Wondering what technology a world champion marching band uses to be its very best? Here’s a list of apps that Calgary Stampede Showband staff members use regularly and would recommend for marching bands, drum corps, and other music ensembles. Know of any other great apps? Tell us about them in the comments!
Feb 27, 2017 Making drill for marching band This is the introduction operation of the application which is displayed by smartphone with data created by PC software 'drill. Drill Designer, Joe Petruzzi walks us through his drill design process. Learn tips and tricks of designing drill for marching bands. Presenter: Joe Petruzzi.
1. Coach’s Eye
- My Top 5 Personal Favourite 'Real' Drum Machine Apps for the ipad - Duration. A Comprehensive Guide Drum Corps Version - Duration. Let It Go from Frozen Marching Band Drill Design.
- Band-in-a-Box 9.0 allows you jam with this virtual backup band. Band -in-a-Box is an automatic-accompaniment program. You type in the chord symbols (C, Fm7, Cm7b5, and so on) to any song, choose a style, and press Play.
The Showband uses Coach’s Eye to help with its marching, percussion, dance, and color guard evaluations. Director Aaron Park loves its video analysis tools; staff use the camera on their mobile device to take video during rehearsal and add visual and audio feedback through the app, which can be shared with the student via email and Dropbox (another one of our favorite apps, see #6!).
2. Charms Office Assistant
Charms is an organization management tool that helps you keep track of student information. The Showband uses it to track students’ contact information, forms, uniform inventory, and attendance. You can even record attendance and track inventory by scanning barcodes with your mobile device. The Showband’s parent group, the Calgary Marching Show Band Association (CMSBA), also uses Charms to coordinate its fundraising efforts and both parents and students can log-in the app to see and update information.
3. Tempo Lite, Tempo, and Tempo Advance
Tempo is a metronome app that allows you to program an entire song, so it will automatically switch between different meters and tempos. Brass instructor Chris Bourne uses Tempo Advance and says it’s ideal for complex music, which changes meters more often. Chris also uses it to share the songs he creates with the Showband’s drum majors, so that they can connect it to the loudspeaker and practice conducting all of the different patterns.
4. iStroboSoft
iStroboSoft is a digital strobe tuner that is accurate and easy to use. The app’s strobe feature bars that move until your instrument is in tune, clearly showing your accuracy to different levels of precision. It even has a noise filter to remove background noise.
5. Notability
Notability is a PDF reader that allows you to upload music and drill in PDF format. Showband Assistant Director and percussion instructor Ryan Hancock uses Notability to make edits with pencil, text and highlighting tools before sharing updated documents with others.
6. Dropbox
Dropbox lets you upload and share files including photos, videos, and other documents. Best of all, you can access your files offline, which is essential when your rehearsal is at a remote location lacking internet access. The Showband’s music writers and visual designers also use Dropbox to collaborate while creating Showband productions.
7. Weather Network
It’s tough to plan for a 12 hour rehearsal day when Calgary’s weather can change on a dime. Will you need to bring a sweater? Sunscreen? An umbrella? The Weather Network’s app gives you reasonably accurate forecasts for the morning, afternoon, and evening.
8. SmartMusic
The Showband uses SmartMusic to conduct its music evaluations for wind players. Students complete assignments at home by recording audio through the app on their iPad or on their computer. Our woodwind coordinator, April Waterbury, loves that she can assess students’ work and provide feedback through the app on her phone, so students see what they are doing well, as well as areas for improvement.
9. Tiny Piano
The Showband’s brass section sings a few songs in its warm-ups, but doesn’t usually have a large piano nearby, so Showband brass coordinator Jeff Waterbury uses Tiny Piano to teach pitch instead!
Marching Band Drill Design Software Free
10. Voice Memo
Marching Band Drill Maker
Showband staff use Apple’s built-in Voice Memo app to make recordings of rehearsals for later review, to record conversations and ideas during design meetings, and to prepare for rehearsals.