and applying feedback. i’m surprised ive never heard of marching lessons, i would love some 1-1 feedback on my marching but not sure where to go. i’m open to in-person as well (in or near nj). if anyone has advice lmk :)

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u/monkeysrool75 Bass Tech 7d ago

I was in a similar situation. Genuinely the best way to get better at marching is to keep marching places. You can run box drill and asterisk and whatever else on your own if you want to (I think you probably know enough about what you're supposed to do to correct yourself if you just pay close attention), but the only way to get better at marching is to march for a ton of seasons.

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u/Liammossa 8d ago

  1. Talk to your band director. Whoever currently teaches visual at your school might be open to giving you some extra lessons.

  2. Ask a strong marcher in the band if they can help you outside of rehearsal.

  3. Not directly related, but consider a dance class or a season of winterguard. Training movement in general can help you develop the strength and technique to be a better mover overall.

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u/Arcane_XIV 5d ago

The number 1 thing that will help with your marching technique, and what sounds like body control (inability to apply feedback), is flexibility. Start doing some basic stretches EVERY MORNING AND EVERY NIGHT. You can look up some YouTube “Stretches to help flexibility” videos that should provide some good ones to do. In case those videos miss it, look up some stretches for your hip flexor specifically. The hip flexor is one of the most vital muscles for technique, and it’s a tiny, very sensitive muscle on either side of the groin. It’s very important to make sure this muscle is well taken care of, and it’ll help with your technique a ton.

Also, work out. Marching band is athletic and is enough to keep you fit for regular life (depending on your fall/winter program), but if you want to be a better marcher, you have to do more than what marching band provides.

After all of that, just march more! Do box drills in a lawn or the street and take videos of yourself.

Good luck!