If you're a band director who's used to selecting outdoor field shows for marching bands, you should know that choosing indoor percussion shows presents its own set of challenges. On top of maintaining score clarity in the often difficult acoustics of indoor spaces, the show is hyper-focused on the marching band's percussion backbone and requires different musical considerations. Here are a few tips to guide you through this process and select the best drill show for your indoor drumline.
Start early
The sooner you start planning, the more thought you can put into your indoor percussion show. You'll need time to research, determine a style and make all considerations for how you will achieve your intentions while remaining within budget.
Determine your intended style
One of the best ways to start your selection process is to first visualize what style of show you'd like. While this seems like one of the biggest decisions to make, it can be easily tackled if broken down. First, look at your drumline's skill level. The style of show you select should highlight their many talents as well as present an opportunity for growth. Julie Davila for Zildjian.com explained that selecting this winter percussion show should be exciting, as you can present an opportunity for your musicians to depart from musical styles and elements that they'd normally encounter in their band program.
After you've considered your drumline's skill level, you could then think about what kind of music resonates with your community. While your show will most likely be viewed at competitions by people not from your hometown, reflecting the sound of your community is a great way to add a unique edge to your show and create an identity for your drumline. The other side of this idea is thinking about what style of music could garner a response at competitions. Perhaps it's something trendy or incredibly unique, but keep the accessibility of the music in mind when you're considering it as your selection.
Stay within your budget
It's great to dream big, but unfortunately a lot of drill show ideas have to remain somewhat grounded in reality. While it may seem like a limitation, keeping your budget in mind can help narrow your search and focus on shows that are feasible for your indoor drumline.
Look to complete drill shows
If you're not as experienced with indoor drumline shows or are just looking for a more cost-effective show, you can turn to complete show packages, such as the ones we make at Marching Show Concepts. These drill show custom designs are assembled by experts in the field and are organized by skill level. On top of that, they come with contest circuit exclusivity on a first-come, first-served basis. Not only will your search for the perfect show be simplified, it will cost less than buying music and drill choreography separately and offer you the invaluable security of a guaranteed unique show.
For more indoor percussion tips and techniques and for competition-ready complete drill shows, contact Marching Show Concepts today!