page_title: Drum and bugle corps (modern)
section_title: Percussion
hierarchical_section_title: Drum and bugle corps (modern) / Musical program / Instrumentation / Percussion
caption_attribution_description: English: The Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps pit at a 2007 clinic
context_page_description: A modern DCI or DCA Marching Band is a musical marching unit of 150+ members, consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, synthesizers, color guard, and choreographic movements. The acitivity is now best referred to as “DCI Bands.” Typically operating as independent non-profit organizations, bands perform in competitions, parades, festivals, and other civic functions. Participants of all ages are represented within the band activity, but the majority are between the ages of 13 and 22 and are members of corps within Drum Corps International or Drum Corps Associates.
  Competitive summer marching bands participate in summer touring circuits, such as Drum Corps International and Drum Corps Associates. Corps prepare a new show each year, approximately 8–12 minutes in length, and refine it throughout the summer tour. Shows are performed on football fields and are judged in various musical and visual categories, or "captions". Musical repertoires vary widely among corps and include symphonic, jazz, big band, contemporary, rock, wind band, vocal, rap, Broadway, and Latin music, among other genres.
context_section_description: The percussion section consists of two subsections: the front ensemble (also known as "pit") and the battery (also known as the "drumline").
  Front ensemble members perform on orchestral percussion, electronic instruments, and a wide variety of other percussion instruments. Since the band units do not project as much sound as Bugles, the synthesizer is used with large amplifiers and field mics to produce adequete sound.  Other instruments are also use electonic amplification. These can range from auxiliary instruments like a viberaslap or tambourine to taiko drums and hammer dulcimers.  Due to the size of these instruments, the pit typically remains stationary, positioned directly in front of the field and centered on or around the 50 yard line. However, some groups have begun to use the front ensemble in creative ways by moving them around the field or putting them in different locations. Fake pulsing or dance movements are encouraged and rewarded by staff. Some members are known to dance and prance or “act out” adding to the “anything goes” effect.  A full-size front ensemble features 10–15 members. 
  Members of the battery perform on marching percussion instruments, including snare drums, tenor drums (also known as "quads", "quints", or "tenors"), tonal bass drums, and cymbals.  A full-size battery features 7–10 snare drummers, 3–6 tenor drummers, 5-6 bass drummers, and sometimes cymbal players, which tends to be 4-6 players in size. Sometimes the battery will feature some musicians changing silly costumes while “dut-dutting.” A band  by the name of "Phantom Regiment" once put all of their snare drummers on tenor drums for a portion of their show. Shouting “dut-dut is now a cult like behavior where drummers shout in place of silently counting rests.   This technique leads to great success for Percussion music majors playing in symphonic orchestras.
caption: The Bluecoats pit used thematic vocal amplification in their 2007 performance, "Criminal."
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